Meet GIULIA BE: The Brazilian Pop Sensation Who Turned Her Hannah Montana Dreams Into Reality
By Website Content Manager
GIULIA BE unveiled her self-titled debut album on Friday, July 24, bringing together tracks performed in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.
Like plenty of women from the Gen Z and millennial cusp, Brazilian singer-songwriter GIULIA BE grew up captivated by Hannah Montana. From her childhood in Rio de Janeiro, she watched the Disney series without realizing that its fantasy of balancing an ordinary life with a pop-star career would eventually resemble her own ambitions.
“When I was 6 years old, I watched Hannah Montana for the first time and that was the beginning of all of it for me,” GIULIA, 26, recalled during the Grammy Museum’s The Drop series, moderated by PEOPLE, on June 25. She was fascinated by the character’s secret double life — attending school like a typical teenager before stepping onto a stage as a famous singer. Looking back, GIULIA says she essentially envisioned that same kind of future for herself.
Born Giulia Bourguignon Marinho, GIULIA started studying classical music at just 6 years old. Her Russian piano instructor introduced her to artists including Elton John and Eric Clapton, an experience that quickly changed her musical tastes. After discovering their music, she joked that she had little interest in listening to Mozart again.
Although music had always been part of her plans, GIULIA was preparing to attend law school when she took an unexpected step toward entertainment by launching a YouTube channel. Her online presence eventually helped lead to the release of her first single, “Too Bad,” in 2019, as well as opportunities to explore acting.
Now, GIULIA is entering a new chapter with her ambitious self-titled album. The 21-track project reflects her multicultural musical identity, featuring songs performed in Portuguese, Spanish and English. Created over the course of several years, the album draws from personal experiences and stories that have shaped her life.
GIULIA says she feels especially proud to reach this point as a Brazilian musician. Early in her career, the president of the record label she was signed to warned her that pursuing an international path would mean facing plenty of challenges and going against the norm.
Despite those obstacles, she continued pursuing her passion for songwriting. GIULIA says finally having the opportunity to release a project of this size — and to celebrate it in Los Angeles while speaking about her music at a major venue — has surpassed anything she once imagined for herself.
The singer-songwriter also opened up about the creative process behind the album and some of the tracks connected to her relationship with Conor Kennedy.
For GIULIA, releasing music in three languages represents more than simply expanding her sound. For years, she concentrated primarily on Portuguese-language music, but the new project allowed her to embrace her English- and Spanish-speaking sides as well.
She explains that the album grew from the desire to present every version of herself without making them feel disconnected. Rather than having to choose which side of GIULIA to showcase, she wanted the project to bring those identities together while maintaining a sense of one cohesive artist.
The album also reflects a lengthy songwriting journey. Some of the tracks were written nearly nine years ago, while others were created less than a year before the album’s release. Rather than being made during one specific period, the record serves as a collection of songs gathered throughout different stages of GIULIA’s life — ultimately bringing together the material she felt best represented her artistic introduction to the world.