California-based singer-songwriter Julia Veil delivers an intriguing blend of indie-pop, jazz and blues on her debut album of original music, Hiding In the Wind (out Nov. 7, 2025). Inspired by the shifting landscapes of womanhood, partnership, motherhood, spirituality, and life as a working musician, her music is both deeply personal and universally resonant. Her lyrics are equal parts veiled and vulnerable, playful and poetic. As a singer, her vocals recall the earthy elegance of classic jazz and jump blues vocalists. Her songs feel like modern pop beamed from the Jazz Age.

Veil wrote, co-produced, and played multiple instruments on the 11-song collection.

Veil vividly remembers the sound that changed everything: the haunting cry of a blues harmonica. She was a teenager at summer camp in her native Ukraine, learning English, when the unfamiliar, soulful wail stopped her in her tracks. Harmonica wasn’t common in Ukraine, but its raw emotional resonance captivated her instantly.

Later, Veil moved to the United States, where she studied under Grammy-nominated blues harmonica master David Barrett and immersed herself in the genre.

Veil’s journey from shy jam session participant to confident solo artist is as winding as it is inspiring. Though classically trained in piano and experienced in choir singing as a young person, her music career unfolded organically in nightclubs and blues jams throughout the Bay Area. She quickly became an in-demand multi-instrumentalist and singer, working and gigging with both cover and original bands, and releasing two singles under the artist name Julia JD.

When Veil began writing original songs, she teamed up with producer and multi-instrumentalist Terry Carleton. The pair clicked instantly, co-producing the album, playing most of the instruments, and co-writing the dreamy album track “Harbor.”

The album also features an ensemble of acclaimed Bay Area musicians, including Chloe Feoranzo (clarinet), Jeff Lewis (trumpet), Noel Catura (saxophone), Benito Cortez (violin), Joe Kyle Jr. (upright bass), David Kelly (guitar), Lisa Rutta (drums, backing vocals), and Brian Shimada (bass). Veil handled vocals, piano, and harmonica, while Carleton contributed drums, guitar, bass, and percussion.

Reflecting on her journey, she shares: “It was humbling to listen back to the songs. For the first time, I felt I had truly captured my experiences. I didn’t sugarcoat anything.”

You can catch Veil performing in the Bay Area in various musical projects, all while steadily building her profile as a solo artist.