When The Bachelor franchise announced a new spin off, The Bachelor Presents: Listen to Your Heart, fans everywhere squealed with excitement. Now that the show has finally aired, the excited squeals continue as fans get to know the current cast members. Among the most talked about cast members is Julia Rae. The 27-year-old already seems to be on the path to finding love, and fans are starting to get invested. Only time will tell how things pan out for Rae, but its safe to say that lots of people are already heavily invested. Keep reading for 10 things you didn’t know about Julia Rae.
1. She’s A Former Pageant Girl
Julia Rae often markets herself as a ‘girl next door’ and it’s those wholesome good looks that gave her a successful pageant career. In 2009, she was the first runner up in the Miss Pennsylvania’s Outstanding Teen. In 2015, Julia Rae won the Miss Philadelphia pageant
2. She Once Struggled With Speaking About Cystic Fibrosis
According to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, cystic fibrosis (CF) “is a progressive, genetic disease that causes persistent lung infections and limits the ability to breathe over time.” Julia Rae was diagnosed with the illness before she was born and had suffered with it throughout her life. Although she has gotten to the point where she can be very open about her illness, that wasn’t always the case. She didn’t feel comfortable speaking publicly about CF until she was 16-years-old.
3. She’s Performed Parades
For most singers, getting the chance to perform in front of a live audience is the ultimate goal. Luckily for Julia Rae, she has a lot of experience doing live performances. She performed at the Thanksgiving parade in Philadelphia for 8 years.
4. Her Dog’s Name Was Inspired By A Famous Book
Most people have an interesting name behind their pet’s name, but Julia Rae chose a name a bit more unique than most. Julia is the proud mom of a cute little rescue dog named Boo Radley. As you may have been able to guess, the name comes from the classic novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee.
5. She Started A Non Profit
Julia Rae is very dedicated to spreading awareness and information about cystic fibrosis. She started a non-profit organization called Singing at the Top of Your Lungs. Unfortunately, the organization’s website doesn’t seem to be active any longer. However, Singing at the Top of Your Lungs still has an active Instagram account.
6. Her Parents Are Her Heroes
Due to Julia Rae’s condition, she has formed an especially close bond with her parents throughout the years. Her parents spent a lot of time administering at home medical care to Julia during her childhood. In an interview, Julia referred to her parents as her heroes and expressed gratitude for the way they raised her.
7. She Moved To Los Angeles At 17
At just 17, Julia decided to move to Los Angeles to pursue a career in singing. About a month after being there, she suffered a collapsed lung. The recommended treatment options could have potentially caused Julia to lose her hearing – something that would have ruined her singing career. Fortunately, Julia made a full recovery and was eventually able to return to Los Angeles to continue to chase her dreams.
8. She’s Been Singing Since Before She Could Talk
Julia Rae has been singing for as long as she can remember. During in interview with Folks, she says that she started singing before she could even talk. One of Julia’s early inspirations was the show Barney, which consisted of singing and dancing.
9. She’s Walked The Red Carpet With Brooke Shields
Having a song get featured in a song or film is something that lots of artists never get to experience. However, Julia Rae has already checked this off her list of accomplishments. When she was just 17-years-old she recorded a song called “Be That Girl”. The song was featured in the movie The Greening of Whitney Brown which starred Brooke Shields. During events for the movie, Julia Rae got the chance to walk down the red carpet with Brooke.
10. Her Brother Also Has Cystic Fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disease and Julia isn’t the only person in her family who is living with the illness. Her older brother, Will, also has CF. The two have an incredibly close relationship and like to bond over their love of fitness. Will owns a gym in Ardmore, PA called Willpower Strength and Conditioning.
