Rocking the Family Bond: Julia & Dave Wojcik Turn Up the Volume

Rocking the Family Bond: Julia & Dave Wojcik Turn Up the Volume – by Jeff Moore.

In a world where father-daughter duos often bond over softball games or Sunday pancakes, 12-year-old Julia Wojcik and her dad Dave have taken a decidedly louder path—through the world of rock music.

Their recent collaboration, an earworm sort of tune with ‘80s-inspired guitar riffs, packed with confidence and positivity, is more than just a catchy tune. It’s the product of years of playful musical moments, shared influences, and a not-so-sentimental—but seriously fun—relationship built on sarcasm, riffs, and a healthy amount of creative bickering.

By their own admission, Julia and Dave don’t really have those deep Hallmark movie moments, but their bond is cemented through rocking out in the car and in basement jam sessions.

Dave, a veteran of the local bar band scene, has been playing guitar for 25 years. In the early days, he was calling up venues like Artie’s, Positively Fourth Street, and The Hudson Duster, among others, playing everything from punk to metal with his brother and friends. “Some places even invited us back,” he jokes. He never imagined he’d end up back on stage alongside his daughter.

Julia, for her part, is no stranger to the spotlight. A student at Peak Music Studios since she was seven, she’s already performed at the Cohoes Music Hall and the Palace Theatre. She lent her voice to a haunting reimagining of “O Come O Come Emmanuel” and later performed an ‘80s rock-style “Silent Night” with her dad—both recorded and produced by Peak.

So, how did the two end up co-writing an original song?

“It was an assignment from Jeff,” Julia explains, referencing Peak Music’s project-based approach. “I came home and said, ‘We have to write a song together.’ And he was just … in.” The two ran with it.

What started as a requirement quickly evolved into something more. Julia wanted to send a message: “It’s about not listening to what other people say about you. It only matters what you think about yourself,” she says. “It’s upbeat, cool, and inspiring.”

Dave, whose own musical influences include Ratt, Mötley Crüe, and Ted Nugent, admits he was surprised—pleasantly—by how strong Julia’s musical instincts were. “She’s a perfectionist. She knows exactly how she wants her vocals to sound. We clashed a little, but it pushed the song to be better.”

The writing process took place mostly in the family basement, where Julia would wander in while Dave was playing his guitar. During Covid, they used to make up songs and never finish them. Julia adds, “Now we actually did one for real.”

Recording the song at Peak Music Studios felt natural for both. “We’ve recorded here before, so we knew what to expect,” Julia says. “But it was different this time, seeing how the whole thing came together, from getting the drum track, adding guitars, and then laying the vocals on that.”

Dave agrees: “It was a true collaboration. We were equals in the studio—well, mostly,” he teases.

They performed their original piece for the first time at River Fest in May, a family-friendly outdoor music festival in downtown Troy. For Dave, it was a bit of a full-circle moment. “Some of my friends and family have never seen me perform live. They got to see me and Julia together. That’s pretty cool.” “I got to share the stage with my dad,” Julia says. “And show everyone what we’d been working on. It was something I’ll always remember.”

The experience has also deepened their understanding of each other—though maybe not in a gushy, sentimental kind of way. “Turns out, he has really high standards,” Julia laughs. “It was a little hard sometimes because he thought I should be up to his level. But I’ve still got time to catch up.” Dave, meanwhile, discovered his daughter has an incredible ear for melody and a real gift for lyrics. “She’s a great songwriter. Better than I expected, honestly.”

As for the dynamic in their house? Equal parts musical harmony and good-natured teasing. “Some of the stuff she listens to is trashy and weird,” Dave says, referring to pop stars like Olivia Rodrigo and Taylor Swift. Julia fires back: “And some of his stuff is just plain weird.”

Despite their differences, they meet somewhere in the middle—usually around Def Leppard. Julia first got into rock on the way to preschool, singing along to her dad’s playlists. These days, her tastes range from Taylor Swift to Sabrina Carpenter and Gracie Abrams, but she still knows the words to “Round and Round” by Ratt.

When asked about their dream venue, they say in unison: “MVP Arena.” But for now, venues like the Egg, Cohoes Music Hall, and the Palace Theatre will do just fine.

And while there may not be a flood of sentimental tears this Father’s Day, there will be something better: two artists, generations apart, sharing a stage, a song, and a story that’s uniquely theirs.

“Pop rock and positive,” Julia says when asked to sum up the song in three words.

We couldn’t agree more.

 

 

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