Julia Michaels
She moved from penning massive pop hits for others to claiming the spotlight herself, bringing raw, diary-entry vulnerability into mainstream music.
Born 1993 (age 33)·American singer and songwriter·Birthday: November 13·Millennials
Biography
Julia Michaels began her career in the shadows of the recording studio, a teenage songwriter from Iowa crafting hooks for pop's biggest names. Her fingerprints are on a decade of chart-toppers, but the industry truly sat up when she stepped into the light. Releasing "Issues" in 2017 was a defiant act of self-exposure; her voice, a distinctive, conversational rasp, laid bare anxieties and relationship turmoil with a specificity that felt revolutionary for top 40 radio. She didn't just sing songs, she confessed them, turning therapy sessions into melodies. This pivot established a new archetype: the songwriter-as-artist whose power lies in intimate detail. Her subsequent work, both solo and in collaboration, continues to dismantle the polished facade of pop, proving that the biggest emotional connections are often built with the smallest, most truthful words.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Julia was born in 1993, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Julia Was Born
The biggest hits of 1993
#1 Movie
Jurassic Park
Best Picture
Schindler's List
#1 TV Show
60 Minutes
Julia's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1993Born
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1998Started school
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2006Became a teenager
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2009Could drive
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2011Could vote
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2014Turned 21
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2023Turned 30
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 33 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Received six Grammy Award nominations, including two for Song of the Year (for 'Issues' and as a co-writer on 'Bad Blood').
- Her debut single 'Issues' peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified quadruple platinum.
- Has written major hits for artists including Justin Bieber ('Sorry'), Selena Gomez ('Good for You'), and Demi Lovato ('Sorry Not Sorry').
Did You Know?
She began writing songs professionally at the age of 16.
Michaels and her songwriting partner Justin Tranter have a shared tattoo of a paper airplane.
She provided the singing voice for the character Valentina in the 2021 film 'The Addams Family 2'.
“I write songs because it's cheaper than therapy.”
