March 12, 2025 • 22 mins
Episode 131 - Cirque du Soleil: World Tour and Beyond
In this episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers podcast, Jaclyn introduces Julia Langley, a seasoned performer with over 15 years of experience with Cirque de Soleil. Julia shares her inspiring journey from childhood performances in church to touring 20 countries and all 50 US states. In 2019, a life-changing accident left her with injuries and a diagnosis of PTSD, but with resilience, she rebuilt her life. Julia discusses her unwavering faith, her early experiences in music, and her transition from a corporate career to professional singing. She emphasizes the importance of courage, persistence, and listening to one's calling. Julia also touches on the challenging and rewarding experiences on the road with Cirque de Soleil and her current focus on helping others use their voices boldly through her community, Bold and Confident Voices.
Highlights Include:
- Welcome and Introduction
- Julia's Background and Career
- Early Life and First Performances
- Challenges and Resilience
- Pursuing a Career in Music
- Joining Cirque de Soleil
- Life on the Road
- Julia' Masterclass and Personal Growth
- Conclusion and Contact Information
Bio:
Julia Langley helps ambitious performers learn how to use their voice more boldly and confidently. With over 15 years as a featured singer for Cirque du Soleil she has performed on stages in over 20 different countries and all 50 States.
In 2019, she was hit by a jeep while riding her bicycle leaving her with injuries that changed her life forever. Four surgeries later and a diagnosis of PTSD, Julia started from ground zero, and with courage and resilience got her life back on track. She believes she was given a second chance and has dedicated herself to empower others to share their story and truly be the force they were born to be in this world.
Julia’s Online Community: https://www.skool.com/bold-and-confident-voices-9012/about
Julia on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com
Julia on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cirquesingerjules/
Julia on Instagram: https://www.facebook.com/cirquesingerjules
Edited by Michael Roth
FAFF Association Online Meetups: https://faffassociation.com/#faff-meetings
Screenwriters Retreat - Mexico: https://www.faffassociation.com/writers-retreat
Jaclyn's Book - In the Beginning, Middle and End: A Screenwriter’s Observations of LIfe, Character, and God: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D9R7XS9V
VIP Producers Mentorship Program https://www.faffassociation.com/vip-producers-mentorship
The Faith & Family Filmmakers podcast helps filmmakers who share a Christian worldview stay in touch, informed, and inspired. Releasing new episodes every week, we interview experts from varying fields of filmmaking; from screenwriters, actors, directors, and producers, to film...
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Jaclyn (00:00):
Hello, welcome to the Faith and Family Filmmakers Podcast.
My name is Jaclyn, and today I'vegot Julia Langley With me in the studio, Julia Langley helps ambitious performers learn how to use their voice more boldly and confidently.
With over 15 years as a featuredsinger for Cirque de Soleil.
She has performed on stages inover 20 countries in all 50 states.
(00:23):
In 2019, she was hit by a Jeepwhile riding her bicycle, leaving her with injuries that changed her life forever, four surgeries later, and a diagnosis of PTSD.
Julius started from ground zero,and with courage and resilience, got her life back on track.
She believes she was given a secondchance and has dedicated herself to empowering others and to share their story and truly be the force.
(00:47):
Today we're born to be in this world.
Welcome to the podcast, Julia.
Julia (00:51):
Thank you so much.
It is such a pleasure to be here withyou today and have the opportunity to share a little bit about my background and what has led me to where I am now and really a a business.
That is focused onservice and serving others
and, you know, and I, andbringing faith into it as
(01:14):
well,
Jaclyn (01:14):
I love that
Julia (01:15):
that Yeah.
Well it's a, it's a veryimportant component of what I do.
And quite frankly, I, I was fortunateearly in my life to, you know, have parents that, that took me to church and, and really, and, you know, you do this.
Thing.
as you age, you get away from it, yougo back to it, you get away from it.
(01:36):
But it's been a constant in my lifeand it's really and truly, uh, the main thing that got me through my accident in 2019 and really got me back on track.
So, um, where do we start?
Jaclyn (01:51):
Okay, so let's, this is great.
Let's start at the beginning.
How did
you get into Cirque de Soleil?
Or even, where do you wanna start?
Even before that?
Where did this all happen for you?
Julia (02:02):
Well, again, you know, family and church was a big deal for me when I was a kid.
And, and I'm not just saying asa spectator, that's where I did my first performance and I was two years old and my parents.
We're singers and so they had mesinging at home and, you know,
helping me as a 2-year-old,you know, sing songs.
And our minister of our churchheard it and he was like.
(02:25):
Impromptu one Sunday said,you guys gotta hear this.
And Julia and I, of which I'venever been too shy, right?
So
he says, Julia, come up here.
