Natalie Claro
Natalie Claro is a rock star – the artist’s combination of powerful vocals and songwriting chops provide a body of work that does not fail to disappoint. Her songs, spanning from the philosophical to the political to the emotional, have earned her millions of streams along with critical acclaim. The Nashville-based artist does it all, singing, writing, and producing much of her music. Claro made her debut in 2017 with her album Disconnect and her singles “Somebody to Love” and an acoustic version of “To Die Only Once.” This was only the beginning for the artist, who has since released an EP along with her latest song, “Snow.” “Snow is about mistakes we make while young or vulnerable, sometimes we’re toxic to ourselves and others without realizing it,” she said. “I spent most of my life surrounding myself with the wrong people because I didn’t know what to look for.” We recently spoke to the rising star about how she developed the unique edge to her music, what she enjoys most about performing live, and more!
Hey Natalie! Thanks for speaking with us – tell us a little bit about yourself! How did you get started making music?
I've always been drawn to music my whole life, but I didn't start writing any legitimate songs until I was about 13 years old, which is when I wrote Shower of Roses and later released it when I was 17. After that, I started picking up production and am currently strengthening those trusty mixing and mastering skills.
We love the edge to your music. How did you develop that?
That's a great question... I don't really know if I'm being honest. I was a pretty angsty teenager and still find myself with somewhat uh, ~melodramatic~ attributes, (I cry over the dumbest things) so I try my hardest to channel that into my work instead of my life. Other than that I've always gravitated to more powerful and theatrical music over ones lacking dynamics, so that's where I ended up with my art.
With that said, who would you say are your Top 3 musical influences?
My biggest influences change depending on the mood but as of now, I'd say Lady Gaga, Hozier.... and Led Zeppelin?... Frank Ocean?... I can't pick 3 sorry.
Photo Credit: Annie Noelker
Has the Nashville music scene affected your style at all? How so?
Honestly, it has so much and in strange ways. I love the music scene here but I don't feel as expressive as when I lived in NYC or Tampa. I'm slowly regaining myself after noticing I was dimming a bit. I'm really excited for shows to return here, though!
Let’s talk about the music now. The new single is phenomenal! Walk us through the inspiration behind “Snow.”
I wrote the entirety of Snow at a Ray Lamontagne concert my friend Jacob brought me to. I randomly felt inspired and typed out a bunch of concepts and verses as quickly as I could so I wouldn't tune out the show. When I got home I had to find a way to make them rhyme correctly and work with music, which is why it's mostly a stream of consciousness instead of a repeated structure. I was obsessed with the Heathers Musical during that month for some reason so I think that's where the theatrical vocals and piano aspects come from. I also was trying to aim for more of an Elton John direction... Also felt very inspired by the syncopated drums in Hozier's "Wasteland, Baby!" It's just kind of a conglomeration of all these sounds I guess.
What made this release different from the others?
I've never released a single that I don't plan on including in an album up until Snow. It felt fine on its own. Doesn't need anybody to back it up or anything.
And what do you want fans to take from this latest track?
Snow is about mistakes we make while young or vulnerable, sometimes we’re toxic to ourselves and others without realizing it. I spent most of my life surrounding myself with the wrong people because I didn’t know what to look for. Going into the cold without the proper clothing and materials can leave you frozen to death, wasting what could have been amazing. The song starts with a lot of self-pity and ends with lyrics filled with apology and forgiveness. Life is a beautiful thing, we can dedicate ourselves to strength and preparation for all blizzards. We can face ourselves and our flaws, make an angel in the snow.
You absolutely kill it with your live performances – we recently saw the concert you did for HelloooTV! What do you enjoy most about performing live?
You can do everything that would socially unacceptable in, like, virtually any other public setting. You can scream, crowd surf, throw yourself around, sing like no ones watching but in a room instead of the shower. It's an outlet to go mental.
How tough was it for you when everything shut down last year? How did you deal with that?
I actually lost my mind. Thankfully I didn't shave my head or anything, but from February until June 2020 I did not leave the house or see a single human being other than my parents. I think the fears of society never returning to normal and being so isolated was too much for me to handle and I was still learning how to recover months after that. I wrote a lot of music during this time though, so that's a good thing.
via Natalie Claro Instagram
Where do you typically find inspiration when it comes to your music?
I think it finds me, I usually stumble across something and think it's so cool that it refuses to leave my mind. It can be anything from movie quotes to something I see on a bottle cap.
What are some things that you like to do outside of the studio?
I really like cooking and longboarding. I do graphic art but I don't talk about it much, that's about it. I only like music for the most part. I'm pretty boring.
Which is the best piece of advice that you’ve ever received?
"A bird sitting on a tree is never afraid of the branch breaking, because its trust is not on the branch but on its own wings." - Charlie Wardle
Sometimes I freak out over things I can't control instead of trusting and being confident in the things I can control. Idk, I think this quote can be useful for a lot of people.
What’s 2021 look like for Natalie Claro?
New music and new music videos!! And new hair! I'm currently answering these in a salon chair.
When Natalie Claro makes it to LA, _________________.
(She'll miss NYC so much and eventually move back.)
But in the meantime infinite shows, a lot of music video content, live sessions, and songwriting sessions to work with other artists. I'll probably spend a consequential amount of money on Boba Tea or something. I'm just excited to see what doors open from the friends I'll be reunited with, a lot of people I know have made the big jump over there, and a lot of bands from past tours I've done are hanging out on the west coast. A lot is in the making <3