Natalie Lauren
Finally some dope r&b music !! I was looking for a great r&b song and Natalie Lauren’s new single is exactly what I was looking for. She is such a talented artist/songwriter and I’m proud to feature her on my blog for the release of “Swoonin”. It’s a feel good song about falling in love and exploring this new space of love and intimacy. Congrats Natalie on this new song, and thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. I LOVE what you do !!
“Swoonin” is out now everywhere :)
Photo credit: Ann Kero
Introduce yourself - what's your story?
I'm a small town country girl who grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma, home of Black Wallstreet and after 13 years in Atlanta as a songwriter, I'm back in my childhood home creating space for my family and friends to explore healing and practice presence. I feel like an art therapist. My work is rooted in creative healing, I’ve experienced a lot of loss in my life as a result of things like cancer and suicide, to name a few. I believe my life provides artistic resources for navigating hardship, holding joy and discovering your truest self.
What did you grow up listening to?
I grew up listening to Anita Baker, Norah Jones, Brandy, Kim Burrell , Lil Kim, and TLC.
When did you start writing songs? What made you want to write in the first place?
I wrote my first song at 11, called “Love 24/7”, in the back of my mom's station wagon. I only remember because my friend at the time reminds me of it every now and then. The song was lowkey inappropriate haha. I've always heard music in my head since I can remember, soundscapes come from everything in life and stick without my permission. My friend Frannie’s brother had a rap group and they'd practice in the basement and sometimes leave the mic connected to the boom box. When they did we'd record ourselves freestyling over Ginuwine “Pony” instrumental. Damn, I just wrote the word ‘boom box.’
At what point did you realize music was more than just a hobby?
I got a call from a music exec and was flown to Europe to ghost write for Iggy Azalea and the night after, I wrote “Work”, one of her first singles. The exec came to Wales and put a contract on the table and I knew then it was more than just having fun and loving music.
Who was the first person to ever believe in you?
My brother Brian was, we’d freestyle in his truck everyday over instrumentals for hours. He always said to me, ‘you can do anything you want to do.’
What biggest lessons have you learned since the beginning of your career?
Being myself is my superpower and no work or artist is worth me compromising my core values or abandoning my identity for success.
"Swoonin'" is your new single - what's the story/inspiration behind this single?
I fell in love with the most wonderful human I have ever met. When I was with her, these ordinary days and gestures felt like small wonders in my life. So while we were dating she suggested moving to Italy for a month for vacation and I said “Yes, let's do it..” “Swoonin’” is saying yes to the moment without negotiation with fear. So we traveled to Italy for 36 days, eating our hearts out, falling in love and exploring this new space of love and intimacy. Swoonin.
Could you describe the songwriting/production process for this single? Who helped you create it?
So I rented an Airbnb in Atlanta where my writing partner and friend WJ Lofton lives. We pulled up this track from Hyperviolet and I layed down some melodies over it. Then we started telling the story of this journey between two people. WJ is a poet so he's perfect to write with. We exchanged lines and vibes and then called my producer and best friend Swoope to co-produce and bring the track across the finish line.
What made you want to release "Swoonin'" as a single?
I love the way the record makes me feel inside. It’s a sonic memory. I love the innocence of being open to love again as a grown ass woman. It takes a lot for us to open ourselves up after hurt or even bad experiences. “Swoonin’” as a single feels like me giving myself and maybe other permission to crush and see what's on the other side..
What can you tell us about the artwork?
So I painted this piece digitally. I visited the Sistine Chapel in Rome and the artwork is me sitting in arguably one of the greatest art spaces in the world, yet fully consumed by this photo in my hand. The artwork is a visual display of the moment where not even art and wonder compare to those first moments of loving someone.
As an artist, what is the hardest part? And what is the best part?
Sometimes creating is the hardest part because for me, creativity is a method of healing and processing. So sometimes simply extracting the feelings and emotions is hard and taxing. The best part is that being an artist has given me access to heal myself through my work and hopefully extend some form of healing to others.
What are your thoughts on today's music industry? If you could change one thing, what would it be?
Today’s industry is more artist friendly because the middle ( label ) does not control access to the consumer as much as it once did. Platforms like TikTok are really empowering creatives to monetize and sustain their own careers. I love the new sounds and approach to music that is being introduced to the world. The industry is literally evolving as we speak.
What advice would you give to artists out there?
Be consistent and believe in yourself enough to invest in nurturing you and your craft. Love the process just as much as the product.
Besides music, what are you passionate about?
I freaking love art and all things plants and horticulture. I'm gonna open a fire ass plant shop one day.
In your opinion, what would make the world a better place?
If humans paused long enough to see and be reminded that we are all healing in some way, I think empathy would replace judgment and hopefully inspire love.
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