Julien Aklei

Julien Aklei (born November 20, 1975, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist and artist. Aklei was raised in Louisville, Kentucky where she graduated as a National Merit Scholar from Kentucky Country Day School in 1994 and went on to the University of Virginia as an Echols Scholar. The Washington Post referred to Aklei as an "eerie-intriguing singer-songwriter" with a "haunting voice and a strangely tough-vulnerable stage presence." Her work is characterized by deeply personal and otherworldly lyrics, and an emphasis on her voice over the music. Although she accompanies herself on several different instruments – including piano – her style of electric guitar and vocals are the linchpins of her sound.