Multi-award-winning indie-pop artist Natalie Shay sits down with About Insider for an exclusive interview about her new single “Do u relate?”, her journey from London to international stages, and how she hopes to inspire the next generation of female singer-songwriters.
HELLO NATALIE SHAY, WELCOME TO ABOUT INSIDER! FOR READERS WHO MIGHT JUST BE DISCOVERING YOU, COULD YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND SHARE HOW YOUR JOURNEY IN MUSIC FIRST BEGAN?
I’m from London. I started doing musical theatre and playing classical guitar aged 5 – I did this for many years until when I was 10 I saw Taylor swift playing guitar and singing at the same time and also songs she wrote when she was not much older than me and something clicked in my head. I started writing straight away – gigging original music age 13 at 14 I went to the Brit school and have been doing music ever since!
THIS PAST YEAR HAS BEEN FULL OF MILESTONES, FROM SUPPORTING SHANIA TWAIN AT BST HYDE PARK TO JOINING GAVIN DEGRAW ON TOUR. HOW HAVE THESE EXPERIENCES SHAPED YOU AS AN ARTIST AND PERFORMER?
They give you a level of confidence boost of course. Seeing the project you built and worked on and believed in for years finally getting to places I could only dream of getting. It feels really cool. I really make the most of every experience and be present in the moment. I think these moments constantly just make me more and more sure of who I am as an artist and feel stronger each time
YOU’VE PLAYED BOTH MASSIVE FESTIVALS LIKE LATITUDE AND ISLE OF WIGHT AND MORE INTIMATE GIGS. HOW DO YOU ADAPT YOUR ENERGY AND SETLIST DEPENDING ON THE STAGE YOU’RE ON?
I have sort of 2 sides of myself. My big pop stuff but also – me and acoustic guitar is how I’ve always been. And I do that still so much. They’re both Natalie shay but the two sides and I kinda pick and choose which show goes where and that helps with the difference in huge stage to tiny venue. Most songs exist in two versions but lots of my songs I only play at intimate gigs !!
MANY FANS DESCRIBE YOUR MUSIC AS RELATABLE AND EMPOWERING. WHAT INSPIRES YOUR SONGWRITING PROCESS, AND HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHICH PERSONAL STORIES TO SHARE THROUGH YOUR LYRICS?
I feel things so deeply and I have a lot of opportunity and inspiration to write, It means that most of the time, big deal things or people in my life get at least one song. songs to me, are my emotions in 3 – 3.5 minutes of catchy indie pop guitar Music.
YOU’VE MENTIONED WANTING TO INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION OF FEMALE SINGER-SONGWRITER-GUITARISTS. WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO YOUNG WOMEN PICKING UP THE GUITAR AND STARTING THEIR OWN CREATIVE JOURNEY?
Write what you know. Write from the heart and the head. Don’t start out trying to be like someone else. Start out being yourself and then as you go take inspiration from all the people that inspire you
TOURING ACROSS EUROPE FOR THE FIRST TIME MUST FEEL EXCITING AND CHALLENGING. WHAT’S BEEN THE MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT ON THE ROAD SO FAR, AND WHAT HAS SURPRISED YOU ABOUT CONNECTING WITH AUDIENCES ABROAD?
It’s been so amazing. The best time of my life. Interesting to see how different audiences behave at gigs! So cool to visit beautiful new places.
IN TODAY’S INDUSTRY, BUILDING A PERSONAL BRAND IS AS IMPORTANT AS MAKING MUSIC. HOW DO YOU BALANCE AUTHENTICITY WITH THE PROFESSIONAL SIDE OF BEING A MODERN MUSICIAN?
I try to have a good balance of my personal life on stories – sounds small but it’s something that keeps me sane and connected to myself haha. I try to be very honest in my lyrics, there’s a lot of personal stuff out there about me in my music, I guess writing in that way always sort of opens a ‘non shiny music self’ door and keeps it open!
IF YOU HAD TO GIVE OUR READERS ONE INSIDER LOOK INTO YOUR LIFE OFF-STAGE, WHAT’S SOMETHING ABOUT YOU THAT FANS MIGHT NOT KNOW BUT WOULD BE SURPRISED OR INSPIRED TO LEARN?
Im definitely a less polished less ‘normal’ person than I am when I’m doing music stuff. I think people often think I’m softer in real life than my music lets on or the way I perform. I’m working on trying to get the non stage / performer side of me out online too.
WITH YOUR BIGGEST HEADLINE SHOW ON THE HORIZON, WHAT CAN FANS LOOK FORWARD TO IN THE COMING YEAR, AND HOW DO YOU SEE YOUR MUSIC EVOLVING IN THIS NEXT CHAPTER?
More music. I’ve evolved as a human so I think my music has too. Excited to show everyone what I’ve been working on these days. And then play it live.
You can connect with Natalie Shay through Instagram @natalieshaymusic, Facebook @NatalieShayMusic, website natalieshay.co.uk, X @NatalieShay_, TikTok @natalieshay_
