New City Artist Sings Out Against Bullying

Writing lyrics and poems is nothing new for New City resident Julie Mar. The 24- year-old lifelong New City resident has been doing it since she was 11 years old. She recently released a music video of her song, “Little Voices,” which deals with bullying and people feeling marginalized for their choices.

Mar recorded her second music video from her debut album “Theorem”
which was independently released in April, in her home basement.  The video begins with a quote, “I always told myself that the breaking the walls of personal confinement is what made the difference.”

Mar has been involved in humanitarian work. During the summer of 2012 she went to Kenya to teach English, build homes and churches and visit orphans. Locally, she has been involved in fundraising for the Crohns & Colitis

Foundation and volunteered with Literacy Volunteers of Rockland County.

Mar said the inspiration for the song came from her life and that of a relative.

"Little Voices" was first based off of experiences I had with bullying, but then a younger cousin of mine expressed how she'd been a victim of bullying for a long time,” she said. “Between the stories we both had, I knew there were an innumerable amount of people going through the same thing.”

Her web page further describes the lyrics and video.

“As someone who used to be bullied for much of her childhood, I have never been more proud to be me than I am right now. This video is for anyone who has ever felt oppressed or belittled by words or actions of hate. Always choose love. This is for you.”

Mar said the song speaks for people who may not speak out on their own.

There were several events that occurred that led to me writing "Little Voices," but I think it was because of those events, I realized there was no anthem for kids and even adults who got bullied or felt oppressed in their daily lives,” she explained. “People need something to empower them from the negativity that surrounds them, so that was the push I needed to write it.” 

The Clarkstown North High School graduate received her B.A. in Audio Engineering and Literature from Stevens Institute of Technology.