Julie O'Hara

Julie O'Hara is a freelance performing and recording artist and a veteran of the Melbourne music scene. 

Julie began her professional jazz singing career as a teenager with residencies enabling her to work with some of the county’s finest jazz musicians. The desire to evolve musically to communicate with her peers began in those early years, inspired by the musicianship around her.

Now an established musician, songwriter and recording artist, Julie has regularly toured Europe, Asia and Australia, playing at jazz and music festivals or performing as a guest vocalist, (The Cat Empire, Hoodangers, The Pearly Shells, Mistaken Identity). Although Julie performs predominantly jazz music, she also writes for pop, bluegrass, hip hop, R&B, neo soul, country and EDM. 

Julie writes songs across various genres, having freelanced in different musical scenes for almost thirty years. Julie features on over thirty recordings, including Aria award winning album,

‘Cities’ by The Cat Empire and ‘Midnight Sun’ with George Washingmachine (nominated

for a Bell Award for best jazz vocal album). Julie has won numerous song writing awards

for jazz, contemporary pop and EDM. 

Julie works as a music educator, lecturing in jazz and contemporary voice and

improvisation at the Sir Zelman Cowen School of Music at Monash University and teaches

song writing at Melbourne Graduate School and Wild at Heart. 

Julie has a background in Speech Pathology and voice science. Julie has taught singing,

song writing and improvisation at NMIT, VCA, Melbourne Conservatoire, Melbourne

Polytechnic, Victoria University and RMIT.

PROJECTS FOR RELEASE 2023

OUT NOW! 'New Hat' by The Pearly Shells feat Julie O'Hara (purchase at discography/shop)

'Boogie Guarantee' and 'Train' written by Julie O'Hara available as single downloads.

'All in the one room’ (contemporary jazz) - Oct 2023

'La Grande Soiree' (jazz manouche) - Feb 2024

'Boogie Guarantee' Julie O'Hara & The Pearly Shells A collection of O'Hara originals written for the Pearly Shells (R&B swing), 

‘Back to the start’ jazz/EDM/R&B/neosoul,  programmed and produced by O’Hara including collaborative works with programmer/composers, Gary Deleo & Luke Josive.

O’Hara’s original songs and voice feature on various recordings, her own and of others but

this year will debut her first all originals contemporary jazz album, 'All in the one room’. The original songs feature bebop, hiphop, vocalese, Afro Cuban, Latin jazz and ballads. A diverse repertoire - 'All in the one room', inspired by an original artwork, painted by local Melbourne artist, Jody Bell. 

Vocal improvisation and vocalese are essential elements to O’Hara’s writing, exploring ways to feature the voice within arrangements. Julie is known for her scatting fluency and strong

rhythmic sensibilities. Her trio features old friends and colleagues, pianist, Stephen

Sedergreen, drummer, Edward York and bassist, Mark Elton. Guest musicians featured on the album include saxophonist, Anton Delecca and trumpeter, Eamon McNelis. 

O’Hara has at times been likened to Anita O’Day, with a similar tonality and rhythmic sensibilities while scat singing. Anita is one of O’Hara’s main influences. her Anita O'Day tribute concert features Anita’s musical and career highlights and her incredible life story.

SESSION CREDITS:

Julie’s vocal improvisation and harmony singing, features on all seasons of comedian Josh

Thomas’s series, ‘Please Like Me’ (ABC) and ‘Everything’s going to be OK’ (Stan). Also, his

‘Whoopsie Daisy’ national comedy tour, with all music composed by Bryony Marks. Most recently, Julie's vocals appear on Josh Thomas's latest podcast 'How to be Gay' (2022)

Julie’s voice also features on award winning films such as, Book of Revelation, (Cezary

Skubiszewski), The Sapphires (Cezary Skubiszewski) & Cloudstreet (Bryony Marks).

Awards

ASA Songwriting awards

1st place EDM category "Rosie" (J.O'Hara/C.Snape)

1st place contemporary ballad category "Back to me"(J.O'Hara/G.Deleo)

Top 5 Open - "Magic hands" (Skaddabox)

Nominated songwriter of the year 2005

Nominated best jazz vocal album - "Midnight Sun" Julie O'Hara & George Washingmachine