Messenger has released three albums, with songs from those albums appearing on several compilation albums, including Pure Chill Out (2002) which debuted at No. 19 on the U.S. Billboard Top Electronic Albums Chart.[4]
Messenger's songs have also had television placements in ABC's Miss South Sudan Australia, Bad Girls Club, and Thomas Banks: Quest for Love.[5]
In 2006 The New York Times’ listed Messengers' song “Look Up, Look Down” as being included on the Top 5 playlists of songs heard in U.S. Restaurants.[6]
Messenger has performed as a session singer for artists Manfred Leuchter and Geoff Kluke and the Changes.[15][16]
As a producer, Messenger remixed Australian band, Not Drowning, Waving’s song “Palau” for the Sonic Maps EP.[17]
Messenger's works “Myamisumi,” “Glitter” “Lover Come Back” and “Stripped” have been remixed by producers Razoof, Rubbasol, Salz, Mod X, Charly H. Fox, Raubrec Team, Chris B, Peter Haze, and The Icons South Beach.[18][19][20][21]
German electronic music magazine, GROOVE has written about and reviewed Salz's remix of Messenger's “Myamisumi” and “Lover Come Back” as well as her collaborations with Whirlpool Productions and Marcus Worgull.[23][24][25] Groove commented that “Julia sings into your heart and mine, truthfully so lovingly it rivals that of singer Nicolette.”[26]
Sue Wilson of The Scotsman has written of Messenger's vocal talent: "…through the full spectrum, from fragile candied sweetness to a scorching soul-diva holler – echos of Mouth Music, Annie Lennox, Horse, Sinéad O'Connor…".[27]
Messenger is featured and interviewed in the book "A Singers Companion: Personal Wisdom from the Global Music Industry" by Australian singer Christine Sullivan and Monika Roleff, sharing experiences and guidance as an international musician.[28]
Collaborations
As vocalist and composer, Messenger has collaborated on many works with Klaus Schulze, a German composer and musician who has been described[by whom?] as an electronic music pioneer.[29] The significance of her collaborations with Schulze are widely acknowledged and referenced in reviews internationally.[30][31][32][33]
Klaus Schulze released limited box set editions of non-album material, of which Messenger collaborated on Contemporary Works I as a composer and featured vocalist, and Contemporary Works II as a featured vocalist.[3][34]
Greg Allen's book, “Klaus Schulze, Electronic Music Legend,” features Messenger as a collaborator of Schulze, writing about her compositions and performances as well as interviewing her regarding “The Crime of Suspense” of which she co-wrote two compositions and was featured as a vocalist.[34][35] Allen comments on her performance of "Overchill" stating, "Julia Messenger and Thomas and Kagermann are both very creative and spirited musicians... adding a stunning new dimension to Klaus’s music." In writing about the title "My Ty She" Allen states, "The combination of your (Thomas Kagermann) ethereal vocals with Julia‘s makes it an extraordinary work."[36]
Messenger also collaborated as a composer of “KS/Jay M.D” from Essential Edits Promo (2000) and performed as a vocalist on Shadowlands (2013), alongside Lisa Gerrard and Crysta Bell.[39][40]
Awards
In 2003, Messenger's songs “Do I Know You” and “Fresh On The Edge” were finalists in the Dance/Electronica category of the Australian Songwriters Association National Songwriting Contest. “Fresh On The Edge” was further recognised in the Top 10 finalists for the category.[41]
In 2007, Messenger was a semi-finalist of the International Songwriting Competition in the AAA (Adult Album Alternative) category for "And We Danced” and in the Performance category for "So Complicated.” In 2016, Messenger was a finalist in EDM (Electronic Dance Music) category with her song “Stripped,” which was later awarded an Honourable Mention.[42]
Messenger has had multiple cuts with artists Whirlpool Productions and Ferry Corsten, regularly performing as a vocalist on the recordings and being credited as a featured artist.[3][34]
Messenger's songs have been included on many compilation albums released under U.S. and European labels.[3][34]
Her song "For the Love of You" released with PFL also appeared on a compilation DVD entitled, Flowmotion (Visual Pleasure Volume 3.0) released by General Electric Music.[47]
Year
Compilation Album
Label
Artist/Song
Role/s
2020
Isolation (New Collaborative Electronic Music)[48]
ZyXyZ Music
Julia Messenger with Mark Jenkins - The Lightning in Her Eyes
Artist, Co-writer
2018
Clubbers Culture: Sunday Chill Out Selection
Clubbers Culture
Julia Messenger – I Gave You My Heart
Artist, Co-writer
2016
The Best of House On The Beach - 30 Sexy Chillout Tunes
Time Tools
Julia Messenger – Give This Up
Artist, Co-writer
Senso feat. Julia Messenger – Love With A Time Limit (First Love)
^"Julia Messenger, Myamisumi – The Remixes (G.U.M. Records, g.u.m 001/Formic)". GROOVE (in German). No. #67. Germany. January 2001. p. 125.
^"Salz, Salz (Salz, Salz cd1/Formic)". GROOVE (in German). No. #67. Germany. January 2001. p. 106.
^"Marcus Worgull, Ole EP (Spectrum Works 13/ Groove Attack)". GROOVE (in German). No. #69. Germany. May 2001. p. 114.
^"Whirlpool Productions, Lifechange (WEA Records/Warner)". GROOVE (in German). No. #67. Germany. January 2001. p. 112.
^Sue Wilson, The Scotsman, 5 Star Review, Edinburgh, 1998
^Sullivan, Christine; Roleff, Monika (6 August 2020). A Singers Companion: Personal Wisdom from the Global Music Industry. Amazon KDP Publishing Worldwide. pp. 262–264. ISBN9781671045958.