Q: Your song Mulholland is a contemporary R&B love letter to Los Angeles. What was it like growing up in LA and how has this city shaped you as an artist?
NATALIE: Growing up in LA is certainly unique. Super fun though!! Obviously, as a kid, it didn’t occur to me that I lived in the entertainment capital of the world. I would just enjoy always having nice weather and going to the Santa Monica Pier for birthday parties or going to Lakers games with my family. But as I got older, I really began to appreciate that you just have this HUGE city with all these opportunities at your fingertips. You never know if the person you start chatting up at a coffee shop is an agent or a film producer or another musician! I started becoming exposed to all the creative energy that there is in the city, and it truly is magnetic. LA’s not for everyone, but if it’s for you, you just can’t picture yourself living somewhere else.
Q: Was there a pivotal moment in your life when you decided to follow your path as a musician?
NATALIE: Not really, I always knew I wanted to do music. As a toddler, I was constantly singing. And as I got older, I just kept singing! It was all I ever loved/wanted to do. I always knew I wanted to be a “singer” — only when I got to like, high school, did I translate that into wanting to become an artist.
Q: We love your soulful vocals on Mulholland! What did you enjoy most about making this track?
NATALIE: Thank you so much!! I think what I enjoyed most about making it was when I was in the studio writing/recording it with my producer, and having that realization that THIS was the kind of music I wanted to be making. It can be really tough as an aspiring artist to figure out your sound and what kind of music you want to make. But when I wrote “Mulholland”, I just felt it in my gut that this was a special song and that it truly embodied my artistry. That was awesome 🙂
Q: In your own words, how would you describe the music that you typically create?
NATALIE: You know, it’s funny because the three singles that I have out right now are pretty different. I would say overall, I make moody R&B with pop influences. Like, each song I have out right now has a VERY different vibe, but in a way, I think that’s a good thing! I want to make songs that capture different moments/feelings. For the future, I’m definitely planning to maintain this moodiness — probably also delving into some dark R&B, which I love.
Q: Who would you most like to collaborate with, if it could be anyone in the world?
NATALIE: H.E.R. H.E.R. H.E.R. I would actually bawl my eyes out if I could collab with H.E.R. Or Daniel Caesar!!! I’d also have to say Kehlani, Snoh Aalegra, Tone Stith, The Weeknd, Emotional Oranges… there are just so many. I’ve actually always wanted to duet with Miguel. His style is a bit different from mine but I’m just OBSESSED with his voice.
Q: Do you have any projects currently in the works?
NATALIE: I may or may not be working on an acoustic version of “Mulholland”… you’ll have to keep an eye out for that. I’ve got lots of music plans for 2021, so I’m super excited to show everyone what I’ve been working on!
Interviewed by Brynn Hinnant
