Julia Rae on the beach for her music video around 2008.
By MADDY VITALE
Julia Rae sat in her family’s home in Ocean City and recalled the beginning of her career as a performer, singer, songwriter and pageant winner.
It all started with a music video -- her first one -- on the beach in Ocean City 12 years ago.
“I have been coming to Ocean City since before I can remember,” Julia, 27, said. “I was born in June and there are photos of me on the Ocean City beaches when I was just weeks old.”
For Julia, who splits her time between Philadelphia, New York and Los Angeles working full time in the entertainment world, an exciting new opportunity came for her to showcase her singing and also find true love.
She is appearing on episodes of "The Bachelor: Listen to Your Heart” on Monday nights on ABC.
The show gives musicians a venue to display their talents on national television with the possibility of meeting the person of their dreams.
“As a performer, I am always in tune with auditions for shows, so I saw a casting notice for single singers and sent in my videos. From there, I auditioned in person and now here we are,” Julia explained. “Obviously, this cast is all musicians hoping to break through with their careers, and I definitely went on hoping that would happen for me.”
Proceeds from Julia Rae's nonprofit "Singing at the Top of My Lungs" go to therapy programs for children in the hospital.
And, with a sense of humor, she admitted she hasn’t been lucky in love, which was another reason she thought she would audition to be a contestant.
“I have historically failed miserably in my dating life, so I figured the dating apps weren't working for me, might as well give this a try,” she noted.
Julia, who graduated from Fordham University with a major in communications, has had to overcome hurdles along the way throughout not only her career as an entertainer, but since she was a child.
She was born with cystic fibrosis, a debilitating lung disease. She suffered several lung collapses and long hospital stays over the years.
Throughout her life, she has battled back and managed the disease with medications and daily breathing exercises.
At just 16, she created a nonprofit, “Singing at the Top Of My Lungs.” Proceeds go to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and provide funding for children’s art and therapy programs at hospitals.
Now, she is using the opportunity she has in the national spotlight on "The Bachelor" to put a spotlight on cystic fibrosis.
“When I received the news I would be in the show, I was thrilled to have this big of a platform to share my story and hopefully inspire others,” Julia said.
Julia Rae at a benefit for The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.