And I just got up and walked upand he said, um, do what you did the other day and your living room sing that little song you sang.
And I threw my 2-year-old headback and sang some morning, you'll find me to tour in that city.
(02:50):
And that was the debut.
That was the beginningof it all right there.
Um, and you know, fortunately,music was as important in my life as mathematics, as anything.
And math was very important'cause my dad was a math major.
Right.
But, um, I. Music was right alongwith regular studies growing up, so it was very important that I learned to play piano, that I learned to use my voice and, and to sing.
(03:15):
And not to say that it'salways been easy for me.
there were times whereI lost my confidence.
There were times where I lostmy voice, I shrunk myself to fit in or, just because I.
I was confused about who Iwas and you know, you get told you're this and you're that,
whether it be by yourpeers or people, right?
So you shrink
Jaclyn (03:36):
Yeah.
Growing
up is tough.
Julia (03:37):
yeah, I, I wanna make that clear because there's so many people out there that think I. As a performer, you're just born into it.
and it certainly sounds thatway 'cause I started so young.
But it's always a journey
and I think that that's what Iwanna express the most is that sometimes you lose yourself, sometimes you get yourself back.
And that's where it all started forme and it was nurtured, um, growing up.
(04:02):
But, you know, you get to thatpoint in your life, you're like, what do I wanna, what am I gonna do with the rest of my life?
Of course, being from a verypragmatic, family, it's like, you know, get a degree, get a job, right.
Jaclyn (04:14):
Right, right.
do the normal, safe thing.
Julia (04:17):
Yeah, so I, uh, I went and got a degree in business and I worked for a while in the corporate world and I just had this calling.
You know, I believe people are calledto do certain things in life, and I do believe we're given gifts, and it just, music was always easy.
It just came easy, and, and Itruly believe that those are the things that when they are easy like that, that we should.
(04:43):
Pay special attention to it, you know?
And so I decided one day, I think theywere doing layoffs at the corporation and I was like, you know, now's the time.
Now's the time to
Jaclyn (04:56):
You may lay me off.
Julia (04:58):
That's exactly right.
I, but, but, I've always been one tosee opportunities and the challenges.
So the first day the challenges come,I cry and scream and pull my hair and, throw a fit, and then I go for a walk and you know, and come back and say, get it together, Langley.
Jaclyn (05:14):
Mm-hmm.
Julia (05:16):
All right, God, what are you trying to show me?
And I always ask that question thatthat question has been pivotal The life changing for me because I get all up and, you know, we get in our feels and we get in our head, God, what are you trying to show me here?
And then I come out the other side andgo, oh, well it's time to make the jump.
You know, you're given thisgift, you're not using it fully.
(05:38):
You know, you have ananointing with music.
there are special giftsthat God has given you.
I, am a very fast sightreader among other things.
And so, use it.
Let's use it.
Alright, so, you know, I, Ilook at my first foray into the professional singing world.
Um, I did a show in South Floridacalled Avita, a musical theater show.
(06:03):
And I met some people, right?
And so.
The girl that was cast as Avitaand I became fast friends and she said, I have an agent.
She said, if you can put together a show,and I got some advice from her, right.
And uh, I did.
And she told me later, you'rethe only person I've ever said that to, that actually
(06:25):
followed through
Jaclyn (06:27):
Really?
Yeah.
That's amazing to me.
Like when people are presented withan opportunity, you know what, if you do this, I can introduce you to this person, and then they don't
do
the thing.
I just, I, it just, it, itconfuses me because it's like somebody has just basically.
Giving you
gold
Julia (06:47):
They're handing it to you.
Yeah, on a
Jaclyn (06:49):
yeah, yeah.
No.
Well, that's great.
Then You knew what youwanted and you went for it.
That's great.
Julia (06:54):
That's exactly right.
And I do believe in divine timing too.
but that comes from being really in tune.
So you have to get really quiet.
I. Within yourself.
And when you are that way, thenyou are always aligned with what the bigger plan is for you.
And that you know, you're in theright place at the right time and you're making the right decisions.
(07:14):
And I've always followed that.
And sometimes things get delayed.
Some things when, you know, we weretalking earlier about, you know, I've had teams that fall apart right?
At a very important
Jaclyn (07:25):
Yeah.
Seems pretty critical.
And then things go wrong and therethere's again, God's saying pay attention.
Julia (07:32):
Well, either that or you're being tested by
Jaclyn (07:35):
Mm. Yeah.
Julia (07:35):
things and you know, sometimes that test is to see how bad you, you want something, I think.
And so these are the lessonsI've learned along the way.
I sound very calm right now.
Listen, it's not calm in that
moment.
You're like, wait, whatyou are doing what?
I've made all of these plansand you're not, where are you?
(07:59):
You know what happened?
