Getting outside the algorithm
Like everyone who got through the past year, Julie’s Records Founder Julie Acosta was forced to adjust to the new world because of the pandemic.
For the fourth-generation Angelino, who immersed herself in the thriving Los Angeles music scene by going to at least one concert a week before the shutdown, the enforced separation from live music and the music community itself forced Acosta into action.
Acosta took part in virtual shows and used streaming services like Spotify, but these weren’t enough to fill the void and she started digging for records more frequently. She also started putting her record collection on sale at socially distanced get-togethers and pop-ups.
For Acosta, records were a way of “getting outside of the algorithm.”
“I missed that shared human experience, so it was that feeling that really drove this,” Acosta, who works as a realtor, explained as the reasoning behind starting Julie’s records. “People want reasons to come together.”
For the moment, she has no immediate plans regarding Julie’s records besides “just going with it.” It is enough for her to be around music and the community.
She enjoys being able to show people new music and the sense of discovery she can share with them when they discover gems.
“It’s like Christmas shopping you know, like when you’re getting gifts for your family and loved one,” Acosta giggled. “What we’re doing with Julie’s records is for others.”
“It really is a passion project.”