2023 was an amazing year for Natalie Jane. The singer-songwriter released multiple singles leading up to the EP Where Am I?. She also continued her rise as one of the most popular performers on TikTok. About once a day, she treats her more than 9 million followers to performances, song teases, and behind-the-scenes videos.
A ton of followers don't mean much for a music career if no one listens to the songs. Proving that her followers are also fans, nearly every track from Where Am I? has at least 10 million Spotify streams.
She's ready to become an even bigger star in 2024. On Feb. 28, the 19-year-old sets off on her first headlining tour. Many of the dates are already sold out on both the North American and European legs.
We met up with Natalie Jane in Los Angeles to talk about her recent success and the upcoming tour.
Happy New Year! What are you looking forward to in 2024?
I'm so excited to go on tour! We are performing 42 shows, which is the most shows I’ve ever done in a row. It’s going to be so fun.
You released Where Am I? late last year. How does it feel now that you’ve had some time to reflect?
I love listening back to the project and reflecting on where I was in life when I wrote those songs. I feel like I am a completely different person now and have experienced and lived through so much that I didn’t even know was possible a year and a half ago when we started.
When it comes to songwriting, how much do you draw on personal experiences?
I definitely draw a lot from life experience when I write, but recently I have been getting a lot of inspiration from TikTok. I watch girls rant about their relationships in their “Get Ready With Me” videos and think: dang, that could be a great song. For example, my song “Torture” was written because a girl on TikTok said, “He accidentally called his new girlfriend my name.”
You’re known for your powerful voice. How did you develop it?
I have been singing for as long as I can remember. I feel like I always knew I wanted to be a singer and performer, but only recently (in the past few years) I realized I want to also write my songs. I have also been taking voice lessons for nine years now. I feel like me and my coach have developed my voice together.
What vocalists do you look up to?
I definitely look up to Demi Lovato vocally. She has one of the strongest and most powerful voices I have ever heard. She is amazing. "Stone Cold" is one of my favorite songs by her.
From your vlogs, it looks like you had a lot of fun on your trip to Europe. What was that tour like?
My Europe tour was so so so so much fun. It was so crazy to see fans that I have on the other side of the world. The power social media has by using music to bring people together is amazing--like I see people singing my songs over 6,000 miles from where I wrote them. I can’t wait to go back!
You’re going on a big headline tour soon. How are you preparing?
I have been going to the gym a lot. Shows are so hard to perform when you are out of breath from running around on stage. I was caught off guard on my last tour, when it was hard to sing only three songs into the set. I am going to be prepared this time.
You have a massive social media following. How do you balance making music with creating posts for your followers?
I feel like I am always working. I am either at a session (which can take 5-8 hours), filming, posting on snapchat, going live, editing videos, etc. I love what I do, but it is definitely time consuming.
What’s your favorite thing to do outside of music?
I absolutely love painting. I have painted a few of the cover art for my singles last year. I painted a bunch of posters and sold them at my shows, and I’m currently working on a bigger project for my upcoming tour (which I am so excited about). There was a point when I almost wanted to go to school for art, but I decided to focus more on music for now.
For more from Natalie Jane, follow her on Instagram and TikTok.