You know?
And uh, yeah.
One thing I say is we plan God Laughsyou know, he's got his own plan up here
and it doesn't always gothe way we think it should
go, but you still gotta put things outthere and you still gotta try, right?
So when I jumped into thisworld of professional singing.
(08:20):
The only video I had was me singing thenational, anthem in a charity event.
So I was like, I'll send that.
So I sent that video to an agentand we laughed about it later.
He was like, you sentme a, a national anthem.
And I was like, that's all I had.
He's like, I can't believeI gave you a job from that.
And I'm like, I guess you neededsome entertainers, you know?
Jaclyn (08:43):
You must have done a great job with the national anthem.
Julia (08:45):
So my agent and I were just cracking up about it because he actually gave me work off of the worst possible video.
But that just goes to show, turnyour stuff in, like send it in
Jaclyn (08:58):
yeah.
Yeah.
Julia (08:59):
it, just send it in.
It may not be perfect, but it's neverperfect when you start and that's one thing I've learned sometimes you just gotta jump in and do it.
Painful as it is.
Jaclyn (09:10):
It's true.
That's, that's this podcast we hadeven bigger ideas and we're like, okay, well we know this much so far, and we're like, let's just start.
We don't wanna wait until we knowhow to make it all perfect and.
And so, 'cause we wanted videooriginally, but we'll get there.
But it's true, you sometimes you justhave to start with what you have and it's amazing what God can do with that.
Julia (09:30):
it always blows my mind, you know, and, and startings hard.
That to me, it's the hardest partbecause once you start, then you start to see where the momentum goes with
it, and you can start walkingthrough those windows that open up for you along the way and.
(09:51):
So I've learned that another lessonthat I, I mean, I've learned, I've learned everything the hard way.
I've had everything happen to me,you know, that you can possibly have happen in this journey.
And, so I learned you just do it andthen you fix it as you, as you go.
And, um, yeah.
And if it is aligned.
If it is what you're supposed to bedoing, little things will start to work themselves out and new ideas will come and things start to shape and mold and they start to take on a personality and, real art, and it turns into something grant and great and unique.
(10:30):
That's really special.
To the creator of that, to the
performer or to the writer, you know,someone that might be writing a, a screenplay and I write for the stage and one of my goals has been to turn it into a film or, you know, on, onto the screen.
And so I've loved meeting youbecause this has been a whole new journey for me, a new experience.
(10:54):
To take what I've done alive andon the stage and really start to, to put it to the screen.
So that's, that's the next step for me.
But, you know, I've learnedthat as I write, I start to, things just start to come alive.
Some things work, you know, and thenthere are the times that it doesn't, and I have to tweak 'em, you know, okay.
That, that's not working,
(11:15):
you know, but you don't know until you do.
It
Jaclyn (11:18):
yeah, You can't pivot until you're moving.
Julia (11:20):
pivot till you're
Jaclyn (11:21):
And that, word pivot comes up a lot, I think, especially in this industry.
And yeah, it's true.
You have to be moving and then otherthings will start to move and then that vision will become clearer.
You'll understand, like I alwayssay, you have to make a decision about something and then move on it.
And the thing is, you're gonnafind out pretty quickly if you made the right decision or not.
(11:44):
And then if you didn't, then you adjust.
You pivot, you make somedifferent choices and, you know, shift whatever is happening.
And, you know, and I, I learned thata lot actually as a single parent.
When I was growing up, I was the secondyoungest of five children in my home.
And so I didn't really havea lot of decisions to make.
A lot of them were made for me.
(12:04):
And so I didn't really learn that skill.
But then when I was a single parent,it's like everything was on me.
If I didn't make a decision,it didn't get made.
And so I had to learn how to, youknow, you think it through the best that you can, but then you just have to make a decision and go with it.
You can't just sit and wait becausetime just keeps going and then your opportunities get smaller.
(12:27):
there's fewer, like you just, you don'thave the same options that you did if you had made the decision earlier.
Julia (12:34):
that's exactly right.
And that was a resolution of mine earlyin 2024 was do not procrastinate, just.
Do it as in, in the words of Nike.
Just do it.
Just
get out there and start and stopworrying about it being messy or ugly.
You just gotta do
Jaclyn (12:53):
Mm-hmm.
Julia (12:55):
you
know, you gotta move.
And what's the science?
uh, I can't even quote it rightnow, but where it says things in motion tend to stay in motion.
So once it starts, you get momentum
and then you can go
Jaclyn (13:08):
yes.
I was actually thinking about thatearlier I mean, when you think about just moving something, you know, the energy that it takes to get something started moving as opposed to actually just continuing moving.
It takes more effort to start it moving.
So for those that are likestarting something, uh, just understand that that is part of it.
