Julian Davis Reid
Julian Davis Reid
Artist-Theologian
Notes of Rest
Julian Davis Reid is a Chicago-based artist-theologian whose work invites people to rejoice, lament, and hope together. A graduate of Whitney M. Young High School, Yale University, and Emory University’s Candler School of Theology, Julian is a pianist, composer, producer, speaker, and writer. He is the founder of Notes of Rest®, a contemplative musical ministry that invites the weary to experience God’s transforming rest through Scripture and Black music.
Named to Emory University’s 2025 “40 Under 40,” Julian regularly releases and performs original music, including his forthcoming album, Mercy We Need. He also serves as Artistic Director for Testify!, a Christian Theological Seminary initiative strengthening Christian witness in Black churches through testimony, artistic expression, and digital storytelling. Julian lives in Chicago with his wife and daughter, where they attend Lawndale Community Church.