On the afternoon the Courier catches up with Nati, this Fife-raised singer/songwriter should have arrived in Bristol to support one of her musical heroes, virtuoso guitarist Newton Faulkner.
Instead, she is holed up in Gatwick Airport’s Travelodge, nursing flu-like symptoms ahead of rejoining the dreadlocked hitmaker the next night in London.
Despite this setback, Nati is full of positive energy as she celebrates the release of debut EP Older.
“It’s been incredible,” she says. “To tour with Newton is a dream come true, because he’s the reason I picked up a guitar at 15 years old. That part is always a pinch-me moment.
“But this time it’s me advertising my own original body of work. Before, I’d do some Scottish songs, other covers here and there, plus a few of my own, whereas this has been all my own music.”
While Nati refuses to turn on the video for our Zoom call, claiming she looks dreadful, the solo artist is convinced she will be fine to sing again, thanks in part to her musical mentor.
“Water and sleep are the best medicine, everyone’s gonna tell you that,” she says.
“But on the road you have to make sure you have a source of heat and every single artist I’ve spoken to recommends First Defence (Vicks nasal spray) as the best thing to keep away flu or a cold.”
Newton, though, has given her something more exotic, a bottle of red, syrupy Chinese medicine whose name Nati struggles to pronounce.
She adds: “It tastes foul, I can’t put into words how disgusting it is, but it really, really works. I actually drink it on stage.”
‘There was never a smokescreen’ with Faulkner
This not the first time the acoustic specialist has aided the career of the upcoming artist known until recently as Nati Dreddd.
Their musical relationship dates back to when he discovered her covering his music on social media video site TikTok during lockdown, she explains.
Nati had been introduced to everyone from U2 to Motown by her dad, a passionate music fan, but it was an uncle that passed on a hand-me-down guitar along with a copy of Newton’s 2007 debut album Hand Built By Robots.
This became a huge influence on her development, she reveals.
“Apart from his insane, wizard-like talent with guitar and vocals, I think it was the honesty that was present in the way he wrote songs,” Nati says.
“There was never any smokescreen or formula.
“His music helped me grow and change; I’ve found a lot of comfort in his words. When I started writing, I said to myself I’m gonna write from the heart.”
TikTok fame led to real life dream come true
Her break came via TikTok while furloughed, belting out Scottish traditional music, a breath of fresh air on that platform.
“I thought, I can’t dance, I can’t lip-sync, but I can sing,” she says. “I gained quite a huge following, telling them Newton was my inspiration, but hadn’t sung any of his numbers.”
Eventually, Nati plucked up the courage to attempt his noughties hit Dream Catch Me.
Just as she returned to work, but before live music started up, a friend let her know that Newton had dueted online with her version – “I immediately started crying,” the singer/songwriter remembers.
@natidreddd Wee sing song wae ma pal @therealnewtonfaulkner 💙👌 #fyp #scottishtiktok #scottishsinger
Newton’s manager offered her a guest slot on one of his online concerts, though this grew into him hosting a full concert of hers, giving Nati enough profile to finally jack in the day job.
She first toured with Newton in 2021 and then he helped her work on creating lyrics, co-writing Open Road, a highlight from her EP released last month. Its an emotive listen and just as emotional to write, Nati admits.
“When I met him, that person you see on stage, fun-loving and genuine, he was exactly the same,” she says. “He’s a truly good person.
“After a couple of tours together, he said, ‘If you’re going to write with someone, it might as well be me’.
“I went to his house and he asked, ‘How has your year been’. I just cried for half an hour.”
Leaving home and major breakup inspired ‘Older’
Nati had come through a tumultuous 12 months that included leaving her parents’ home and ending a seven year relationship. “Very amicably, it worked out fine” she adds.
“Though it was a scary time, going into this world of being an independent artist completely blind.”
Nati was also coming to terms with becoming a full-time musician relatively late in life.
By her late twenties, she was still working a “nine to five job” for a phone shop, only performing the odd wedding or cabaret set.
Older’s title track reflects on this period of growing up. As Nati puts it, “The EP is about all the crazy, beautiful, ugly things that come with that. It’s not a pity party, it’s an actual birthday party.
“There’s grief, pain, loss and heartbreak there, but it’s about appreciating those life lessons.”
Now at 30, Nati can look forward to a short Scottish tour that includes a debut date in Dundee, though the city is already familiar thanks to her backing band.
Nati performs as a trio with bassist Ben Buist and drummer Kieran Smith, formerly of Dundee’s own Model Aeroplanes.
The latter is based in Broughty Ferry, where they rehearse and record demos.
“I’m really buzzing to play Dundee,” she says. “My band’s from there and it’s become my second home.”
Nati will play at Beat Generator, Dundee, on November 18.
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