“I feel like the luckiest girl in the world,” Juliet Simms said after a very successful blind audition on the second season of The Voice. She belted out The Beatles’ “Oh Darling” and immediately captivated the audience and coaches with her raspy vocals and passionate delivery of the classic song. A three-chair turn around from Adam Levine, Ceelo Green and Christina Aguilera left Simms with a tough decision, but after a few moments of contemplation, she decided on the eccentric Green. In that moment, a dream team was formed.
While Simms claimed to be lucky, it was sheer talent that landed her a spot on the top-rated singing competition. By putting her own twist on classics like Lynard Skynard’s “Freebird” and The Police’s “Roxanne,” Simms fought her way to the show’s finale and finished second behind Jermaine Paul.
But a spot as runner-up on The Voice was not going to stop Simms from continuing her career in music. At that point, the whole country had their eyes on Simms. While The Voice may have been a grueling competition, it gave Simms a national platform to share her art. As is tradition with many singing competition shows, even the losers win, and soon after the show ended, Simms signed a record deal with Universal Music Group.
After having several major label deals prior to her appearance on The Voice, Simms thought this time would be different. When you’re on top of the world and millions of people are talking about you, why question the intentions of a major label? She had the support of her coach and mentor, Green, the recognition of millions of people and a new confidence in her art. Why not give it another try?
“Coming off of The Voice, I think I really, truly found my voice,” Simms said.
But history repeats, and Simms soon found out that Universal was no different than any of her previous labels. They made promises they didn’t keep and tried to feed her pop songs that in no way, shape or form fit her style of music. It was suffocating and disappointing for Simms to be put in such a situation. After releasing “Wild Child,” her first and only single with Universal, the label decided to put Simms on the backburner. This proved to be the last straw, and Simms wanted out.
“It’s nice to call yourself signed, but it’s also nice to be able to make music for your fans that they want to hear,” Simms said.
She had to figure out her next step. Signing to another label was definitely not in the cards, so Simms decided to be an independent artist and started a crowdfunding page with PledgeMusic. This gave her the opportunity to put her fate in the hands of people who cared—the fans.
Through the PledgeMusic campaign, Simms was able to fund a Billboard-charting EP titled All or Nothing, and in the process, she got to personally meet and interact with the fans who made it all possible.
“It was so emotional for me in a really great way…I was not expecting that reaction whatsoever, but I appreciate it, and I would like that to happen every time I release music,” she laughed.
All or Nothing contains the music Simms has been unable to produce under major labels over the years. With complete creative freedom, Simms and producer Aaron Sprinkle put together the rocker’s most cohesive and personal release to date.
“I felt like everything leading up to meeting [Sprinkle] and getting into the studio with him was like supposed to happen,” she said. “It’s my favorite music I’ve ever written.”
Anyone familiar with Simms’ history and music will agree: This EP is her best work. It’s free of major label pressures and teems with raw emotion and transparent lyrics. Each song tells a story, but the most personal songs focus on her long-term relationship with Black Veil Brides frontman, Andy Biersack. In fact, Biersack makes a guest appearance on the closing song, “Before It Rains,” which is about the couple’s first kiss on the Vans Warped Tour in 2011.
The two initially met through Biersack’s ex-girlfriend. During their first encounter, Simms remembered thinking, “That’s a good looking fella!” It wasn’t until years later, and after Biersack split with his ex, that the couple hit it off on Warped Tour, and the rest is history.
“Our first kiss happened three days after we started hanging out, and that same night he told me he was in love with me,” she remembered. “…We’ve been together ever since.”
Whether she’s slaying Warped Tour with her piercing vocals or signing thousands of CD covers, Simms’ passion for her work shines. Her positive spirit transcends boundaries and can be easily perceived by anyone who comes in contact with her. And after all she has achieved over the years, Simms’ barely takes the credit; she gives most of it to her supporters.
“Nobody has better supporters than me. I take full-on claim over the best listeners [and]the best supporters,” Simms said. “…They’re always there for me, and they’re always so supportive…I cannot ever stress enough how much I love them.”
They’re the ones who helped her reach the finale of The Voice, and they’ll be there long after the music fades. They’ve witnessed her best and her worst, and have watched as major labels smothered her talent for years. But now, her fans can proudly say that they’ve witnessed her break free from all constraints and find her voice.
All or Nothing is out now! Be sure to catch Juliet Simms all summer on the Vans Warped Tour.
*Interview and story by Jessica Klinner
