Julia Lashae
Julia Lashae was born in Austin, TX to Sissy, a musician/swimming instructor/seamstress/Girl Scout troop leader, and her father, a state worker/musical theater actor. The fourth of five children, Julia was raised in a musical environment, singing in school choirs, as well as playing oboe and bassoon in junior high and high school. After putting herself through Austin College and earning a BA degree in International Studies, Julia decided to embrace her passion to perform, working as a singing telegram performer and face painter for children's parties, as well as a waitress and opera singer at an Italian restaurant. During this time of self-discovery, she auditioned for the American Musical and Dramatic Academy NYC and was accepted. She deferred her student loans, sold her belongings, and moved to New York City. After working her way through the conservatory program at AMDA, she left New York for New Orleans, where she became the featured singer in a swing band. A busy career with the swing band led to a solo jazz career, during which time she released two albums. Her first album, "Introducing...Julia Lashae", was ranked the #3 album of 2003 in Louisiana by the New Orleans Times-Picayune. Her second album, "Eadem Mutato Resurgo", features an original song entitled Curly Brown Hair, which she wrote for her husband as they, their friends, and their city were recovering from the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The song expresses the joy in finding an anchor of love in the midst of a storm.