For Jolie, life has never been devoid of music. Taught to play piano by her mom, Tracy Bailey, at a young age, the now twenty-one-year-old phenom has already made some big soundwaves on the streets of the Ancient City. Born and raised in Jacksonville, Jolie moved to St. Augustine after marrying her husband Sam a little over a year ago.
An introverted kid with humble beginnings, Jolie was catapulted to the apex of the local scene by her dedication and genetically-infused love of music. A lifelong (though less public musician) himself, Sam has sat in the passenger seat for Jolie’s metaphoric flight and has watched his wife’s future unfold. “Watching from the sidelines of her first few St. Augustine performances just before Nights of Lights last year, I saw audiences grow from ten or twenty people to well over a hundred in merely minutes,” says Sam. “That is when I knew that we had something special and that these supporters were going to be a big driver for Jolie’s success.”
Sam’s premonition perhaps arrived much faster than anyone had predicted. Fresh on the heels of the artist’s introduction to the Ancient City spotlight, Jolie learned serendipitously that she had been nominated as a contender for Folio Weekly’s 2019 Best of St. Augustine awards. “I actually went to the website to vote for a friend when I saw my name,” she says. The nomination eventually led to Jolie being voted ‘Best Female Vocalist’. The award serves as a true testament of the soulful singer’s local impact.
Jolie attributes much of her success to the support she has received from her friends and family, and she looks optimistically to the future. “I never imagined that I could make a living doing what I love the most,” she says. “This journey is possible for anyone who is willing to put in the work.”
Much of Jolie’s passion and work ethic was instilled in her by her biggest lifelong cheerleader, her father Joe Crapo. “He is very entrepreneurial,” she says, “and has given me advice and emotional support every step of the way.”
Now a full time musician, Jolie’s inaugural release was a cover album. More recently, she released her first album of all original songs titled ‘I Can Only Be Me’ on November 13th, which was accompanied by a concert at The Parlor Room. With a library of songs she has written since the age of fourteen, the album consists of both old and newly-written tracks. “We had a big first year and my goal is to start branching out,” she says.
As for the city that has so warmly embraced her talents, Jolie says, “I love that every weekend there are new people in the audience as well as return guests who support my journey and push me to be a better artist.”
Learn more about Jolie by visiting www.officialjolie.com. Photography by Richard Dole.