Melbourne singer-songwriter Natalie Carolan has emerged from an extended break
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Melbourne singer-songwriter Natalie Carolan has emerged from an extended break

Without having to over adorn her vocals, Melbourne-based artist Natalie Carolan’s unique sound melt into her honest and melodic driven songs. Now she’s back with her latest self-titled EP, which is an all parts beautiful, powerful and vulnerable alt/pop four track EP that’s been three years in the making. We chat to Natalie about her EP, her influences and the future.
Hey Natalie, you’re new self-titled EP has just been released. Can you tell us a little bit about that one?
Hello! Yes – it’s a four tracker, which has been several years in the making. I’ve worked alongside some very musical and clever thinking producers to create the EP; the first two releases, ‘She’ll Know How It Goes’ and ‘Time’ were produced by the talented multi-instrumentalist, James Saunders; and the second last release, ‘I Won’t Move’ by stunning pianist/composer Luke Howard and the magnificent drummer producer Gareth Thomson. The final track on the EP is a solo song I recorded last summer called ‘Into Myself’. I think it sounds a little sad and heartbreaking, but the lyrics are actually all about your loved ones guiding and encouraging you to be yourself (which can be really difficult).
Prior to the EP, your last release was your debut back in 2016, in that two years have you been working solely on this project?
I actually started the process of making the EP in 2015, but it coincided with the creation of my album, I Sleep, so it got put on the back burner for a little while. I spent 2017 getting back on track with the EP and also writing a lot of music and thinking about what I’d like to be creating next. I find it hard to work on one thing at once!
The music clip for ‘I Wont Move’ is beautifully choreographed and executed. Can you tell us a bit about the meaning behind the song and how that correlates with the clip?
Whilst I’m doing a bit of freestylin’, my friend, Bailey O’ Connor is the talented Dance Hall and Hip Hop dancer who takes the cake for the most incredible moves! We did a few takes of her and it was all made up on the spot! We met through me attending her weekly dance classes in Melbourne; I couldn’t get enough of her! The song is really about meeting someone you really like and feeling very vulnerable, knowing you’re entering into something that could be amazing, but you could also be left feeling quite hurt if it doesn’t go the way you’re hoping. I came up with the video narrative with my lovely friend and Video Editor, Elissia Hocking, which echoes and further explores the meaning within the song.


You have a hauntingly beautiful voice that would remind me of singers like Emma Louise or London Grammar. Where do you draw your influences from?
Oh, thanks! I try to sound like myself as much as possible, but unless you abandon listening to music altogether, others will always influence your overall sound. I do really enjoy the singers you mentioned. There is just an endless supply of music nowadays, and I love tucking into as much as I possibly can, from a lot of different styles. I really love understated, alt/pop, folk singers like S. Carey, Bon Iver, Susanne Sundfor and Chris Martin but am also attracted to singers and instrumentalists like Ella Fitzgerald or Miles Davis who not only had complete control over their instrument, but knew their stuff inside out, musically speaking.
What does the future hold for your music and performance?
I’ve already started working on the next album, which is exciting as the creation process involves collaboration which is really fun and can really bring about the best outcome for your music if you choose the right people to work with. I’ve also planted the seed to work alongside another Melbourne singer on a project combining new music of ours and some luscious strings and Melbourne musicians. Details to come on that one!