Nathan: London Calling
By Michael A. Gonzales
He may be a new jack soul boy from London, but 22-year-old emerging star Nathan loves being in the New York City groove. “Every place else compared to New York is laid back,” the singer exclaims. “The roads are bigger, the buildings are taller and everything is open late.”
In town to record tracks for his first American disc—Nathan’s V2 Records debut Masterpiece was released in England and Japan in 2006, featuring the hit single “Come Into My Room”—the young vocalist is taking a much-needed break from his vocal-booth grind.
Chilling in the lounge area of Fight:Klub Studios in midtown Manhattan, Nathan talks about coming up through England’s underground music scene. “Back home, me and Estelle were signed to the same label, but they didn’t really know how to market just straight R&B,” he says. “Although we both left, Estelle personally encouraged me to come to America. ‘They understand what we’re trying to do,’ she explained.”
Earlier this summer at BB Kings in NYC, Nathan performed his newest songs, the Stargate-produced smooth jam “Superwoman” and the harder-edged “Dirty Sexy Money,” at an R&B Live showcase that also featured his favorite artist Ryan Leslie (“He’s a genius,” the young Brit enthuses). If he was nervous about performing with R.Les he didn’t show it; Nathan stepped on stage like a veteran.
Nathan “Superwoman”
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“One of the biggest lessons I learned when I dropped Masterpiece was to keep the performance on point,” says Nathan. “This year I’ve performed at the Essence Festival and I was so excited by the response. I love being in the studio making new songs, but nothing compares to being on that stage.”
Literally born into music, Nathan’s mum Lorna Gee is a reggae singer who toured while pregnant with him. “When I was a kid, I toured with her as well,” Nathan recalls. “I used to sing along with her and reggae was the kind of music that I thought I wanted to do.” A few years back he did delve into dancehall, recording “Blazing,” a combination with Spragga Benz.
But his musical direction changed when Nathan was swept away by the voice of Michael Jackson. “Like most of my peers, I’ve had a long love affair with Michael Jackson’s music,” he gushes. “Dancing, singing, I learned so much from watching him over the years.”
Citing the Teddy Riley collaboration “Remember the Time” as his all-time favorite MJ track, Nathan was recording when he heard of Jackson’s death. “I couldn’t even work anymore. I just wound up leaving the studio and going home.”
Though not yet signed in the States, Nathan has already recorded with Swizz Beats and Teddy Riley, while also auditioning for various labels. “I went to see Diddy at his request and he had that ‘impress me’ face that I’ve seen so many times on Making the Band,” he recalls with a laugh. “Although I had the demos with me, I performed live for Diddy. When I was finished, he stood from his seat and clapped. ‘You did your thing,’ he said. I think he was feeling it.” And he’s not the only one.
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