I sat down via Zoom with up-and-coming indie-pop artist Natalie Livingston live from her NYC apartment. Her record collection, filling part of the wall behind her, we discussed her newest release, “All The Best,” a dreamy pop ballad about knowing you did the right thing by ending a relationship but still struggling with the heartbreak, as well as her upcoming singles set to drop this summer. Dive in for her thoughts on the ’80s culture that inspires her music, astrological influences, her thoughts on Team Conrad vs. Team Jeremiah, and being authentic to yourself and your vision.
Natalie Livingston on Blending the Old with the New in “All The Best”
POETRY DANS LA RUE: Hi Natalie, first of all, congratulations on the release of your latest single “All The Best” just one week ago! This new era’s looks, sounds – even your hair! – It’s all very ’80s. I love it! Did you gain inspiration from listening to and watching ’80s music and movies first, or were you making music and realizing it already sounded like that, and you were like, “Wait, let me play into this more?”
Natalie Livingston: Hmm. That’s such a great question. I think it’s a good mixture of both things. When I was born, my mom was just starting her career; she works in tech, a woman in STEM, such a baddie! I would watch her get ready every single day, and I became obsessed with hair and makeup. At that point in time, you know, it was the big hair, dark lipstick. Everything was slightly over the top and theatrical, and I was very drawn to that from a young age.
PDLR: Yes! I watched the music video for “All The Best” – I loved the Dirty Dancing reference.
Natalie Livingston: Ahh, thank you! We got to the studio and we were like, “Wait, this is exactly like it is in the movie!” We were looking for studios with similar windows… it was cloudy all day, and then we got there, and the sun came out, and we were like, “This could not be more perfect”. That movie holds a special place in my heart. Growing up, both of my parents were obsessed with the ’80s… that was a golden period, their teenage years. The vibe was so free and fun. Music and art were kind of the way they escaped.
I grew up on a lot of hair bands, classic rock, and ’80s pop. My mom absolutely loved Madonna. I remember the summer before I left for college, one day my mom was talking about Dirty Dancing, and I realized I’d never seen it. That summer, close to every single night, we watched a new ’80s movie. And I became obsessed with the fashion, just the joy that is in those movies. There are, of course, the over-the-top ones, but also very authentic ones like St Elmo’s Fire. I always felt very drawn to that authenticity.
PDLR: That’s awesome. I grew up with Styx and REO Speedwagon with my dad. All the bands. What sparked this ’80s influence at this exact point in time with your music?
Natalie Livingston: I’m trying to think of where the ’80s came about. I think it was probably about three years ago. I had gone thrifting, and I found a bright sea foam green button down and was like, “I love this so much, but I don’t know how to wear this”. And then I realized I had so many of these clothes already. I also grew up dancing and performing. Growing up writing, I would think to myself, “Wow, this reminds me of a kind of stadium rock song,” and I would go back and listen to songs. And just be like, there’s no other way to make this.
PDLR: I think your press release said you’re a big Chappell Roan fan, right? I am, too.
Natalie Livingston: Oh, absolutely. Is there any other way to be?
PDLR: She’s got that very ’80s sound and look to her.
Natalie Livingston: Absolutely. Seeing other artists do it, I’m like, I love this. I think especially in the political climate we are at, the economic climate we’re at… people escape to those fun, celebratory types of eras.
PDLR: Yeah, recession pop.
Natalie Livingston: Recession pop, Y2K. That’s when Pluto was in Sagittarius – it was a very different time.
New Era: The Rise and Fall of A Love Story
PDLR: So that was the first single of others you’re doing in succession over the summer, correct?
Natalie Livingston: Correct. I have two more that are coming out this summer!
PDLR: Let’s talk about this new era you’re entering with the first single release and the rest to follow. What are you hoping people feel from this era?
Natalie Livingston: Authenticity and the connection that the ’80s embraces. Longing. That mix of ’70s great storytelling with synth, electronic, and glam elements transitioning into the ’80s. I always want to be viewed as a friend. I just want to speak to the human experience in general. Even if we haven’t experienced the same exact thing or situation, everyone has experienced heartbreak and joy. Just the ways that we find it are different.
PDLR: You said these upcoming singles are going to describe “the rise and fall of a love story.” In today’s world, where many songs are designed to “go viral” on TikTok, do you want people to come back to listening to a full project start to finish, as telling one story? It’s interesting, too, because the experience of listening to an album start to finish is very ’80s – think Kate Bush’s Hounds of Love, Prince’s Purple Rain, etc.
