Julia of Tramhaus: "I hate pickled food."

Dec 08 / 2023

15 nominees. It's quite the number. How on EARTH are you going to know which artists to vote for, for the Public Choice Award? We've got you covered. In our 2 min read, you'll learn about their pets, favorite artists, funny stories and listen to their inspirations. Next up: Tramhaus.

What is your name and where are you from?
My name is Julia of Tramhaus and I am from a small town near Rotterdam.

Tell us how you started making music.

At 5 years old, my parents put me in classical piano lessons. It was at the home of a French lady who had studied at the conservatory in France. She was very strict and taught me to read music at the same time I was learning to read letters in school. During my teenage years I grew tired of the classical stuff, quit the lessons, never read music again (which I now regret) and wanted to play guitar.

I never really got the hang of playing guitar and slowly converted into going to see bands a lot, but not making music myself anymore. I do believe the classical skills I learned at a very young age have aided me in learning to play bass guitar later on.

Tell us a little secret (almost) nobody knows about you.

I physically can't burp, and I'm in a Subreddit for it to not feel alone.

Send us a pic of your pet (if you have one).

These are my two pet rats Guus and Gob. They are brothers.

The last song I listened to was 'Frank' by Just Mustard. The recordings of the vocals have a very nostalgic feel to them, which fits the current gloomy weather very well.

Open question: tell us something you want to share about yourself.

I hate pickled food.

What's the best gig you've ever been to?

When I was 17 years old, I went to a festival on my own (which I found scary), just to see Radiohead live for the first time. Radiohead has been my favorite band since I was about 13 years old, but they didn't perform during those years. I went early, made sure I stood in a nice spot, and cried my eyes out for 2 hours. Still hoping to see them live again at one point in the future.

Which song of your own is the most significant to you and why?

I think 'Minus Twenty' is my favorite at this moment. It is most significant to the musical point we're at now as a band, and a good summary of the direction of music I enjoy making.

What album (or albums) have shaped you the most as an artist and generally as a person? What impact did they have on you?

This question makes me sweat. So many! But I'll give you one that inspired me as an artist and one that inspired me personally:

'In Rainbows' by Radiohead is my all-time favorite album of theirs. I listened to it so many times throughout my life and still come back to it always. It is everything I love about the band in one album.

Fat White Family's 'Serfs Up!' really inspired me musically over the past year. The way that album creates an atmosphere from beginning to end is amazing to me. It feels like the music takes you on a trip and drops you back home in the end, but yearning for more.

Name a song lyric that has inspired you and shortly tell us why.

Black Country, New Road have a song called 'Bread Song' which includes the lyrics:

"Okay, well, I just woke up, and you already don't care that I tried my best to hold you through the headset that you wear."

From the moment I heard them I just couldn't forget these lyrics for some reason, they are so violently sad to me, such a beautiful piece of songwriting.

Name a song people wouldn’t expect you to like, and tell us why.

I love Billie Eilish's last album a lot. People that don't know me might be surprised, but I find her songwriting insanely good and she has been getting everything right lately.

Any new music you are listening to right now?

I've been listening to Lewsberg's new album a lot, would recommend.

Who is your dream collab with and why?

Not musically, but my dream collab would be to have Nan Goldin take pictures of us on tour. Even though I don't like being photographed, I wouldn't mind if she did. She's one of my favorite photographers. I went to her exhibition last week in Amsterdam and fell even more in love with her work.

You've created a playlist for us, to give us a peek into your inspirations. Tell us about it!

We all have very different music tastes, but if you would put it all in a blender, this playlist is what you'd get.