Natalie
Williams is a singer/songwriter who blends vocal jazz, soul and hip-hop.
Natalie is about to release her widely anticipated 3rd album ‘Secret Garden’.
It was written and produced with ‘Mercury Music Prize’ nominated producer, the
amazing Drew Horley. She has played at the 2003 London Jazz Festival for J’Noir,
supported US R&B Grammy nominated artist Joe on his 2004 national tour,
supported Roachford at the Jazz Café, and The Hippodrome. She also features
regularly at all the ‘insiders’ live soul nights including Michelle Escoffery’s
‘Kindred Spirit’, Patrick Alan’s ‘Music Box’ and her own monthly event ‘Soul
Family Sundays’ alongside Terri Walker, Amy Winehouse and Estelle.
Internationally, she has toured Europe, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Nepal. Natalie has
already released two albums ‘Lucky Old Sun’ and ‘Yours Truly’. The new track is
‘The Way We Like It' featuring TY, and yeah, we like it!Do you feel that studying music formally is important to an artist?
I don’t think it’s important, but it sure helps and saves time in certain cases. In situations where musicians don’t read music they really need to have fantastic ears, otherwise learning music can take twice as long. I don’t think a formal music education helps develop artists it really just provides you with the tools, so you can learn your instrument. Day to day and life experiences and listening to records is what makes and forms an artist.
How did your love and knowledge of jazz blossom?
I grew up listening to Jazz because my father is what you’d describe as a bit of a jazz fanatic and purist. Miles Davis, Coltrane, Cannonball, Thelonious Monk, Louis Armstrong were the records I heard day in day out. Although I wouldn’t say I loved it at first, the music really started growing on me and eventually I started buying my own records in that style to add to the already enormous collection.
Would you ever consider performing more pop orientated songs?
Define ‘pop’ for me!!!! It seems like Joss Stone, Corrine Bailey Rae, Jamie Cullum, Amy Winehouse and other artists in that genre are marketed as pop artists, although they don’t necessarily sing songs like Emma Bunton or Simon Webbe. To be honest I’ll perform anything if I think the song and production is good and interesting. I think Christina Aguilera has had some amazing songs, so good pop is good and shit pop is shit.
Who would you like to work with if you had the chance?
Stevie Wonder, The Neptunes, Ceelo, Quincy Jones, Timbaland, Bobby McFerrin, Pino Palladino, Bjork, D’Angelo
Why is being signed to a label an advantage?
Basically, unless you’re super organised to release your music yourself and have enough budget and contacts to get press and other things sorted, then it’s probably best to have a label to do everything for you, so you can concentrate on the music, performing and whatever you need to do as an artist. It can be done nowadays, with the help of Myspace and other online services that work in direct relationship with the artist, but if you can have help from a label who share the vision and can share the load that’s always the way to go.
What don’t you like about the music industry?
Most things to be honest. It’s a very fickle industry, there’s too much shmoozing with people that don’t actually like, know, or care about music. As soon as people are in it for the money, the music and musicians suffer because we as artists become a product and the backing musicians are just the minions serving the big shots in record companies. Too many fantastic artists have been dropped or overlooked for horrible reasons like: too fat, too thin, too tall, too short, too black, too white… too musical? What’s that all about? Whatever happened to listening with your ears and not with your eyes?
Couldn’t agree more, well said. Will Secret Garden be up for major release in the future?
I hope so. We’ll see what happens with it on a small scale release. I’m hoping the album is strong enough to make waves. Especially in places like Japan, Germany and the rest of Europe. Major support would be Brill-o-pad!
Don’t worry, we got you girl. Are you hoping to hit the charts?
Hell yeah… who doesn’t write music, thinking how cool it would be to have a top ten hit? I don’t go out writing with that in mind though because that never works. I’m a big fan of Gnarls Barkley for having achieved just that. Fantastic song, still very cool and they just managed hit a nerve.
What would you like to achieve as a solo female artist in the UK?
What all artists want to achieve, I’m sure. I want my music to be heard, loved, records sold and to tour the world with sell out gigs. Artists thrive on that kind of attention because we’re all show offs, really. That’s why we became performers in the first place. However, I do it because I love music with a passion and want to share my love for it with the world. When I come home late after a gig or night out I often hang out with my band or muso friends listening to music in my lounge really getting off on it and getting excited about playing my newest discovery to people. How cool would it be to have other people do the same with my records?
Where can we see you perform live in the up coming months?
I have a lot on at the moment and apart from doing my own band I have joined Bugz in the Attic as a singer for their tour. There’s a big old list of festivals, venues around the country and London gigs on www.myspace.com/natwilliams or www.nataliewilliams.net so check them out!
By Rashmi Shastri - May 2006