(Photo Credit: Riley Taylor)
What is your name?
Natalie Alexander
What is you genre?
Country!
Give us a little bio about you.
I grew up in Northern California with my parents and twin brothers. We have two cocker spaniels named Gio and Niko. I’m in college right now in Los Angeles going to USC!
How long have you been doing music?
My family is extremely musical so I’ve been playing piano and singing since I was 8.
What made you go in to music?
My brothers actually have a band I was involved in managing. I had been working on my own music and finally decided I wanted to explore this side of the industry.
Are you a signed artist?
Not yet 😉
Your debut single ‘Cruel’ dropped, tell us more about the backstory behind this song!
Cruel is a song about stopping the cycle of hurting other people like you’ve been hurt in past relationships. In the song I say “if hate’s a choice it ends with me.” I think it has a really uplifting melody and a meaningful message so that’s really what made me want to record it. I want to be relatable and I think this song tells a story many of us know really well.
Your Self Titled EP also just came out, how has the response been?
Overwhelmingly positive. Between the charting and support from fans who continue to buy and stream my music, it’s been an amazing few months.
Describe each track in two words.
Cruel – empowering and honest
I Don’t Want to Catch My Breath – deep and romantic
Wanted – longing and accurate
What Love Feels Like – sweet and innocent
What was your first reaction like when you heard the EP completed?
Disbelief! I remember my producer sending me a Dropbox file with all 4 songs and I sat in my car and played it all the way through. It was an amazing feeling seeing how well everything came together. I have an amazing team!
Who did you show the EP to first?
My best friend Madelyn.
What is the message you are trying to tell?
My first and foremost goal as an artist is to be relatable. I want to write music that people can connect to and that says exactly how they’re feeling. In order to be genuine in doing that I have to write about what is true for me and do it in such a way that others can find meaning in it from their own lives.
What was the recording process like?
It was a huge learning experience for me. I had never been in a studio before so it was all new. My producer was great and made me feel so comfortable. I’m really proud of what we created.
Did you collaborate with anyone, if so who?
I’d really like to do an out of genre collaboration. Maybe something in the EDM space.
Would you be up for collaborating with any other artists or bands?
Absolutely! Music is so communal and that’s what I love about it.
What instruments do you play?
Piano and a little guitar.
Who are your influences?
Shania Twain, Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift.
Will you be doing any gigs or a tour soon?
I’m looking into performances right now. I’ll keep you posted!
How do you get inspiration to write songs?
A lot of the time a hook will come to me when I’m in the car driving. My voice memos are filled with little snippets of songs I’m working on. I record them into there so I don’t forget. I’ve written entire songs that way.
Where do you see yourself in 2-5 years?
Still making music!
When you’re not doing music, what do you do?
I love to cook and spend time with friends and family. I visit home as much as I can. We are a big baseball family so we usually go to games on weekends during the season. I’m in college right now so when I’m not at home lot of my time is spent in the library – not very glamorous!
If you could collaborate with one UK Artist who would it be?
Ellie Goulding
If you could collaborate with one USA Artist who would it be?
Brett Young
Where is your dream venue or festival to perform in USA?
The Opry in Nashville
What was the song you listened to most that influenced you to go more in to the music scene?
So Small by Carrie Underwood. It’s such a beautiful song and is so classic. Hillary Lindsey wrote that with Carrie, and she is one of my idols. She actually wrote two of the songs on my EP.
What’s the best advice you have ever been given?
Not to care what other people think!
What advice would you give to aspiring musicians?
Definitely passing along that same advice. Don’t keep yourself from pursing your dreams in fear of what others will think. The people that care about you will be supportive and anyone who isn’t wasn’t worth having around anyway. Just do you!
What quote or saying do you always stick by?
Forrest Gump is one of my favorite movies and he has that great quote “life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get.” I think that so true! Life takes such strange twists and turns and I just have to keep in mind that everything happens for a reason.
When you are at a gig, what are 5 things you cannot forget?
Tea for before, dark chocolate for after, room temp water bottles, shoes that still let me feel the floor, and my phone.
Do you have social media accounts so your fans can follow you?
Yes!
Instagram
Twitter
I also have a Facebook fan page – go check it out!
