BIO

My name is Julia Francis, and my journey of creative expression, healing and awakening has always been guided by my voice.

One day when I was 8 years old, I was playing in the woods behind my house (my safe place where I could experiment with my voice in solitude), and I came upon a dying bird on the path. I hovered over her, watching her breathe laboriously, and began to sing to her. Somehow I knew intuitively that she needed encouragement as she transitioned to the other world. My only thought was to give her love through my voice. In that moment, I felt the overwhelming presence of the trees above me, swaying and shushing, telling me that I was sharing my true gift. For the first time, I felt truly heard. But by what, by whom?

Soon after, I developed a vocal ’tic’: humming to myself in short bursts that came upon me without my control - quiet, insistent, a satisfying release. The sounds came when I was around other people, and I couldn’t hide them. This concerned my parents and they took me to a doctor who told me to ‘stop doing that’. Easier said than done. I felt shame and weakness, not being able to control it, and figured there was something wrong with me. The only time I felt truly free was when I was singing.

When it was time to choose an education and career path, I never questioned becoming a professional performer and singer. I studied the vocal arts and learned to master emotional awareness through the artistry of song. It wasn’t until my 30’s, during my first sound healing treatment (with tuning forks) that I suddenly remembered my childhood vocal tic and realized that I had been self-soothing and regulating my nervous system - that my body and spirit knew instinctively what I needed to do to release the anxious and stressful energies that I absorbed so easily from other people. Finally, I felt empowered in my body, and I began to trust my voice as an infinitely intelligent and healing mechanism.

As a singer-songwriter and touring recording artist, I would often receive feedback from audiences that my voice made them feel transformed. This reaction made me hungry to share my journey, and teach others what I had learned - that our voices can heal ourselves and each other.

The first time I heard crystal singing bowls, I knew immediately that I had found my true partners in song, more than my guitar, more than the piano. When I started singing with them, I had the experience of being completely in touch with every cell of my body while at the same time, being connected to everything and everyone across time and space.

As I began experimenting with them, I received dreams and messages from my ancestors to cross the sea and visit ancient sacred sites in Scotland and Ireland and beyond. And once there, standing on the cliffs and staring out at the Wild Atlantic Ocean, I heard voices on the wind. Without understanding what was happening, I was initiated into an ancient tradition of collaborating with and celebrating those long gone, through song. Now I know that when we sing, we can honor and transcend our grief to become one with all beings that have ever lived. Our breath is sacred, our vibrations are medicine. We heal each other by sharing our songs. I am honored to share this work with you, and to support the exquisite uniqueness of your own voice. What does it long to tell you?