Like starting is work.
(13:30):
It
Julia (13:30):
It is.
And it's growth and painful toosometimes, but well worth it.
Jaclyn (13:37):
Yes.
Well, that's, I mean, you learnthings and anything that you learn you can apply later.
So nothing is ever lost.
Julia (13:44):
Never,
Jaclyn (13:44):
Yeah.
So how did you get involvedwith Cirque de Soleil?
Julia (13:48):
Um, it was, it's very interesting.
You know, I had been working, uh,I've been doing concert style work, what we call industrial, or it's, um.
Like a cabaret style performanceswhere, you know, it's dinner, uh, concert type environments.
And there was a big market for that inSouth Florida area and all actually all throughout the us And I was doing that specifically, but I just wanted more.
(14:16):
I was hungry.
I was hungry for more hungry to expand.
And a friend of mine for my birthdaytook me to see UBA at downtown Disney and.
I fell in love with Circ and that wasmy first circ experience and I was just mesmerized by a sensory overload.
It's just so much going on at onetime and it's so creative and I loved the music and the feel of it, and I'm like, I wanna do that.
Jaclyn (14:46):
High quality, right?
Julia (14:47):
Yes, very high quality, the best.
And, um, I said, thenthis is what I wanna do.
So it didn't come immediately, but Ikept my eye on auditions going up in play Bill and, um, looking and I saw an audition and I was like, I'm gonna go.
And just like the rough video,I went in person and did a rough audition, but again, it was.
(15:14):
It was in the plan for me, you know,and I was chosen not for what they actually, I went to audition for.
I went to look to try to get on the tour,but they chose me for a residential show.
And so I went.
That was the, the start.
And after that I did tons of differentshows, winding up, I understudied on Broadway and did several national Broadway series tours as well as a world tour
(15:45):
with them.
So 20 different countriesaround the world and 18 years later and 15,000 hours on stage.
Jaclyn (15:53):
an incredible journey.
Wow.
That's such a, a, an interesting life.
Like so many people, we, wecan't even fathom what it means to be on the road like that.
And at performances, like I was partof some performances in high school.
I remember the comradery and likethe performance high and all of that.
(16:18):
Um, that is amazing to have that on sucha huge scale with people that are like the best of the best in what they do.
Like that is just so amazing.
Was there anything in there that you wereeither surprised by or something that just really stuck with you that like, this was a great learning experience and uh, you know, I'll just keep that with me forever, kind of thing?
(16:45):
Mm-hmm.
Julia (16:46):
Well, you know, everything I know now is, was shaped by that many years of being on the road.
The entire thing is a learning, likeevery day is a learning experience.
You're somewhere new all the time,you know, you also learn how to cope.
With this life, you know,it's, it's not for everyone.
(17:08):
You see looking in from theoutside, it's very glamorous and there are days it's very glamorous.
I'm not taking away from the fun orthe glamor or, or the camaraderie, but there are days when you're so tired
that you can't put one foot in frontof the other and you still gotta do it.
The shows goes on, you know,
or you're sick.
I remember getting pneumoniain Utah one time, you know?
(17:31):
What do you, what do you, Icouldn't even sing, so they had to choke track the entire show.
Jaclyn (17:37):
Wow.
Julia (17:38):
yeah.
Uh, but I had to be on stage,you know, uh, I couldn't even hardly stand those days that you question your, your sanity and
your ability to carry on, but youfind a grit and a resilience.
and what it does is it just buildsso much strength and character in an individual that if you can do it, you can do anything.
(17:58):
You know, you can do anything.
So there's a confidence that it, builds.
You can, if you can handle it.
Jaclyn (18:06):
Yeah, if you can stick with it.
Julia (18:08):
Yeah, if you
can take it.
If you can take it.
you know what's interesting?
When I work with up and comingentertainers or speakers, you know, it doesn't matter anybody that takes the stage, I. When they're new, they don't understand that grit that's required because it requires you to really open yourself up to be, to be judged, to be put down, yeah, everybody's an armchair.
(18:32):
Quarterback's really easy to sit
back and, and talk aboutwhat you do wrong on.
Stage, but it's really about learninghow to really stand in your power and understand that art is different, that you are different, and that difference that you bring to the stage and to the performance is actually a gift.
It's not a bad thing.
And I do
a whole, I do a whole masterclass on this,
(18:55):
and I call it Your freak is your fabulous.
Jaclyn (18:57):
Yeah, actually, I wanna get into that in, uh, the next episode.
We're just wrapping up this one now.
Um, tell me where people can findyou and then I hope that they will definitely come back for the next episode because we're gonna dive into some of these things that you've learned, and I'm just looking forward to that.
So how can people find you?
Julia (19:17):
Well, um, I am on social.
