Rising Music Star Natalie Hamilton On "The 5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First Became An Artist"

As  part of our series about “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First Became An Artist” I had the pleasure of interviewing Natalie Hamilton.

Natalie Hamilton is a singer, composer and multi-instrumentalist that has been praised as “Evocative” with a “Stunning Voice” by Ink 19 Magazine and “Marvelous, Feminine and Tough” by music journalist Thom Jurek (Rolling Stone, SPIN magazine)

"Natalie Hamilton is a beautifully talented singer/songwriter whose music blurs the lines between various genres. On one hand, Hamilton’s sound reminds me of the sophistication of smooth jazz. On the other, she embraces the timeless intimacy of folk music. Recently, Hamilton set out to release a brand new studio effort titled The Birds, They Taught Me. This evocative EP features three songs, and each track is a powerful testament to her stunning voice and ability to be quite versatile as a singer.

The release opens with one of the catchiest songs, “On The Radio.” This track has a larger-than-life sound which makes me think of iconic artists such as Ani DiFranco or even Fleetwood Mac, only to mention a few. This song is a perfect introduction to the EP, and it really sets the bar higher in terms of intimacy, giving the audience a deeper insight into Hamilton’s creativity and talent."  read more 

“I have listened to all of (Natalie Hamilton's) available music. I do not say this very often, but I was deeply moved by what I heard. 

The songs themselves were direct, seemingly written and sung without artifice. 

(She) could have simply sung them with a ukulele with that glorious voice, and hit anyone who heard them in the gut. 

That said, when paired with such high production values, the entirety of it is a sensual and spiritual encounter as well as poetic experience - one that is immediate, and, as the late poet Ted Berrigan once wrote:

 “Marvelous, feminine, and tough.” 

This is not so strange a pairing I think; one looks at the statue of The Ecstasy of St. Teresa by Bernini, and sees that the spiritual can indeed be sensual and the two combine in something almost beyond language itself to convey something more. 

In the grain of (Natalie Hamilton's) voice I can hear it. 

In any case, I’m digressing. I simply wonder where the hell she's been as a songwriter and why she hadn’t crossed my radar before? "

Thom Jurek - Staff/Contributing Writer -- ROLLING STONE -- SPIN -- AMERICAN SONGWRITER --  ALL MUSIC GUIDE.  

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How would you describe your music to anyone who may have never heard it?  

Natalie: Soulful storytelling, sung sweetly like a siren.

What are your musical influences?  N: Jazz, broadway, folk, pop, R&B, classical... Very broad.   

What are your musical inspirations?  

N: To be truthful.

If given the chance, what musician would you like to collaborate with? Rather this is to either write a song or be featured on a track. 

 N: Taylor Swift.

What’s your brand new single about?  

N: The song "Show You My Love" is about gaining the bravery to show love in a world where it is often shunned or might be rejected... finding the right time, the right place.

What’s something you hope people take away from "Show You My Love?" 

 N: I hope people take love away from it... and make more love!

Which songs on the new album were the most fun to write and which were the most challenging to write? 

N: Well, since the album is called Songs For Sorrow, I'm sure you can imagine that none of the songs are particularly "fun." They were cathartic to write and challenging to record. But the song "Oh, Emmanuel" was a bit of fun to record, searching for the best guitar solo, and the lyrics are a bit tongue-in-cheek.

Do you have any favourite tracks off of Songs For Sorrow?  

N: "Mountain Man is a "favourite of mine, and I love to perform it live as well. I also love "Balm In Gilead."

What are the new album's songs about? 

N: Songs For Sorrow has twelve songs exploring love, loss, and redemption.

“Emotional, deep and very beautiful song. Blissful vocal, melancholic but at the same time full of hope. Music in the background feels almost cinematic, with lush piano theme, wonderful strings and smooth groove. This song could easily be the next James Bond theme.” - Nagamag.com

As part of our interview series with leaders, stars, and rising stars in the music industry, we had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Natalie Hamilton.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive in, our readers would love to learn a bit about your “origin story”. Can you tell us the story of how you grew up?

I grew up in middle class, suburban America in an Italian-American family. I would describe my childhood as rather lonely and frightening, an unhappy home — but I also had many wonderful times, good friends, a deep connection with nature and the woods outside my home, and of course, a profound love of music. I’d say my connection with nature and music were the true saving graces of my childhood.

Can you share a story with us about what brought you to this specific career path?

I actually decided this when I was a young child, that I would be a professional singer. Although I had no idea what “professional singer” truly meant at 4 years old, and I didn’t know the mysteries of how songs were written yet, or that I would someday write them. But I knew I wanted to sing. 

 As a public figure, how do you think being hailed as a role model impacts on others and what pressure does it put on you?

N: I can’t help how anyone perceives me, but I can do my best to live up to my own moral and ethical standards, knowing, inevitably, that sometimes I’ll hit my mark, and sometimes I’ll miss my mark. But as long as I’m aiming in the right direction, in the direction of goodness, then I’m doing alright.

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“Natalie Hamilton is able to say more with humming than most singers can say with words. She possesses an innate ability to create a mood. “Reminiscent of a young Barbra Streisand.” ”

“Sandy Cooperman -- The Charlotte Sun”

“I love Natalie's narrative lyrical style, like Joni Mitchell's 'The Hissing of Summer Lawns'...”

“Derek Sivers - Founder of CdBaby.com”