Page 65 - ION Indie Magazine MayJune 2023

TB: During that time, what did you learn about yourself as an artist as a musician?

NR: During the ‘gray’ period of my life, my experiences made me a stronger woman; better mother;
and a better songwriter. My experiences became the basis of my writing skills. Watching the kids
grow… being a sounding for friends and even my own pitfalls helped shape me more as a creator
of music.

TB: You released your first EP in 2015, ‘It Is What It Is.’ Talk about working on that EP.

NR: The title of that EP was based off this guy who used to say ‘It is what it is’ as an explanation for
almost everything. Well, after performing a great show in Connecticut, my ex (who played on that
gig with me) said, ‘If you don’t get in someone’s studio and record, you and I will have an issue. I’ve
heard you sing, but to witness it live and be part of it…that’s a different beast.’ That next day, while
at work, the song popped in my head. I immediately started recording the lyrics (which only took me
15 minutes to write). Later that night, I teamed up with producer Jarreau Pitts of Pitts Campaign
Music in Massachusetts; sang it to him, and we both created the melody. After that, he began playing
around on the piano and I started singing ‘do you love me…like I love you,’ which was how the song
‘Do You Love Me’ was born. In 3 hours tops, we had created four of the 7 songs on that EP.

TB: You followed that EP up with the EP ‘R&B 101’ in 2021. How had you grown as a
songwriter over the time between the two EPs?

NR: Again, life’s experiences. From 2017 to 2021, I endured a lot, starting with a bad break-up in
2017, followed by the loss of my dad a few days later; a brief period of homelessness, I was
scammed by a former manager, and so on and so forth. In 2018, I wrote a thesis on ‘Negotiation in
the Music Industry,’ which also helped me determine whether to be a mainstream artist or remain
independent because I was being scouted. I turned a deal down because they wanted to lock me
into a 360 deal, which I would have started out in the ‘red.’ Those experiences allowed me to tap
into the soul of me. Caused me to look in the mirror. You see, when it comes to careers (no matter
the industry), success is measured by the individual’s definition and not society’s opinion. I had to
ask myself, ‘Who is Natalie Redd? What is success to me?’ And ‘Do I understand the task that I’ve
been assigned?’ I know that I am a messenger. Anyone in the art world should know that. Something
we say: sing, write, recite, play, paint, capture, portray, etc., is used to heal someone. I had to truly
understand my destiny…the assignment. Once I fully grasped that meaning, then I was able to allow
the ‘God in me’ to takeover and create from the soul.

TB: Your latest single is ‘Cause I Love U,’ released this year. What is the story behind this
song?

NR: I have always loved that song. I recall hearing it as a child whenever my mom was in the kitchen
cooking – that’s when I fell in love with it. My dad told me once (after hearing me sing it while we
washed his truck) that he sang that to my mom (and yes, my dad could sing his behind off and play
bass!) However, I began covering that song in my shows when I lived in Connecticut. The love
received from singing that song! It’s one of the greatest love songs ever! So, during the heart of the
pandemic, I decided I wanted to record it as a cover. It took a minute to get the license approved,
but as soon as I did, I contacted Elliot Jefferson and Lamont Silver of One Vision Music in Maryland
and told them both that I don’t want to take away from the beauty of the original. I just want to add a
little ‘Redd’ to it. The first draft of that song was with guitar leads. I fell in love with that song all over
again.