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How I Reworked JULES!’ “Mediocre Paradise” into a Finished Pop Record

  • Jun 5, 2025
  • 3 min read

Updated: Jul 28

When JULES! brought me “Mediocre Paradise,” the song was already written and had an arrangement by Ricky Farguson. Julia believed strongly in the song, but she was not satisfied with how that arrangement translated her idea.


That was precisely why she continued working on it.


My job was to understand what she heard in the song, identify what the existing version was missing, and turn the material into a production she could confidently release. I reworked the track, developed its sound, recorded JULES!’ vocals, co-produced the final version, and completed the mix.


Rebuilding the Production Around the Song


“Mediocre Paradise” is about leaving a familiar environment to pursue a different life—and being judged by people who chose to stay.


The lyrics and melody already gave the song a clear identity. The production needed stronger development, more effective transitions, and a better relationship between the instrumental and JULES!’ vocal.


I kept the elements that served the song and rebuilt the parts that did not. This was not simply a technical mix or a matter of making the original arrangement louder and cleaner. It required creative production decisions that changed how the song moved, where it built tension, and how clearly its emotional shifts reached the listener.


Julia’s decision to keep developing the track showed how much she believed in it. The challenge was to create a finished recording that justified that belief.


Recording and Mixing the Vocal


The vocal moves between memory, frustration, sarcasm, and determination. It had to stay expressive rather than sound excessively polished.


During recording, we focused on capturing a performance that felt direct and personal. In the mix, I kept the vocal close to the listener while allowing the instrumental to grow around it.


The finished version finally reflected the song Julia had been trying to make: personal, ambitious, and unwilling to settle for a production that did not represent her.


Making the Video Ourselves JULES! “Mediocre Paradise”

The music video was an equally independent project. Julia and I shot and edited it ourselves—literally just the two of us.


We filmed on a farm and worked with the locations, equipment, and ideas available to us. The 1996 Mustang seen at the beginning of the video is my own car, which became part of the visual story. JULES! “Mediocre Paradise”


Julia led the concept and performance, while I worked with her behind the camera and during the editing process. The result was deliberately personal and unpolished in the right way. It did not need a large crew to communicate the song’s atmosphere.


“Mediocre Paradise” will be released through LOONY HOUSE MAJOR on June 6, 2025. It is also the beginning of a larger collaboration: Julia and I are already working on additional tracks that will explore other sides of her songwriting and personality.


This project is a good example of what a producer can bring to an existing song. Sometimes the idea is already strong and the artist knows exactly why it matters. The missing element is a production capable of making everyone else hear what the artist heard from the beginning.



“This video means everything to me. It’s about feeling out of place, wanting more, and going after your dream — even when no one understands. I made it with friends on a farm, purely DIY— if you’re chasing your dream too, I hope it inspires you.”


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