At just 13 years old Lucian Julius is already making waves, balancing a booming music career with the everyday life of a teenager.
Amid the excitement of releasing his first single, “Don’t Let Go”, he has also learnt invaluable lessons about resilience, faith and staying true to himself.
“It feels amazing to launch my first single. It’s also still a little unbelie-
vable. It’s definitely something that I thought of doing in the future, I just never thought the future would be now,” he said.
“I really just hope people enjoy it; that they like it. If they don’t it’s okay, but it’s always better if they enjoy it. I love music. My music is not about fame; for me, all of this is about creating an opportunity for people to enjoy my music. If my song is playing and people are smiling, then I’m good!”
Lucian, a Strand High School learner, participated in the Helderberg Eisteddfod last year, where he was the overall winner in the singing category.
He recalled that his interest in music first stemmed as a 10-year-old. “That’s when the idea started to settle with me. At my primary school, Hendrik Louw Primary, I got the opportunity to sing on stage. I loved it… completely. The crowds were always amazing. I loved feeding off their energy.”
Lucian added that his musical inspiration comes from different genres. “My mom and grandparents love singing and love listening to music. They have a unique ‘old-school flavour’ of music they listen to. My mom loves golden-oldie songs and my dad has a more contemporary taste, so my base to draw inspiration from is very broad. I love Justin Bieber and Lionel Richie, but listen to music ranging from Elvis Presley and Jim Reeves to Ed Sheeran and Bruno Mars. I really like Afrikaans music as well. I aspire to be great, like them, but I also always want to be me. I am not Justin or Lionel; I’m just Lucian. I admire many singers, but lately I have also been admiring not just their singing talents, but the type of people they are.”
Asked about the story behind his first single, “Don’t Let Go”, and what the song-writing process was like, Lucian replied: “It’s about a friend of mine, a girl. I had a crush on her, but also really appreciated her friendship, so I didn’t want to tell her how I really felt, so I started scribbling notes and stuff and yeah, that led to me writing the song. So ‘Don’t Let Go’ is saying I like you, but also that I don’t want anything to change.”
Asked about the best piece of advice received so far in this fairly new journey, the young artist emphasised three core principles: never give up; stay humble and don’t forget your roots.
He also shared a poignant moment of parental guidance. “My mom and dad told me I am only 13 years old. They were concerned that perhaps I wasn’t old or tough enough to handle the types of criticism that I would be exposed to.”
This concern stemmed from the often-overlooked reality of public life. “What people sometimes don’t realise is that one puts oneself out there, in the spotlight. People don’t discern the difference between one’s music and the person one is. Some will love what you do, but some won’t. And when they don’t – then especially you should realise that the criticism does not define you as a person. This is where self-belief plays a pivotal role.
“But we spoke about it and [my parents] helped me prepare for all the positives and negatives I might have to deal with, and they constantly remind me that this path might be mine to walk, but they are always there, in the background.”
Lucian also stressed the importance of self-belief and positivity. “If you wholeheartedly believe in your own ability, it becomes easier to convince other people to believe in you. Positivity is infectious, so have fun, enjoy the process and make lots of memories along the way. That should be the kind of goals you have; it shouldn’t be about becoming famous, making money and things like that.”
Beyond music, this multi-talented teenager finds joy in sports and family. “I love sport. I love hockey and rugby, but had to choose only one this year, so I chose rugby. I love the brotherhood, the physicality and there are few feelings as lekker as scoring a try,” Lucian admitted.
“I love watching series and listening to music. And I love spending time with family. We always have a lot of fun. I like to train; looking after one’s health and body is also important And sometimes it’s just fun to do nothing.”
The support from friends and family has been overwhelming. “Positive and supportive; I think they are and will always be my biggest fans. They are very excited about everything. I get calls, sometimes daily from my aunt or grandparents, asking what’s the latest and what’s been happening. Honestly, their love and support is just amazing. My friends also keep me grounded, I guess.”
What’s on the young muso’s playlist right now? “Oh yeah, my own song is top of the list, followed by ‘Stuck on you’ by Lionel Richie, ‘That’s what friends are for by’ Dionne Warwick, ‘Dis ‘n land’ by Snotkop en ‘O Liewe jinne’ by Juanita du Plessis.”
To keep up with Lucian’s journey and find out where to stream his music, follow luciantheperformer on Instagram.
