Aside from enabling our late-night doomscrolling sessions and monthly budol buys, TikTok is also a great place to find new artists to listen to. Case in point: Denise Julia. As popular as she is now, her voice was probably the first thing you knew about her. (See: those airy, silky-smooth audios singing about situationships—more on that later!).
The 22-year-old singer is one of the most popular pop-slash-R&B singers in the game rn, thanks to her hit singles like "B.A.D.," "NVMD," and "Lackin'." ICYDK, Denise Julia has been the talk of the town for her alleged "unprofessionalism" during a photoshoot as told by celebrity photographer, BJ Pascual in a podcast. *double eyes emoji*
Whether you're curious to know more about the face behind the music or you're part of the people who are only getting to know her, here are some fast facts you need to know about this rising OPM star:
8 Things You Need To Know About Denise Julia
1. Her real name is Julia Denise Lee.
Denise was born on February 24, 2002, which means she's a Pisces girl. People with this zodiac sign are described to be imaginative, creative, supportive, and are total lover girls at heart.
2. She studied at Ateneo de Manila University.
Before her music career took off, Denise was a Diplomacy and International Relations student at ADMU. She was also part of the Ateneo Musicians' Pool organization—more proof that she was born to be a performer. Before being an Atenean, she was a senior high school student at DLSU.
3. She's heavily inspired by '90s R&B music and artists.
If Denise's airy vocals and smooth beats throw you back to the '90s, then you're not wrong for feeling this type of way. In a previous interview, DJ revealed that she grew up listening to popular R&B artists from the '90s like Beyoncé, TLC, and Aaliyah. For modern inspo, she named singers like Summer Walker, SZA, and Kehlani as her idols.
4. She released her first single "Difficult" in 2021.
Denise finally arrived on the scene with her first single "Difficult" in 2021. It's about a relationship that's already on the rocks, with Denise asking her lover what she can do to save it. It was an early taste of what to expect from her music—rocky relationships, situationships, and more.
5. She appeared in the music video for "Marikit" in 2020.
DJ might have only burst into the local music scene in 2021 with her single "Difficult," but eagle-eyed fans have spotted her in a fellow OPM singer's music video for the pandemic-era earworm "Marikit." Scroll to 1:12 to spot Denise!
6. She's been called the "Patron Saint of Situationships."
With a catalog filled with bops like "Lackin'," "NVMD," and "thinkin' bout u," it's no surprise that Denise has been called the "Patron Saint of Situationships" by her fans. Situationships and confusing AF talking stages are hard to be in, but songs like hers make these circumstances just a lil' bit easier.
READ MORE: What Is A 'Situationship' And How Do You Know If You're In One?
7. She's a proud morena.
Denise has always been proud of her morena skin. She doesn't shy away from talking about her experiences growing up morena in the hopes that she can be the representation to young girls she needed when she was younger.
After her first live television performance for ASAP, Denise penned on Instagram: "I grew up watching ASAP every Sunday. Literally. Every. Sunday. Hoping one day I get to see morena representation in an entertainment industry that so often favors light-skinned artists and public figures."
She continued: "Hopefully I get to be the influence I once so badly wanted, for the little morena girls to grow up thinking they don’t have to whiten their skin or succumb to beauty standards that wash away their true beauty."
8. She recently held her first-ever concert on December 14, 2024.
Just recently, Denise thrilled her fans by performing all her hit songs at her concert, "Sweet Nothings: The Denise Julia Experience," at the New Frontier Theater in Quezon City. After the show, she wrote:
"This concert wasn’t just a show—it saved me. This year has been one of the hardest of my life. I’ve faced heartbreak, crippling anxiety, and days where I couldn’t even show up for myself... But this night reminded me of my purpose. You reminded me. You proved that I’m not alone, and as long as I have you, I can keep going."
