This weekend I got the opportunity to interview aspiring musician Natalie Hill from Orange County, CA. Natalie is a 20 year old singer/songwriter born in Siloam Springs, Arkansas. She is self taught on guitar and piano, and works a dayjob as a special education academic assistant. On her day to day you can find Natalie shopping at the thrift store for little trinkets or in a coffee shop listening to music and working on her computer. She also is an avid lover of nature and journaling outside when the weather is nice.
*****
When was the first time you can remember picking up an instrument or singing and realizing you could make a career out of your talent?
"That's a tricky one because it honestly depends, the first time that I can remember picking up an instrument or singing and being instantly inspired by it, is way different than when I thought 'Oh I wanna do this for the rest of my life'. Cause I was singing and dancing in choir, did musical theatre and a ton of stuff as I was growing up and I was surrounded by music my whole life like that was the whole thing. But as for when I realized this is what I want to do I would say it was my first semester on campus in 2021, before I dropped out I was in a terrible mental place I didn't like my major, I was an acting major. And I realized I was having such a hard time becuase I wasn't involved in music. I wasn't in choir, I didn't have that outlet. Cause {in highschool} it was always musical theatre, musical theatre, musical theatre like broadway or bust. I was passionate about that stuff, but when I commmited to a major that was primarily acting I didn't have that outlet to the one thing that was acutally driving me. So I started picking up guitar while I was at school, kind of writing and reteaching myself. And I think what really sealed the deal when I fell back inlove with music for myself is when I bought my first guitar which is a Luna acoustic guitar I think it's the safari mahogany model and I love it!"
What does your songwriting process look like? What inspires you to write a song?
"Honestly the process changes based on what pops into my head first because if I get a lyric then I want to push forward and pound through lyrics first and get my base layer, like heres the entire song now I just gotta figure out how to put music to it. Because it's not a poem anymore, but if I get a melody first which is rare, I will do both at the exact same time which makes it a little bit harder and then kind of cheapens out my lyrical side of things which is my strong suit. But it really helps if I can get it out all in one blow because if I stop there's a high likelihood I won't finish it. I'm definitely more of a lyrics girl than on the music side, as of being able to compose and write that kind of stuff I'm not very good at it. Most of the songs I've written were like instant 'I have this idea, this inspiration, I need to get it out right now'. So I literally pick up my guitar and do it or if I'm out I will open voice memos on my phone and sing into there, or write things in my notes app. So honestly it takes usually like 30 minutes to an hour. It sounds so easy and simple when I say it like that but it's so hard and it only ever happens when inspiration happens. Which leads into your second question what inspires me, that is like the hardest question for me to answer. It's kind of like the thesis of what I want my message to look like, like my spotify bio 'She writes music for herself and the inner artist in everyone, while letting others take what they need from her songs, interpreting them as they need to. She hopes to rally the message that inspiration can come from anywhere if it's product is important enough to you, it's important to someone else as well. Act on your impulses etc'. So basically it's that I write from the heart, whatever that means... in the moment. It's rare for me that I'm writing from personal experience, it's more from a specific feeling that I have in one moment. Then if I have an inspiratoin with that to write into a song, like a line or melody, it just kind of happens and that's what works for me. My inspiration can come from anywhere, a thought or feeling, and it's like I know exactly how I want to convey this."
Why do you make music?
"I think that I originally started making music because I needed it to survive, it was literally the way I was coping with so much in life. It was something that I felt so safe with, and comfortable with that picking it up and it being a passion of mine was so easy to jump into. But then that grew into a strong love, appreciation, and a passion for it cause I never stopped loving music or producing it. As for the why now, it's shifted from a necessity to me feeling more eager about it. An enjoyment that now I get to love it and revel in and put so much passion into it. Aside from the hurt, it's calming and therapuetic for me to write these songs and spill my guts practically. Like if you listen to any of my unreleased songs it's my whole soul that why I'm more excited to put these out now. Aside from Unexepected Muse there's so much of my heart in that song, but these are really about my core being and it can come from so many different sides of me but it all boils down to how my heart feels. That being said I write for others and for myself. After I finish a song it's like 'If I release this how is it going to affect other people', but thats not up to me. People get to form their own opinions and interpret it the way they want to. That's one thing I love so much about music, is you can interpret one thing in a billion different ways artistically."
