Julia Golden is headlining the Taste of Charlotte Festival on June 6 as she continues to chase her dream of being a singer-songwriter.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — At just 18 years old, Julia Golden is already living her dream as a professional country singer, performing at major festivals across North Carolina while staying true to her small-town roots.
The Carthage native recently performed at Charlotte’s Lovin’ Life Music Festival alongside Garrett Huffman and is preparing for her headline slot at the Taste of Charlotte Festival on June 6, where she’ll perform from 8-11 p.m.
“It is a feeling like no other, honestly, just the feeling of your dreams coming true right before your eyes,” Golden said in an interview for Live Impact News on WCNC+, reflecting on her rapid rise in the music scene.
Golden’s partnership with Huffman began through an unlikely route — they were initially competitors, both nominated in the same category for the Carolina Country Music Awards. Instead of rivalry, the competition sparked collaboration when Huffman discovered Golden’s music through the awards process.
“We ended up writing a song together which was ‘A Story Like Ours’ on our first ever time meeting,” Golden said. The duo’s debut collaboration opened doors for both artists to expand their reach across the Carolinas.
The young artist recently released a six-song EP titled “Everywhere I’ve Been,” featuring songs she wrote between the ages of 16 and 18. The project was recorded in Nashville, marking Golden’s entry into the Music City scene that has become her second home.
“I like to say I’m dually based in North Carolina and Nashville because I spend so much time there,” Golden said, noting she travels to Nashville monthly for recording and songwriting sessions.
Despite her Nashville connections, Golden remains deeply rooted in North Carolina. She draws inspiration from her grandparents’ 60-acre property in Goldston, complete with a rock quarry, which she describes as one of her biggest creative influences.
“The quiet, beautiful scenery that we have in North Carolina just offers so much more space to create art,” Golden said.
While Golden’s time is spent between North Carolina and Nashville, her first performance at the age of 11 came in Eugene, Oregon, where her aunt runs a nonprofit called Kids Rock and Girls Rock. The organization provided Golden with her first guitar and stage experience, launching a career that has evolved from musical theater to original songwriting.
Now performing nearly every weekend, Golden represents a new generation of country artists who blend traditional storytelling with contemporary authenticity. Her songs draw from personal experiences, favorite books, family relationships, and the landscapes that shaped her upbringing in rural North Carolina.
“I’m just a regular girl. I graduated from a regular small town high school. I write songs in my little small town in my bedroom with my cute little dog,” Golden said. “I just want to make a living off of my original music and share it with as many people as I possibly can.”
Golden credits her parents’ immense support in her work for getting her to the place she is today.
“I just want to be a better artist than I was yesterday every single day,” she said.
Golden also pursues modeling and acting alongside her music career, with several undisclosed projects planned for summer 2025.
The Taste of Charlotte Festival performance will showcase Golden’s evolution from small-town dreamer to professional performer, representing the kind of authentic country music that resonates with audiences seeking genuine storytelling and relatable experiences.
