Julie Michaels Returns With ‘Inner Monologue Part 2’

Julia Michaels already dropped one of the best EPs of 2019. And she’s done it again with the release of Inner Monologue Part 2. Out today (June 28), the collection acts as a sequel to Part 1, which featured duets with Selena Gomez and Niall Horan. Comprised of 8 songs, her latest clocks in at 25 minutes. And it is, perhaps unsurprisingly considering her impeccable discography, just as strong. The 25-year-old kicks it in motion with a rush of nostalgia on the loved-up opener “17.”

Over a lush production courtesy of Louis Bell and Jesse Shatkin, she compares the strength of her love for a current partner to the pure emotions she felt as a teen. “No dark side for us, no fights just because. No silence that kills, no, no sleepless nights. Oh, just you and I. I love how love feels,” she sings on the lead-up to the chorus. There, she prays the relationship remains lighthearted and pure. It makes for an interesting transition to “Falling For Boys.” Here, Julia laments her tendency to put faith in immature boys instead of men.

Opening with acoustic strings, the very relatable anthem picks up speed as it progresses. But it ends the same way it opened: with quiet strings and tears. “Fucked Up, Kinda,” the EP’s sole duet, follows a similar theme. Over production from Benjamin Miller, Julia and ROLE MODEL depict just how far gone they are for the wrong person. “You know I want you more, the more you put me through,” they sing. It peaks with a realization: “I want that fucked up kinda love and so do you.”

Despite that, Julia loses herself in another relationship on the hesitantly optimistic “Hurt Again.” But there’s a catch. Now she recognizes the risk of being burned but refuses to let that stop her from taking the plunge. “You remind me of my past. That’s how I know this won’t last. And I know I should go pack, but where’s the fun in that,” she sings over beats courtesy of Ian Kirkpatrick. It all builds up to the masterpiece of a chorus. “I know we’re fighting fire with fire, but I’m ready to be hurt again.”

There’s a distinct tonal shift on “Priest.” Co-written with frequent collaborator Justin Tranter, this one is a stripped-back kiss-off. “Yeah there are liars, but then there is you,” she growls over bare-bone strings. That is justifiably cold, but it only gets better. “You broke my heart, and now you want some redemption,” she coos. Only don’t expect her to fall for that trap. “But I’m not a priest. So fuck your confession.” Tranter also lends his pen to the EP’s closer “Shouldn’t Have Said It.” On it, Julia flits around an apology after a fight.

“I know I always break your heart. Every time we end up in a mess, I just take it too far,” she admits. “I know I should say sorry. In the moment I meant it, but I shouldn’t have said it.” That sense of brutal honesty is what elevates so much of Julia’s work. “Work Too Much” is another testament to her songwriting. Riding a vibe-friendly beat, she cops to losing her freedom to work. However, it pales in comparison to Part 2’s emotional standout – “Body.”

The orchestral anthem is about the path toward self-love. “I wanna love my body, like you love my body. Wanna make it feel like it’s incredible like you do,” she sings with longing. The fraught single is the most powerful of the bunch, and it harkens back to “Anxiety” as one that is going to be infinitely relatable to listeners. It also carves out the heart of Part 2. The release is yet another testament to all that Julia Michaels is capable of. Since debuting with “Issues,” she’s yet to miss. And once again, she delivers an exceptional body of work. Stream it below and see what songs speak to you.

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