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HUESPAPER BY THE NEW HUE

Manila, Philippines

Writer's pictureDenise Simone

Denise Julia sings about fleeting spark in new single, "Superficial Energy"


Photo courtesy of Denise Julia

Following the massive success of her hit single, NVMD, which has amassed over 40M streams since its release, rising RnB/Pop singer-songwriter, and producer, Denise Julia, dropped her newest record, 'Superficial Energy'.

Superficial Energy renders a subtle romantic track that gives off a "fantasy-dreamy vibe", tackling the notion of "heartbreak" and "disillusionment." The record presents a narrative about one's fleeting attraction and "impulsive desires of the infatuation stage" from a single interaction.

In an exclusive interview with the young artist, Denise Julia talked about the backstory of her latest record, what inspired her to tell a story about superficial thoughts through her music, why this track elicits the type of sound she yearns to be recognized for, and more.


Superficial Energy (cover art)

TNH: Talk us through your newest single, Superficial Energy. What is it all about, and how did its production come about?

Denise Julia: So my newest single, from how I personally see it, is about a person's fleeting attraction to someone else's appearance. My lyrics revolve around daydreams as a result of that single interaction, and it describes the impulsive desires of the infatuation stage. Despite the tremendous attraction, I admit my unwillingness to initiate contact-- this expresses the feeling that, despite your attraction to someone, you would rather keep your feelings to yourself and refrain from acting on them. I feel that a lot of people have felt this, hehe.

TNH: What propelled you to tell such a story through your music?

Denise Julia: I feel that I can carry these "superficial" thoughts a lot when I'm out and about. Maybe when I'm out with friends, eating, partying, or other events, things just come in randomly inside my inner thoughts. When it comes to Superficial Energy, though, these thoughts are more based on attraction-- whether it may be physical, mental, or emotional, I'll leave that up to you guys. After a lot of time had passed, obviously, the last two years were really hard for me. The distance apart from people you just want to be around, especially that special someone! It was crazy and boring, but you got to learn and go through a lot of personal things. Well, I really just focused on my music a lot. So yeah, this release had a lot of impact on me solely because of my imagination, and honestly, who doesn't picture themselves next to their airport crush or people they literally just see right across a cafe. I'm just really here to make a song about it, hehe.

TNH: Following the successful launch of your previous tracks, such as Nobody, Pity Ya, and NVMD, how do you think Superficial Energy differs from your past tracks? What distinct quality does it offer that your listeners should watch out for?

Denise Julia: This release felt a bit different. If I was honest, NVMD isn't the vibe I want to be known for. I really see myself releasing more of an RnB than Pop songs. Not saying that I don't like Pop, but yeah, like Summer Walker, SZA, and Jhene Aiko, I don't know; all their voices are amazing. In saying this, I really truly love this track. It gave me a sense of freedom, and I enjoyed everything about it, from definitely that amazing beat to then writing the song. Hopefully, that helps answer that, hahaha.

TNH: In terms of the sonic arrangement of the record, how would you describe its genre, sound, mood, and vibe?

Denise Julia: I'm guessing it's like a low-key love story, but it's also like a fantasy-dreamy vibe. I can't really picture a general topic for it. It's more like a dream, and literally, anything can happen within a dream, and we don't even have control over it. So yeah, let's say it's like a theme with also a little heartbreak but also a bit of disillusionment. But yeah, adding all those together probably makes some sort of theme.

TNH: What kind of artist will your listeners see and experience through this latest record?

Denise Julia: I want them to see a different side of me-- a side that releases music that I really want to be recognized for. I really wanna be amongst the greatest women of RnB singers/rappers, and I will continue to make songs to reinforce that. Hopefully, winning an international award like a Grammy while I'm pursuing my career.

Denise Julia started writing songs at the age of 13. The artist gradually developed her artistic style by independently producing and recording music at home. In just a year of penetrating the music scene, the singer-songwriter has made rounds on various media platforms-- dominating prominent music charts such as Spotify's Top 50 and Viral 50 Global. Today, Denise Julia is among Spotify's Top 5 female musicians in the Philippines.


The artist is popularly known for her hit single, NVMD. Her other releases include DIFFICULT, Pity Ya, Nobody, and This Time.


You can stream her latest single, Superficial Energy, on digital streaming platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube.

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