Let me, let me start by saying that Iam on Instagram as Circ Singer Jewels.
Alright, and I'm on Facebook, andLinkedIn, so you can find me there.
But what I'd really liketo share is my community.
It's called Bold and Confident Voices.
It's on school SKOO l.com,and it's free to join.
(19:43):
It offers so much value.
Like I put up vocalexercises, I do checklists.
Uh, for the month of November, we did a30 day gratitude challenge for members.
We have networking.
You know, it's just a, it's acommunity of like-minded individuals who wanna be bold and confident and use their voice in a way that.
(20:05):
Is of service to the world and,and just changes their life.
And it can, it's transformational.
So I think you have my
Jaclyn (20:13):
Yeah, I'll put the links in the show
Julia (20:14):
Yeah.
And so that's what I'd reallylove for people to come in there.
It doesn't cost anything to be a basicmember of the group, and you still get a lot of value, even as a free member.
So, um, please, uh, pleasejoin me there if you
will, and reach out.
Say hi.
Jaclyn (20:30):
Yeah.
Yeah.
Awesome.
Thank you so much.
I'm looking forward to talkingwith you again in the next episode.
Julia (20:35):
Thanks so much, Jacque.
It's my pleasure.
Hello, welcome to the Faith and Family Filmmakers Podcast.
My name is Jaclyn, and today I'vegot Julia Langley With me in the studio, Julia Langley helps ambitious performers learn how to use their voice more boldly and confidently.
With over 15 years as a featuredsinger for Cirque de Soleil.
She has performed on stages inover 20 countries in all 50 states.
(00:23):
In 2019, she was hit by a Jeepwhile riding her bicycle, leaving her with injuries that changed her life forever, four surgeries later, and a diagnosis of PTSD.
Julius started from ground zero,and with courage and resilience, got her life back on track.
She believes she was given a secondchance and has dedicated herself to empowering others and to share their story and truly be the force.
(00:47):
Today we're born to be in this world.
Welcome to the podcast, Julia.
Julia (00:51):
Thank you so much.
It is such a pleasure to be here withyou today and have the opportunity to share a little bit about my background and what has led me to where I am now and really a a business.
That is focused onservice and serving others
and, you know, and I, andbringing faith into it as
(01:14):
well,
Jaclyn (01:14):
I love that
Julia (01:15):
that Yeah.
Well it's a, it's a veryimportant component of what I do.
And quite frankly, I, I was fortunateearly in my life to, you know, have parents that, that took me to church and, and really, and, you know, you do this.
Thing.
as you age, you get away from it, yougo back to it, you get away from it.
(01:36):
But it's been a constant in my lifeand it's really and truly, uh, the main thing that got me through my accident in 2019 and really got me back on track.
So, um, where do we start?
Jaclyn (01:51):
Okay, so let's, this is great.
Let's start at the beginning.
How did
you get into Cirque de Soleil?
Or even, where do you wanna start?
Even before that?
Where did this all happen for you?
Julia (02:02):
Well, again, you know, family and church was a big deal for me when I was a kid.
And, and I'm not just saying asa spectator, that's where I did my first performance and I was two years old and my parents.
We're singers and so they had mesinging at home and, you know,
helping me as a 2-year-old,you know, sing songs.
And our minister of our churchheard it and he was like.
(02:25):
Impromptu one Sunday said,you guys gotta hear this.
And Julia and I, of which I'venever been too shy, right?
So
he says, Julia, come up here.
And I just got up and walked upand he said, um, do what you did the other day and your living room sing that little song you sang.
And I threw my 2-year-old headback and sang some morning, you'll find me to tour in that city.
(02:50):
And that was the debut.
That was the beginningof it all right there.
Um, and you know, fortunately,music was as important in my life as mathematics, as anything.
And math was very important'cause my dad was a math major.
Right.
But, um, I. Music was right alongwith regular studies growing up, so it was very important that I learned to play piano, that I learned to use my voice and, and to sing.
(03:15):
And not to say that it'salways been easy for me.
there were times whereI lost my confidence.
There were times where I lostmy voice, I shrunk myself to fit in or, just because I.
I was confused about who Iwas and you know, you get told you're this and you're that,
whether it be by yourpeers or people, right?
So you shrink
Jaclyn (03:36):
Yeah.
Growing
up is tough.
Julia (03:37):
yeah, I, I wanna make that clear because there's so many people out there that think I. As a performer, you're just born into it.
and it certainly sounds thatway 'cause I started so young.
But it's always a journey
and I think that that's what Iwanna express the most is that sometimes you lose yourself, sometimes you get yourself back.
And that's where it all started forme and it was nurtured, um, growing up.
(04:02):
But, you know, you get to thatpoint in your life, you're like, what do I wanna, what am I gonna do with the rest of my life?
