Unlocked with Savannah Chrisley: "Break-Ups & Break Throughs" (feat. Julia Cole)

Podcast: Unlocked with Savannah Chrisley
Host: Savannah Chrisley
Guest: Julia Cole (Country Music Artist)
Release Date: September 23, 2025
Duration: ~35 minutes (Main Content)

Overview

In this vulnerable and engaging episode, Savannah Chrisley welcomes country artist Julia Cole for a heartfelt discussion about unconventional career paths, the unpredictability of love and breakups, creative resilience, and building new beginnings both personally and professionally. Both women openly share experiences of heartbreak and healing, highlight the power of community, and offer advice on staying authentic through tough transitions. Throughout, Julia details her unique entrance into the country music industry, how her most painful moments fueled her most meaningful work, and the next exciting steps in her career.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Natural Beginnings & Nashville Connections

• Savannah and Julia touch on their repeated run-ins around Nashville and the city's "small-town" feel, joking about mutual friends and becoming neighbors ([00:06–01:28]).
• Real talk on introversion and social habits: both admit that if they go home and put on pajamas, they’re not coming back out—which serves as a light-hearted entry to the conversation ([00:48–01:28]).

Julia Cole's Unconventional Journey into Country Music

• From Sports to Music by Accident: Julia explains how singing national anthems at her own volleyball/basketball games eventually launched her into larger performances, all by chance, not design.
  • “I have the weirdest, like, entrance into the music industry of all time. Did not do it on purpose.” – Julia ([01:42])
• Influence of Family and Education: Raised in an academically competitive household, sports and studies were her primary focus, with music being a fluke. She only applied to Vanderbilt, where her dorm landed her right on Music Row ([03:03–03:56]).
  • “That is a God thing.” – Savannah ([03:56])
• Mentorship and Nashville "Parents": Meeting Chuck Cannon and Laurie White profoundly shaped her, teaching the importance of loving what you do and the people you work with.
  • “My definition of success is being able to do what I love with people that I love.” – Laurie White (as quoted by Julia, [06:37])
• The Pressure of Knowing Your "Why":
  • “If you can figure that out and you have this purpose, it'll change your thought process on every angle of how you're getting to your goals.” – Julia ([07:26–07:49])

Heartbreaks as Artistic Breakthroughs

• Breakup as Turning Point for Vulnerability: Julia’s decision to be public and honest about calling off her engagement became the catalyst for her most successful project.
  • “It was the first time that I was truly vulnerable.” – Julia ([08:34])
• Processing Loss and Betrayal: Julia discusses being cheated on by a former boyfriend with her best friend—an incident overshadowed by the real loss of her mentor Laurie White.
  • "Because I was dealing with real loss…I don't even have time for y’all. Like, don't talk to me." – Julia ([10:19])
• On Cutting Ties: She cold-turkey cut off her exes and friends who betrayed her, noting:
  • "If I don't trust you anymore… I don't waste my time." – Julia ([11:43])
  • Savannah admits she struggles with this and tends to let people back in repeatedly.

Creating Music from Pain and Finding Community

• Making the Breakup Album: Julia describes writing an entire series of songs to process the breakup and how sharing these monthly releases created a powerful community, especially among women going through similar experiences ([14:21–18:59]).
  • “There are some songs that I probably won't ever put out that are a lot harsher, but…for about six months after the breakup, no one on social media knew.” – Julia ([15:22])
• On the Impact of Vulnerable Storytelling: Julia notes how listeners healing alongside her transformed her audience into a “sisterhood.”
  • “It started this community, this, like, sisterhood of all of these women supporting each other and connecting.” – Julia ([18:59])
• Career Independence: Funding her own records and growing her fanbase organically, Julia credits her success to relentless authenticity and the slow, step-by-step building process.

Notable Songs & Healing Lyrics

• "Side Piece": Went viral, written after being cheated on ([09:29]).
• "This Ring": About the moment of decision in an engagement breakup.
  • “What if when I leave, you become the man I need?” – Julia ([21:23])
  • “That's the toughest pill to swallow.” – Savannah ([21:27])

Reflections on Dating, Peace, and Moving On

• Julia reflects on her ex getting someone else pregnant immediately after their breakup and feeling at peace with dodging a bullet ([23:02–23:44]).
  • “He has kind of confirmed every red flag…” – Julia ([23:02])
• The challenge of protecting her hard-won peace in future relationships:
  • "I think what's gonna be the hardest part about me getting into another relationship is being willing to let someone else potentially mess up my peace." – Julia ([24:23])
• Both agree dating apps are a mess, but Julia’s focus remains on her career and finding love organically, on God's timing ([26:14–27:28]).

Building a Professional Team & Future Plans

• After years of independence, Julia has built her professional team (attorney, manager, agent); she details the parallels between “dating” in business and personal life ([27:28–29:59]).
• She recently signed a distribution deal, is headed to radio, and is booked for major festivals and international tours—including Stagecoach 2026, Australian and European dates ([31:44–32:26]).
  • “I need people to hear these songs because they can’t impact someone’s life if no one hears them.” – Julia ([29:28])
• Julia summarizes her growth and gratitude for her audience, emphasizing the authentic, slow climb to success:
  • “I don't take a single follower for granted because I wouldn't have a job if they didn't organically follow and share and interact and love the music.” – Julia ([30:28])
• Notable songs connected to fans’ big life moments: “Daddy Daughter Dance” and “Daylight in a Buck Short” ([31:25–31:38]).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Nashville serendipity:

  • “That's Nashville for you. It is crazy.” – Savannah ([00:15])

• On musical authenticity vs. business trends:

  • “If you make good art, you don't have to do anything. It carries itself everywhere.” – Julia ([09:06])

• On self-love and career focus post-breakup:

  • “There's just so much peace now in my life.” – Julia ([24:23])
  • “I trust in God's timing.” – Julia ([17:09])

• On audience connection:

  • “They want to sing it with you in person… Every single one of these artists has a team. I probably need to build a team!” – Julia ([29:28])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:00–01:28: Icebreakers & Nashville mutuals
• 01:28–06:39: Julia's non-traditional start, mentorship, and early music influences
• 07:01–09:29: Finding purpose, "the why," and creating vulnerable music
• 09:29–12:05: Relationships, betrayal, and coping with loss
• 14:21–18:59: The breakup album, healing, and social media community
• 21:06–22:49: "This Ring," fears of exes changing, and the truth about compatibility
• 22:56–24:23: Healing timeline, acceptance, and newfound peace
• 25:13–27:28: Post-breakup dating adventures & the reality of dating apps
• 27:28–31:44: Business team-building, new management, and touring plans
• 31:44–34:24: Viral songs, next career steps, fan gratitude, and where to find Julia

Where to Find Julia Cole

• Website: juliacolemusic.com
• Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Spotify: @juliacolemusic
  • “I respond to all my DMs on Instagram.” – Julia ([34:04])

Tone & Takeaways

Warm, candid, and empowering, this episode is a supportive look at using personal hardship as creative fuel, the importance of community, and the wisdom in following your own path—even if it means breaking the mold. Julia's story offers inspiration for anyone navigating heartbreak, self-reinvention, or bold professional ambitions. Savannah's empathetic hosting style creates space for honest reflection and plenty of humor, making this a must-listen for fans of real talk and resilience.