Born in Atlanta, Natalie Saint-Martin grew up in Los Angeles writing poems that expressed her emotions frantically. In her early years, she realized we all share the same experience of believing in ourselves while experiencing self-doubt that steals our joy. A passionate and energetic performer, she sprinkles her songs with sounds and gestures that help enhance the lyrics, lyrics that can sound like fantasy one moment and feel like hard reality the next. Throughout her music, Natalie hopes to convey a message that inspires you to keep working towards the dreams that keep you awake at night. Known for her fascination with strange things, she is inspired by life and curious about everything weird.
Natalie’s love of writing music stems from the shared experience of self-doubt that we all face as we grow older. She understands the struggle of believing in oneself amidst the constant barrage of uncertainty that we encounter in our lives. This realization has compelled her to express her thoughts and emotions through the power of music. Her curiosity for “all things weird” serves as her muse, driving her to create music that is unconventional and intriguing. She finds inspiration in the strangest of places and encounters, often drawing from her interactions with strangers. These encounters provide her with a perspective on life and fuel her creativity. If you happened to have been one of the lucky strangers with whom Natalie crossed paths, you may have experienced firsthand the profound impact her music can have on a person.
She is now sharing the specifics about her recently released single “Heart Stop,” the creative process behind the song, and everything in between. Join us today and get to know Natalie intimately. You won’t be disappointed!
How was growing up in Atlanta? Did your parents play a role in your musical career?
I loved growing up in Atlanta as a child. I was surrounded by nature and basically grew up outside riding my bike with 5 boys who lived next door to me. We lived at the end of a cul-de-sac and being an only child, this was the closest thing I ever felt to having siblings while growing up. During the summer we would hang out by the creek or beg our parents to go camping by the lake. Anytime we were together we’d mostly listen to rock because that’s what our parents were always listening to. The most frequent bands in rotation were probably Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, AC/DC, Led Zepplin, Journey, and Nirvana… My mom loved The Beatles and my dad loved Skid Row. I think that gave me a well-rounded idea of how much freedom there is within music from a really young age.
Who/what are your musical inspirations?
I love songwriting more than anything in the world. I love storytelling. Whenever I’m listening to a song I’ve never heard before, I think my ears can’t help but pay most attention to the story lyrically before paying attention to the story being told through the production and sound design. I love Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, John Prine, Regina Spektre, Nirvana, Phoebe Bridgers, Mac Miller, The Strokes, Lana Del Rey, and Amy Winehouse just to name a few. All of these artists remind me every day that making music means creating something that is true to yourself, and if you’re lucky a stranger will recognize that it’s true to them because it was always true to you.
As a woman working in music, what experiences have you had?
I moved to LA when I was 11 years old. I was being homeschooled, had no friends, and was sharing a bed with my mom in a tiny, over-priced, apartment. The apartment had an old piano in it and being I didn’t have much of a social life I took a liking to it. I only played by ear, I had learned basic chords around 6 or 7 years old but never continued with lessons or anything. I started writing poems and putting chords behind them, beginning with lyrics, and then following with composition. I feel really lucky to have had opportunities to create with such talented people over the years who love trusting in the unknown. However, when it comes to pushing music into the world of managers and labels, presenting songs that aren’t traditional or formulaic hasn’t been easy. But music that isn’t traditional or hasn’t been heard before isn’t a bad thing, it’s just something people aren’t used to hearing. I’ve found you will always need to leave a little room for patience with yourself when vouching for art you truly believe in.
“Heart Stop”, your latest single released very recently, is a total banger. We’d like to know more about it.
Heart Stop was written about young love and truly asking yourself why you want someone… Is it because you’re settling into a place of complacent comfort or because you want to step out of your comfort zone for the better? Falling in love is the one experience every person hopes to feel at some point in their life. Sometimes it happens as a teenager or as an adult, but the rushes of emotions are always made of butterflies and anticipation regardless of age. We go through life in search of finding out who we are meant to be, almost as much as we are in search of finding the person we hope we are meant to be with. Heart Stop was written as a reminder to keep asking yourself and the person you love… Do you want what’s easy or want to feel your Heart Stop?
You worked closely with David Holman and John Greenham. What was it like working with them?
I met David when I was 18 and the first time we met, he asked me to play a few of my songs unplugged at the piano in his studio. He listened, laughed, and took a liking to the stories I told at the piano and stories I told as a young person aspiring to be a musician. After that day we have been working together every week since. He has become one of my best friends and one of my biggest mentors over the years. John and I met when I was 17 or 18 through Dayyon Alexander, one of the first producers I ever worked with and who recorded/produced my debut EP “Wish You Well”. When John mastered that EP, it felt like it was the first time I had ever heard the songs since having first written them. That feeling is so rare and so hard to articulate, it’s almost indescribable. When you hear your songs hundreds of times, sometimes you get lost in the production and lose sight of the magic feeling you experienced when first writing the idea. But John injects magic and sonic diversity into anything he touches. One of my favorite parts of finishing my songs is getting to hear them for the first time again after John is finished mastering them. I marvel at the work both John and David have done over the years and feel incredibly lucky to work with them.
Are you already working on your next project? If so, can you give us any details?
My next single “None of Your Business” is coming soon. It is by far my favorite song I have ever recorded and produced with David. It feels so authentic to who I am and I know there are so many people that relate to the message in this song. I don’t think there is a doubt in anyone’s mind that LA is the city of dreams, but LA has this undeniable, pressurized way of reminding you and making you feel that it’s irrational to shoot for the stars. It is bizarre and even embarrassing to chase your wildest dreams. But to put it short, I wrote this song because… it’s none of their business.
Do you have any upcoming live performances?
I will be playing a show with a full band for the first time ever, sometime at the end of April! I am so excited, SO excited, as I have been playing live shows with my piano, my ukulele, and myself for the past few years. I can’t wait to announce the show date, it’ll be on my Spotify Announcements and BandCamp as soon as it is booked.
Is there anything else you would like to add? Maybe something special for your fans
Making music is my favorite thing in the world, and playing shows is my second favorite. I have it in that order because, without the first, I can’t do the second. Thank you to everyone who has listened and supported me over the years, I can’t wait to keep creating and sharing with the world. Xoxoxo
Photo Credit: Anastasiia Tupikina
Hair & Makeup: Natasha Longmuir