Can you talk a little bit about your first song, Unexpected Muse? What do you want people to know about it?
"The fun thing is I have a specific date for when it was fully punched out, literally Christmas Eve, 2021. I was laying in bed at my grandparents house in Arizona, eyes bloodshot and wide open. Staring at the dark ceiling and I just got this thought in my head. It was midnight and I had to find one of my grandpa's old classical guitars it was so bad, so out of tune. I started kind of writing it a week before in the shower like doing a voice memo, you can hear the water in the backround. But yeah Christmas Eve, it all happened that night then over the next two weeks it shaped itself. You can make art about what you want to make art about it doesn't matter your initial inspiration, your initial muse and that's why I titled it that, it was truly unexpected. I was not intending to write this about everything it's written about and I wasn't expecting to put it out or see the reaction that it got from people. I wasn't expecting any of it, but isn't that the most exciting part about all of it? Even when I first got the idea I was like 'Oh this is a fun thing', then I started writing the lyrics and they flowed out. When that happens I know I'm doing something right and it was meant to expell out of me."
How many unreleased songs do you have?
"I have close to 20 songs done and finished. As for drafts and unfinished songs there's a billion. Go through my 700 notes and voice memos on my phone, like writing down one lyirc and saying 'Yes this is so good', but then I put it away and forget about. Like it would be so much easier if I could just go to a quiet room with my guitar and write for an hour rather than being in public randomly jotting things down. I don't know what release is going to look like at all, but they're done."
Who are some artists that serve as an influence to your songs?
"Musically I get alot of comparisons to Lizzy McAlpine's sound, but if I'm going more old school I'd definitely say Joni Mitchell, Emmy Lou Harris, just alot of those older folk acoustic artists. I try and think about Fleetfoxes, Lord Huron, Hozier that kind of stuff. As for lyrically there's alot of Phoebe Bridgers influence, as in writing and stream of consciousness. Talking about exactly how I feel whether it may not make sense to someone else, and I love that. So definitely just alot of folk arists, I could go through so many more."
Where would you like to see your music career in five years?
"I've been thinking about this recently, I mean I would love to be playing shows that would be so cool. The vibe of a show that I can envision is comfy, a smaller room filled with people, intimate, I would be sitting on a stool and maybe even keep my lyrics in front of me. I think of alot of artists who start that way, they were playing smaller rooms where it's more comfortable and now all the sudden they're playing giant venues. I can't even imagine myself playing right now, thats out of my mind. In a perfect world I could see myself opening for someone I love and appreciate."
What are the top three venues you would like to perform at?
"Easiest question I've had to answer. Troubadour, Greeke Theatre LA, and Red Rocks. They're some of the most iconic venues ever and Greeke Theatre just feels like home to me, I love that theatre. Griffith Park is where I grew up and I just love it so damn much. I love the feel of Troubadour, that room is ideal for my intimate show mindset. Red Rocks I mean that's tricky, with those ampitheatres it is much bigger and you have to put on more of a spectacle, a little bit more of a show, but the fact that they're outside I think I would feel the same type of comfortability as I would in a small room. It's this gorgeous view in the middle of like 6,000 people. That kind of feeling like your the only person in a crowded room."
Who are some artists that you would like to collaborate with further down the road? Whether it be opening for them at a show, or working on music together?
"I would love to open for Fleetfoxes, Novo Amor, Adam Melchor. I haven't written with people before but I would love to partner with anyone on my 'inspire me' playlist, god I mean Phoebe Bridgers is the obvious answer but I'm inlove with her. I appreciate her style, her mind and the way it works. Also Robin Pecknold from Fleetfoxes, just playing something together ya know."
*****
You can find Natalie's music on on all streaming platforms. If you would like to follow Natalie on her musical journey you can follow her instagram @nataliejustinehill. Thankyou for tuning into StarCatcher this week!
Word provided by @starcatcherphotos, Kota