Natalie Livingston: Exactly. I am a sucker for a start-to-finish story [as proof, she points to her vinyl collection behind her in the living room]. While I was writing, I was listening to folklore by Taylor Swift, and thinking about that love triangle between Betty, James, and August, right? Every song on the album is told by a different character. And that made something click for me. Like in How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days and Ross and Rachel in Friends, those montage scenes. I hope these songs allude to that, something that plays in your mind like a reel.
PDLR: I love how you mention that the breakup in “All The Best” is a mutual decision – even if you’re doing the thing that you know is good for you, it doesn’t make it any easier.
Natalie Livingston: Any time you lose someone important to you… even if it was for the best, it doesn’t necessarily mean you are ready to move on. You can have moments of reflection where you think about where things got ugly, but you still wish them all the best.
Natalie Livingston Influences and Influencing The World
PDLR: What do you find most effective in advertising and pushing out your music? Do you find it’s more social media stuff, or more live shows, word of mouth, anything else outside of the box like that?
Natalie Livingston: Yeah, I feel like I have a pretty short answer, which is that I’m still figuring it out. I started writing music in the first place… it came out of a point of being like, I’m so tired of sitting around, waiting for an opportunity to come to me… I’m just going to do it myself. I grew up loving concerts – everything I’m doing is so that I can perform live. We do have social media as a great way to reach people…. I feel like authenticity goes way further than you think. But I love live music. That’s it. My absolute dream is to open for somebody on tour.
PDLR: Who are those people, like right now?
Natalie Livingston: Oh gosh. I feel like my ultimate dream, “if I ever got to open for this woman, my life would be made…” And that is Maisie Peters. She is another one who has inspired me from the beginning, with her raw and authentic nature. I’d love to open for Strawberry Launch, Rachel Bauchner, Suki Waterhouse…
PDLR: A lot of TV shows will put indie artists in their soundtracks.
Natalie Livingston: Yes, I was just thinking – “All The Best”… I want it to be on an episode of like Love Island! I was thinking about The Summer I Turned Pretty series… it would be perfect. Just all that coming-of-age stuff; it would be perfect.
PDLR: Wait… are you team Conrad or Jeremiah?
Natalie Livingston: [laughing] I’m team neither! I don’t like either of them. I feel like I’m team Belly be single… but if I had to choose, I would definitely be team Jeremiah, because dare I say, it’s a little controversial. However, Connie had all this time to do something. He’s too wishy washy.
PDLR: Well, the main problem is Belly, right?
Natalie Livingston: The main problem is her, I think. But that’s why I watch the show… because we’ve all been the problem.
PDLR: A lot of artists nowadays have to “do it all” – be their own songwriter, mixer, producer, film director, and social media manager. Have you experienced this? At what point do you reach out for other people to help, and how much are you doing on your own?
Natalie Livingston: Well, I see a lot of my songs as colors. As I was writing “All The Best”, I saw pink—the color of memories and nostalgia. My friend Shelby directed the music video after I’d thought of the initial ideas and concepts, and we chatted about them over coffee. I’m someone who sees the big picture, and then I sometimes collab with other people to get down into the nitty gritty of stuff. I do still do most things on my own – I have yet to collab with someone writing a song. All my friends are in the creative world, and we just all talk about it and support each other unconditionally.
It’s like, you never know who’s looking out for you. Some people say keep your dreams close… but I’m like, no, share them with the world because it expedites the process. You never know who’s looking out for you and who is thinking of you. So, keep being yourself and put yourself out there. It will always find the right people.
PDLR: Yes, what’s meant for you will not pass you by, right?
Natalie: And I say, if it does pass you by, it wasn’t meant for you. Yeah, exactly. I mean, again, like you said, authenticity is the way to do that, because it’s also the way I think that is the most sustainable. Because it is exhausting. And I think many people are aware of this. I think especially women, but to wake up everyday and try to be something you’re not… it sucks the life out of you.
I think as people in their mid-20s, you’re like, “What am I doing?” But when it’s time for you to play your part, the opportunity will always present itself, I think. And if you have the bravery to show up as yourself every day, it’s hard, it’s not always easy, but you never know who you’re inspiring to do the same. So, that’s why I love playing shows so much, too. I have people who are friends because they’ve met at one of my shows!
PDLR: Okay, that is so cool.
Natalie Livingston: I recognize my role in the world as someone who is like a facilitator of connection. One of my friends and I are just constantly introducing people!
PDLR: I feel like this has been a little pep talk.
Natalie Livingston: Ha! I feel like people say that to me so often. I have a lot of Leo placement, so I am a hype girl. In another life, I am an astrologist, for sure. I have to know the why, the where, the when, and how, always. That’s me.