Prominent Utrechters talking about their favourite spot in the city. This month: singer Julie Huard tells us about Catch art store in Domstraat.
So… Catch art store?
‘I come here a lot, mainly because of the fabulous collection of vintage film posters from the 1950s and 60s. My house is full of them. I love the colours they use and the typography, and I’m a big film fan too. But lately, I’ve been going to Catch for inspiration for my work. I’ve been asked to perform my new musical show Let’s go Hollywood in the Amsterdam film theatre Tuschinski. On 16 September, my orchestra and I will be breathing new life into some of the classics from musical films, as well as celebrating what would have been Marilyn Monroe’s 100th birthday.’
Biggest let-down?
‘I’m an artist and I’m half French, so I come to life in the evenings. I really enjoy going for a bite to eat and a bottle of wine after a show. But there are no restaurants in Utrecht that let you in after 9 o’clock. I grew up partly in the Mediterranean culture on the Côte d’Azur, where you can easily find a table after 10 o’clock. I really miss that here.’
Best memory?
‘Without doubt, the first time I ever performed. I was nine years old and joined my father (the French singer Fernand Huard) on stage to sing a song in the Stadsschouwburg in Utrecht, the city where I was born. That huge stage, the lights shining in my face, the packed audience who I could almost hear breathing… To me, it was magical setting. That duet with my father had an enormous impact, and left me with a hunger for more. Becoming a singer has always been my biggest dream.’
Guilty pleasure?
‘The Union Latin club on Biltstraat serve delicious, affordable cocktails. The amaretto-sour is my favourite; a creamy cocktail that’s more of a winter drink, but I don’t care. I like watching people dance there too. My song Danse, danse, danse is a popular request in Latin clubs all around the world, and even got to number 1 in the German Latin hit list. A lot of the visitors in Union now know that I’m the singer of that song. So when I see people having fun and really letting go, I know that my mission (to entertain with my music) has been accomplished.’
Recently discovered?
‘Last year, I spent three months working in Chalice, one of the most iconic music studios in Hollywood. The walls are covered in platinum records awarded to legends like Whitney Houston and Lady Gaga. This is where the biggest stars in the industry record their music. I ended up there thanks to the American music management of Joseph Charles, who also worked with Madonna. They apparently follow my YouTube channel, and approached me online to make an album. I didn’t respond at first as I thought it was just spam. But three weeks after a video meeting, I was on a plane heading for Hollywood.’
Moved to tears?
‘While I was in the Chalice studio, a team of American songwriters helped me to write new songs for my album, which will be released this autumn. It was an overwhelming experience. The standard is so high, and everyone works so hard. Twelve-hour days are the norm, so you have new songs in next to no time. The album features pop songs with retro influences. One of them was inspired by The Bare Necessities from The Jungle Book by Disney, a film I loved as a child. The positivity appeals to me. I sometimes miss that in today’s music; there are so many songs about feeling bad and being vulnerable. I’m aiming for the opposite: something that lifts the spirits. Making the world unhappier isn’t going to help, is it?’
Lees in het Nederlands
Over dit artikel
text:
Sarah-Mie Luyckx
images:
Juri Hiensch
Publication date:
10 September 2026
Magazine edition:
UITagenda Utrecht september 2026
