Julia Cunningham brings her band with her to celebrate the release of her much-anticipated In Deep EP at The Carleton on Thursday, March 23rd. Show time is 7:30 PM and tickets are $15 + HST

Julia Cunningham is a singer-songwriter from Halifax, Canada. After years of quietly sharing her music with local audiences, the Music Nova Scotia grant recipient is stepping into the spotlight as a captivating emerging artist. Cunningham’s soon-to-arrive debut EP, Dive Deep, is a culmination of many years of writing, creating and fine-tuning a collection of songs that are deeply personal, yet profoundly relatable. From her warm vocals to her earnest lyrics to her skillful guitar playing, Cunningham’s folk-pop sound exudes a sense of nostalgia befitting for the end credits of a movie.

In order to bring Dive Deep to life, Cunningham was tasked with navigating a global pandemic, overcoming vocal cord paralysis and undergoing open heart surgery—all before the age of 30. Though many of the songs were written prior to these unthinkable circumstances, recording them having emerged on the other side has added incomparable and immeasurable depth.

Dive Deep was recorded at both The Sonic Temple and at award-winning producer Paul Aarntzen’s home studio. Aarntzen, who was formerly one-fifth of the Halifax-based band Hillsburn, mentored Cunningham through the production process and provided his expertise in mixing and sound engineering. To add musical depth and round out the EP, Cunningham brought in Melissa Comeau (vocals), Christiane Thériault (vocals and piano), Cassie Mann (bass), and Timm Reinhardt (drums).

The path to produce Dive Deep was never straightforward, however, the greatest creations rarely are. The promising young artist’s first EP is both an ending and a beginning; a thank you to what was, and an invitation to what is to come. The dust has settled, and Cunningham is confidently looking forward with clarity and purpose, while never being afraid to look in the rear-view to see just how far she’s come.