A tender, country-esque ballad for anyone who’s ever felt trapped in their own mind
Rising Pōneke-based folk-pop artist Julia Belle has unveiled her deeply moving new single, ‘Let Go,’ out today, serving as the final preview before her highly anticipated debut EP, Dreamland, arrives next week on April 24.
A melancholic yet liberating reflection on mental turmoil and release, the track showcases Julia’s signature blend of raw lyricism and ethereal folk soundscapes—solidifying her place among indie-folk’s most compelling new voices.
With a soft, velvety delivery that lingers like an intimate confession, Julia’s vocals weave through delicate acoustic guitar layers and lush production (courtesy of Toby Lloyd at Tiny Triumph Recordings).
Drawing comparisons to Phoebe Bridgers, Noah Kahan, and Adrienne Lenker, ‘Let Go’ is an unfiltered portrayal of Julia’s struggles with OCD and intrusive thoughts, capturing the suffocating weight of clinging to control—and the terrifying, necessary act of surrender.
The chorus unfolds as a raw plea for relief (“I don’t wanna let go, but I can’t hold on”), its emotional resonance amplified by Julia’s light yet devastatingly powerful voice.
The accompanying music video, directed by Francesca Sewell, mirrors the song’s deep intensity.
Shot with a dreamlike, cinematic vulnerability, it visually translates the track’s themes of confinement and fleeting escape—swirling between stark close-ups and hazy, surreal imagery.
Sewell’s lens captures Julia in moments of quiet desperation, reinforcing the song’s aching beauty.
‘Let Go’ is the gateway to Dreamland, a project that oscillates between harsh reality and the solace of mental escape.
Julia describes the EP as a journey through her mind—obsessive thoughts, panic, and the fragile refuge of imagination—with lyrics that feel ripped from a diary (“It’s been raining in my head, but I take cover in dreamland”).
The production mirrors this push-and-pull, balancing stark folk minimalism with fleeting swells of full-band warmth.
‘Let Go’ isn’t just a song; it’s an invitation to sit with discomfort and find catharsis in its melody–transforming pain into something luminous.
With Dreamland just days away, Julia is poised to become folk-pop’s next heartbreak poet—the kind whose voice stays with you long after the music ends.
Listen to ‘Let Go’ here and pre-save Dreamland here.
