Giulia Millanta was a lonesome, wayward child, a turbulent adolescent with a restless soul, and a single-minded young woman whose greatest passions were wine, sun-dried tomatoes, horses, and, of course, music.
In fact she started to play the guitar and sing old, traditional folk songs at a tender age. She was born in Florence, but has always been something of a gypsy.
Today, curiosity and a willingness to experiment are the traits that make Giulia, and her music, stand out.
Her search for a personal form of expression, which accrued over the years, distinguished her first work, "Giulia and the Dizzyness", released in May of 2008 on Cavern Jatt Records.
The album has Anglo-Saxon roots and mixes the folk-acoustic tradition with new sounds.
The CD release tour brought Giulia to several cities throughout Italy and England, and to New York, where she performed at clubs such as Arlene's Grocery, Goodbye Blue Monday, and Nightingale Lounge.
She performed at the Acoustic Guitar Meeting in Sarzana, where she won the Carisch Award "New Sounds of Acoustic Music", in May of 2010.
Two years after her first release, Giulia delivered "Dropping Down" (Ugly Cat Music/ Audioglobe) a multivalent musical performance, showing her skills in every aspect of production.
The album is in fact entirely written (except for the cover, Paranoid, by Black Sabbath), arranged, and produced by the singer/songwriter.
A few months ago, after touring Italy, Holand, Germany, Switzerland and US, Giulia moved to Austin, Texas, the "live music capital of the world", a melting pot where different cultures, genres and musical styles meet and blend.
Here, filled with new energy and influences Giulia decided to "give birth" to a new album: "Dust and Desire".
Dust and Desire is a folk-rock acoustic album, recorded live at the Churchhouse Studio, in Austin, co-produced with David Pulkingham, internationally acclaimed guitar player and musician (he toured with Alejandro Escovedo and has shared the stage with the likes of Bruce Springsteen, John Cale, members of R.E.M., Mark Ribot).
Giulia sings in three languages this time: English, Spanish (how could she not, being so close to Mexico???) and Italian…maybe an "appetizer" for a future cd?
Stay tuned.