Of course, being from a verypragmatic, family, it's like, you know, get a degree, get a job, right.
Jaclyn (04:14):
Right, right.
do the normal, safe thing.
Julia (04:17):
Yeah, so I, uh, I went and got a degree in business and I worked for a while in the corporate world and I just had this calling.
You know, I believe people are calledto do certain things in life, and I do believe we're given gifts, and it just, music was always easy.
It just came easy, and, and Itruly believe that those are the things that when they are easy like that, that we should.
(04:43):
Pay special attention to it, you know?
And so I decided one day, I think theywere doing layoffs at the corporation and I was like, you know, now's the time.
Now's the time to
Jaclyn (04:56):
You may lay me off.
Julia (04:58):
That's exactly right.
I, but, but, I've always been one tosee opportunities and the challenges.
So the first day the challenges come,I cry and scream and pull my hair and, throw a fit, and then I go for a walk and you know, and come back and say, get it together, Langley.
Jaclyn (05:14):
Mm-hmm.
Julia (05:16):
All right, God, what are you trying to show me?
And I always ask that question thatthat question has been pivotal The life changing for me because I get all up and, you know, we get in our feels and we get in our head, God, what are you trying to show me here?
And then I come out the other side andgo, oh, well it's time to make the jump.
You know, you're given thisgift, you're not using it fully.
(05:38):
You know, you have ananointing with music.
there are special giftsthat God has given you.
I, am a very fast sightreader among other things.
And so, use it.
Let's use it.
Alright, so, you know, I, Ilook at my first foray into the professional singing world.
Um, I did a show in South Floridacalled Avita, a musical theater show.
(06:03):
And I met some people, right?
And so.
The girl that was cast as Avitaand I became fast friends and she said, I have an agent.
She said, if you can put together a show,and I got some advice from her, right.
And uh, I did.
And she told me later, you'rethe only person I've ever said that to, that actually
(06:25):
followed through
Jaclyn (06:27):
Really?
Yeah.
That's amazing to me.
Like when people are presented withan opportunity, you know what, if you do this, I can introduce you to this person, and then they don't
do
the thing.
I just, I, it just, it, itconfuses me because it's like somebody has just basically.
Giving you
gold
Julia (06:47):
They're handing it to you.
Yeah, on a
Jaclyn (06:49):
yeah, yeah.
No.
Well, that's great.
Then You knew what youwanted and you went for it.
That's great.
Julia (06:54):
That's exactly right.
And I do believe in divine timing too.
but that comes from being really in tune.
So you have to get really quiet.
I. Within yourself.
And when you are that way, thenyou are always aligned with what the bigger plan is for you.
And that you know, you're in theright place at the right time and you're making the right decisions.
(07:14):
And I've always followed that.
And sometimes things get delayed.
Some things when, you know, we weretalking earlier about, you know, I've had teams that fall apart right?
At a very important
Jaclyn (07:25):
Yeah.
Seems pretty critical.
And then things go wrong and therethere's again, God's saying pay attention.
Julia (07:32):
Well, either that or you're being tested by
Jaclyn (07:35):
Mm. Yeah.
Julia (07:35):
things and you know, sometimes that test is to see how bad you, you want something, I think.
And so these are the lessonsI've learned along the way.
I sound very calm right now.
Listen, it's not calm in that
moment.
You're like, wait, whatyou are doing what?
I've made all of these plansand you're not, where are you?
(07:59):
You know what happened?
You know?
And uh, yeah.
One thing I say is we plan God Laughsyou know, he's got his own plan up here
and it doesn't always gothe way we think it should
go, but you still gotta put things outthere and you still gotta try, right?
So when I jumped into thisworld of professional singing.
(08:20):
The only video I had was me singing thenational, anthem in a charity event.
So I was like, I'll send that.
So I sent that video to an agentand we laughed about it later.
He was like, you sentme a, a national anthem.
And I was like, that's all I had.
He's like, I can't believeI gave you a job from that.
And I'm like, I guess you neededsome entertainers, you know?
Jaclyn (08:43):
You must have done a great job with the national anthem.
Julia (08:45):
So my agent and I were just cracking up about it because he actually gave me work off of the worst possible video.
But that just goes to show, turnyour stuff in, like send it in
Jaclyn (08:58):
yeah.
Yeah.
Julia (08:59):
it, just send it in.
It may not be perfect, but it's neverperfect when you start and that's one thing I've learned sometimes you just gotta jump in and do it.
Painful as it is.
Jaclyn (09:10):
It's true.
That's, that's this podcast we hadeven bigger ideas and we're like, okay, well we know this much so far, and we're like, let's just start.
We don't wanna wait until we knowhow to make it all perfect and.
