Julia Gartha, a Los Angeles-based singer, songwriter, and producer, released her debut EP, California’s Killing Me, on Thursday. The EP features six songs that tell the story of establishing oneself in a city one loves but hates equally.
California’s Killing Me blends pop, indie, and folk styles, inspired by the singer-songwriter genre. The EP unites Gartha’s honest lyrics with modern production by Caleb Dee, who produced and co-wrote the record.
Gartha wrote the songs during a period of stagnation in Los Angeles. The EP addresses themes of homesickness, yearning for familiarity, and a desire to start afresh. It captures the dilemma of chasing a dream while questioning if this is the right place for her.
Not in the Room, the EP’s central track, explores that doubt through a long-distance relationship. Gartha asks whether a partner who gives her barely enough attention even realizes she’s no longer there.
In Itching for Change, Gartha reflects on the desire to move forward in life and career despite the uncertainties.
Throughout the album, distance changes how we see loved ones and places.
According to Gartha, California’s Killing Me is about being stuck between your current life, the one you miss, and the one you want to create.
Born in Ontario, Canada, Gartha took her first piano lessons at 10 and started songwriting at 12. She developed her ear by playing along to hit songs on the radio.
After finishing Berklee College of Music in 2019, Gartha worked as a writer and performer with Oscar- and Grammy-winning A.R. Rahman on Hands Around the World, a global Earth Day anthem that raised awareness about climate change, released in 2020.
The pair collaborated again on Rock-a-Bye Baby, the closing track for Netflix’s Mimi, a movie released in 2021.
In addition to her work as a songwriter and recording artist, Gartha performs as a backing vocalist and tours with Harry Styles on his Together, Together Tour.
Gartha’s backing vocalist résumé includes Daniel Caesar, Chappell Roan on Saturday Night Live, Olivia Rodrigo at NPR’s Tiny Desk, and Sabrina Carpenter at Coachella. As a songwriter, she wrote for Jonita Gandhi, Ariza, and Janani K. Jha.
Gartha’s music gained popularity online. She is among the most popular artists on Meta’s Commercial Music Library, with her songs powering hundreds of thousands of Reels. Her Spotify page attracts over 74,000 monthly listeners.
With California’s Killing Me, Gartha brings all that experience into her songwriting. She turned her personal story into six songs about living in limbo and figuring out what’s next.
