Local singer-songwriter Julius Eastwood is set to release the music video for his self-penned single Borderlines on May 15th. A love-letter to the borders of Powys and Shropshire; the stunning video follows Julius as he explores the culturally significant locations that make the area so special. Filming took place over two days in early March at many historic local sites including Llanrhaedr Waterfall, Lake Vyrnwy, Oswestry and The Old Racecourse. The video is an ode to the people, places & stories along the borders of Wales and England, a really special area of the world with a beautiful yet complex history.

After hearing Borderlines on BBC Radio Shropshire, local director Julia Pentz reached out to make a music video for the song. Previously working on projects that explore Welsh and English identity; Julia found the subject matter of the song inspiring and she contacted Julius to begin collaborating on the video’s concept. With a thorough knowledge of the area, Julia took her film crew to capture the beauty and the mystery of the borderlines, resulting in a wonderfully cinematic story about home.

BORDERLINES SONG:

Described by BBC Presenter Michaela Wylde as a ‘gorgeous tune’, Borderlines amassed over 2000 streams in its first 2 weeks on Spotify and has been played by BBC Radio in Shropshire and Hereford. The release was covered by multiple publications including a full page editorial in Oswestry Life Magazine and an interview in The Shropshire star, Julius was also interviewed on BBC Radio Shropshire discussing the song’s success and recent work with indie label Institute Records.

Borderlines is a story about home – it explores Julius’ life growing up on the border between Wales and England, and how this environment has shaped his perspective.

Julius wrote Borderlines in the winter of 2021. He began with the lyrics, which explore his relationship with his hometown and the history of the area. The song comes from a place of nostalgia, but presents an honest view of the Borderlines, exploring themes of love, pain and gratitude. It is an ode to childhood, to widening your world view and to those who left home but return with gratitude for the place they come from.

Julius then took the lyrics to the piano, where he developed the song’s timeless melody and musical accompaniment. The song is a folk-pop ballad which combines traditional and contemporary instrumentation to reflect the culture of the Borderlines. Julius’ Welsh roots are a major source of inspiration for the song; he drew on Wales’ rich history to incorporate a Celtic inspired beat, adding to the cinematic feel.

Julius’ work has been compared to artists such as Rufus Wainwright, Declan McKenna and Nick Cave. His musical influences range from contemporary artists like Marina, Tom Odell and Alfie Templeman, to artists that were played by his parents as a child – Zero 7, Fleetwood Mac and Eagles.

ARTIST BIO:

Julius Eastwood is an alt-pop artist and songwriter from the Welsh border. He is a trained saxophonist, but since moving into contemporary music he has also become a self-taught pianist and vocalist. His upbringing and life experience positions him as an artist with a refreshing perspective. Julius comes from a working class family, so is very conscious of identity and class. Growing up on the Borderlines has shaped his view of the world and is the very core of the song – ‘it’s something I continue to scrutinize & explore – I’ve watched my music & lyrics develop alongside it’.

Julius moved to London to study songwriting at BIMM university, where he recently graduated. His debut single, ‘Westminster’s on Fire’ was selected as Track of the Week across all BIMM Universities and also featured as an ‘Artist to Watch’.

 

Picture credits: Eddison Alcaide.