And so, 'cause we wanted videooriginally, but we'll get there.
But it's true, you sometimes you justhave to start with what you have and it's amazing what God can do with that.
Julia (09:30):
it always blows my mind, you know, and, and startings hard.
That to me, it's the hardest partbecause once you start, then you start to see where the momentum goes with
it, and you can start walkingthrough those windows that open up for you along the way and.
(09:51):
So I've learned that another lessonthat I, I mean, I've learned, I've learned everything the hard way.
I've had everything happen to me,you know, that you can possibly have happen in this journey.
And, so I learned you just do it andthen you fix it as you, as you go.
And, um, yeah.
And if it is aligned.
If it is what you're supposed to bedoing, little things will start to work themselves out and new ideas will come and things start to shape and mold and they start to take on a personality and, real art, and it turns into something grant and great and unique.
(10:30):
That's really special.
To the creator of that, to the
performer or to the writer, you know,someone that might be writing a, a screenplay and I write for the stage and one of my goals has been to turn it into a film or, you know, on, onto the screen.
And so I've loved meeting youbecause this has been a whole new journey for me, a new experience.
(10:54):
To take what I've done alive andon the stage and really start to, to put it to the screen.
So that's, that's the next step for me.
But, you know, I've learnedthat as I write, I start to, things just start to come alive.
Some things work, you know, and thenthere are the times that it doesn't, and I have to tweak 'em, you know, okay.
That, that's not working,
(11:15):
you know, but you don't know until you do.
It
Jaclyn (11:18):
yeah, You can't pivot until you're moving.
Julia (11:20):
pivot till you're
Jaclyn (11:21):
And that, word pivot comes up a lot, I think, especially in this industry.
And yeah, it's true.
You have to be moving and then otherthings will start to move and then that vision will become clearer.
You'll understand, like I alwayssay, you have to make a decision about something and then move on it.
And the thing is, you're gonnafind out pretty quickly if you made the right decision or not.
(11:44):
And then if you didn't, then you adjust.
You pivot, you make somedifferent choices and, you know, shift whatever is happening.
And, you know, and I, I learned thata lot actually as a single parent.
When I was growing up, I was the secondyoungest of five children in my home.
And so I didn't really havea lot of decisions to make.
A lot of them were made for me.
(12:04):
And so I didn't really learn that skill.
But then when I was a single parent,it's like everything was on me.
If I didn't make a decision,it didn't get made.
And so I had to learn how to, youknow, you think it through the best that you can, but then you just have to make a decision and go with it.
You can't just sit and wait becausetime just keeps going and then your opportunities get smaller.
(12:27):
there's fewer, like you just, you don'thave the same options that you did if you had made the decision earlier.
Julia (12:34):
that's exactly right.
And that was a resolution of mine earlyin 2024 was do not procrastinate, just.
Do it as in, in the words of Nike.
Just do it.
Just
get out there and start and stopworrying about it being messy or ugly.
You just gotta do
Jaclyn (12:53):
Mm-hmm.
Julia (12:55):
you
know, you gotta move.
And what's the science?
uh, I can't even quote it rightnow, but where it says things in motion tend to stay in motion.
So once it starts, you get momentum
and then you can go
Jaclyn (13:08):
yes.
I was actually thinking about thatearlier I mean, when you think about just moving something, you know, the energy that it takes to get something started moving as opposed to actually just continuing moving.
It takes more effort to start it moving.
So for those that are likestarting something, uh, just understand that that is part of it.
Like starting is work.
(13:30):
It
Julia (13:30):
It is.
And it's growth and painful toosometimes, but well worth it.
Jaclyn (13:37):
Yes.
Well, that's, I mean, you learnthings and anything that you learn you can apply later.
So nothing is ever lost.
Julia (13:44):
Never,
Jaclyn (13:44):
Yeah.
So how did you get involvedwith Cirque de Soleil?
Julia (13:48):
Um, it was, it's very interesting.
You know, I had been working, uh,I've been doing concert style work, what we call industrial, or it's, um.
Like a cabaret style performanceswhere, you know, it's dinner, uh, concert type environments.
And there was a big market for that inSouth Florida area and all actually all throughout the us And I was doing that specifically, but I just wanted more.
(14:16):
I was hungry.
I was hungry for more hungry to expand.
And a friend of mine for my birthdaytook me to see UBA at downtown Disney and.
I fell in love with Circ and that wasmy first circ experience and I was just mesmerized by a sensory overload.
It's just so much going on at onetime and it's so creative and I loved the music and the feel of it, and I'm like, I wanna do that.
Jaclyn (14:46):
High quality, right?
Julia (14:47):
Yes, very high quality, the best.
And, um, I said, thenthis is what I wanna do.
