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Welcome back to #GaleForceWins ! In this episode, Gerry sits down with 19-year-old Newfoundland Labrador singer-songwriter Julia Dawson fresh off her opening performance for Styx. Julia opens up about her musical journey, her experience at music school, going viral after an impromptu duet with Kesha, and working with Grammy-winning producer Greg Wells in Los Angeles. Watch as she shares insights into her songwriting process and performs an emotional, unreleased song right at the piano.

00:00 - Introduction & Returning to Gale Force Wins Roots
00:50 - Introducing Julia Dawson (19-Year-Old Singer-Songwriter)
01:28 - Julia's Background, Music School & Scilly Cove Records Debut
03:09 - Live Performance Snippet: "Projecting"
04:36 - Early Musical Inspirations, Family Mentors & Sonia Gosse
08:23 - The Art of Songwriting & Writing From the Heart
09:37 - Performing for Big Audiences & Stage Presence
10:19 - Transitioning From Piano to Self-Taught Guitar
13:13 - Inside Music School: Growth, Challenges & Voice Major Life
14:45 - Collaboration vs. Competition in Music School
16:04 - Musical Genres & Influences (Adele & Taylor Swift)
19:49 - Perfectionism, Stage Precision & Handling Live Mistakes
24:18 - Opening for Styx & Structuring a Live Set
28:45 - The Viral Story: Performing Live with Kesha
33:07 - Remaining Grounded & Advice From Support Systems
35:35 - "You Never Know Who's Watching" & Industry Encounters
38:51 - Family Support & Visiting LA with Producer Greg Wells
41:02 - Julia's First Recording Experience (Trinity Hall & "Noel")
44:27 - Working with Mark Fener & Greg Wells
47:20 - Premiere: Writing & Performing Brand New Song "Done Cryin"
54:06 - The Meaning Behind Her Original Song "Alone"
56:13 - How to End a Song: Resolving Chords & Closing Lyrics
58:05 - Co-Writing "Memory" with Donovan Woods
01:01:35 - How Julia Remembers Lyrics & Chord Progressions
01:04:47 - Advice for Young Aspiring Musicians
01:07:08 - The Power of Newfoundland Roots & Culture
01:08:15 - Closing Performance singing and paying piano: "Done Crying"

About Julia Dawson's Featured Songs
"Done Cryin": A deeply emotional acoustic ballad about self-discovery, emotional vulnerability, and reclaiming strength after hard times. As Julia notes in the interview, the key line "A smile holds a thousand tears and I'm done crying" reflects how people often hide their struggles behind a smile.
"Alone": Written about her first major heartbreak at 16, this track explores the weight of moving on and how original songs evolve in meaning over time as an artist grows.
"Memory": Co-written with acclaimed songwriter Donovan Woods, this song explores themes of nostalgia, loss, and holding on to memories before they disappear.

(You can search on YouTube or music streaming platforms to listen to full studio releases of Julia Dawson's tracks like "Alone" and "Noel".)

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