
Amsterdam-based duo Sarah Julia have revealed details of their upcoming EP, Only Making It Worse, set for release on 9th May.
To mark the announcement, the duo have shared their new single, ‘Amsterdam’, available for streaming now.
‘Amsterdam’ explores the emotional conflict of wanting to move forward while someone you love remains unable to do the same. The sisters explain, “‘Amsterdam’ is about the guilt of moving forward while someone you love remains stuck, unable to do the same. It captures the loyalty we feel toward our mother, but also the inner conflict. The pull between the weight of responsibility and the desire to seek a fresh start in Amsterdam.”
In addition to the release of the EP, Sarah Julia will perform a headline show at London’s Hoxton Hall on 9th May, following their support dates with Paris Paloma in the US. Tickets for the London show are available now.

The Only Making It Worse EP is the first new body of work from Sarah Julia since their debut EP How Do We Go Back To Being Normal? last year. Produced by Catherine Marks at Eastcote Studios in London, the duo notes that this new collection of songs builds on their live performances.
“Recording our second EP was a whole different process compared to our debut,” they explain. “We had been playing these songs live for a while, and naturally, they started to evolve. When we went into the studio, Catherine already loved the demos, and together with her, we focused on enhancing what was already there, going back to our original intentions when we first wrote the songs.”
Sarah Julia’s music is characterized by their emotive storytelling and harmonies. Their songs, such as ‘Mount Fuji’, ‘Cairngorms’, and ‘Amsterdam’, blend folk and pop elements, with a focus on acoustic guitar and their signature harmonies. The duo draws inspiration from artists like Phoebe Bridgers, Joni Mitchell, and Adrianne Lenker, capturing themes of love, grief, and introspection in their songwriting.
Sarah Julia’s 2025 tour dates include performances in North America and Europe, with stops in cities like Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco. Their London headline show at Hoxton Hall is a key stop on the tour.
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- Amsterdam
- Catherine Marks
- Folk Pop
- Indie Folk
- London Hoxton Hall
- New EP
- Only Making It Worse
- Phoebe Bridgers
- Sarah Julia
- Sarah Julia Tour