So it didn't come immediately, but Ikept my eye on auditions going up in play Bill and, um, looking and I saw an audition and I was like, I'm gonna go.
And just like the rough video,I went in person and did a rough audition, but again, it was.
(15:14):
It was in the plan for me, you know,and I was chosen not for what they actually, I went to audition for.
I went to look to try to get on the tour,but they chose me for a residential show.
And so I went.
That was the, the start.
And after that I did tons of differentshows, winding up, I understudied on Broadway and did several national Broadway series tours as well as a world tour
(15:45):
with them.
So 20 different countriesaround the world and 18 years later and 15,000 hours on stage.
Jaclyn (15:53):
an incredible journey.
Wow.
That's such a, a, an interesting life.
Like so many people, we, wecan't even fathom what it means to be on the road like that.
And at performances, like I was partof some performances in high school.
I remember the comradery and likethe performance high and all of that.
(16:18):
Um, that is amazing to have that on sucha huge scale with people that are like the best of the best in what they do.
Like that is just so amazing.
Was there anything in there that you wereeither surprised by or something that just really stuck with you that like, this was a great learning experience and uh, you know, I'll just keep that with me forever, kind of thing?
(16:45):
Mm-hmm.
Julia (16:46):
Well, you know, everything I know now is, was shaped by that many years of being on the road.
The entire thing is a learning, likeevery day is a learning experience.
You're somewhere new all the time,you know, you also learn how to cope.
With this life, you know,it's, it's not for everyone.
(17:08):
You see looking in from theoutside, it's very glamorous and there are days it's very glamorous.
I'm not taking away from the fun orthe glamor or, or the camaraderie, but there are days when you're so tired
that you can't put one foot in frontof the other and you still gotta do it.
The shows goes on, you know,
or you're sick.
I remember getting pneumoniain Utah one time, you know?
(17:31):
What do you, what do you, Icouldn't even sing, so they had to choke track the entire show.
Jaclyn (17:37):
Wow.
Julia (17:38):
yeah.
Uh, but I had to be on stage,you know, uh, I couldn't even hardly stand those days that you question your, your sanity and
your ability to carry on, but youfind a grit and a resilience.
and what it does is it just buildsso much strength and character in an individual that if you can do it, you can do anything.
(17:58):
You know, you can do anything.
So there's a confidence that it, builds.
You can, if you can handle it.
Jaclyn (18:06):
Yeah, if you can stick with it.
Julia (18:08):
Yeah, if you
can take it.
If you can take it.
you know what's interesting?
When I work with up and comingentertainers or speakers, you know, it doesn't matter anybody that takes the stage, I. When they're new, they don't understand that grit that's required because it requires you to really open yourself up to be, to be judged, to be put down, yeah, everybody's an armchair.
(18:32):
Quarterback's really easy to sit
back and, and talk aboutwhat you do wrong on.
Stage, but it's really about learninghow to really stand in your power and understand that art is different, that you are different, and that difference that you bring to the stage and to the performance is actually a gift.
It's not a bad thing.
And I do
a whole, I do a whole masterclass on this,
(18:55):
and I call it Your freak is your fabulous.
Jaclyn (18:57):
Yeah, actually, I wanna get into that in, uh, the next episode.
We're just wrapping up this one now.
Um, tell me where people can findyou and then I hope that they will definitely come back for the next episode because we're gonna dive into some of these things that you've learned, and I'm just looking forward to that.
So how can people find you?
Julia (19:17):
Well, um, I am on social.
Let me, let me start by saying that Iam on Instagram as Circ Singer Jewels.
Alright, and I'm on Facebook, andLinkedIn, so you can find me there.
But what I'd really liketo share is my community.
It's called Bold and Confident Voices.
It's on school SKOO l.com,and it's free to join.
(19:43):
It offers so much value.
Like I put up vocalexercises, I do checklists.
Uh, for the month of November, we did a30 day gratitude challenge for members.
We have networking.
You know, it's just a, it's acommunity of like-minded individuals who wanna be bold and confident and use their voice in a way that.
(20:05):
Is of service to the world and,and just changes their life.
And it can, it's transformational.
So I think you have my
Jaclyn (20:13):
Yeah, I'll put the links in the show
Julia (20:14):
Yeah.
And so that's what I'd reallylove for people to come in there.
It doesn't cost anything to be a basicmember of the group, and you still get a lot of value, even as a free member.
So, um, please, uh, pleasejoin me there if you
will, and reach out.
Say hi.
Jaclyn (20:30):
Yeah.
Yeah.
Awesome.
Thank you so much.
I'm looking forward to talkingwith you again in the next episode.
Julia (20:35):
Thanks so much, Jacque.
It's my pleasure.
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
The Breakfast Club
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy And Charlamagne Tha God!
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.