Whether you’re looking for a “good-vibes only” jam, a soothing melody to listen to on a rainy day, or a big, dramatic number to win the heart of your love, Natalie Patton has got you covered. The Junior BFA Acting major has been performing for most of her life, writing original music, performing covers, and even creating song mashups. Finding inspiration from the world around her, Natalie creates a variety of incredibly honest songs that most anyone could find relatable. She even created an original song cycle with fellow student Lilly Stafford that was presented at The Cohen New Works Festival last April. With her charisma, spunk, and incredible talent, it’s clear to see that Natalie Patton is going places.
Her Campus Texas: How long have you been playing music?
Natalie Patton: I’ve been playing piano since about second grade. I played classical piano up until sixth grade, but then got bored with it and had to stop. I picked it up again later in middle school and haven’t stopped since. I also play the ukulele and a little bit of guitar.
HCTX: When did you start writing original music?
NP: I started writing my junior year of high school because my first real boyfriend dumped me and I needed to Taylor Swift it out.
HCTX: What’s your favorite instrument to write for?
NP: I write for ukulele most often, but I’d always rather write for piano. I feel like you can do so much more with it; the ukulele is fun and portable, but very limited.
HCTX: Where do you get inspiration for your songs?
NP: I’m big on specific words and syllables. I usually start with a lyric I like and then put it to music, but sometimes I’ll get a tune stuck in my head and work out something to go with it. Most of my inspiration comes from my relationships with the people around me.
HCTX: Along with writing your own music and doing covers, you also make your own mashups. How do you pick which songs to put together?
NP: I haven’t done one in awhile, but they’re some of my favorite pieces of music to make. It starts with me, in the car, listening to the radio and noticing the chord structures of popular songs. One of my favorite mashups I’ve done is called “Burn with Me,” which is a mashup of “Burn” by Ellie Goulding, “Stay with Me” by Sam Smith, “All of Me” by John Legend, and a little bit of Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep.” They all play with a minor chord structure and fit together so easily, which made a really interesting piece to record and hear. They’re also thematically similar, which definitely doesn’t hurt.
HCTX: You co-wrote and co-directed an original piece, “Life, Love, and What I Lost: A Song Cycle” for The Cohen New Works Festival last April. How did the idea for the song cycle come about?
NP: I’ve always written theatrical pop music. I try to write music that has twists and turns. When Lilly Stafford (my work wife, partner in crime, and heart, and soul) and I decided to mash our songwriting and theater skills together, we found that it came pretty easily to us to transfer our music to the stage. A song cycle is a piece of musical theater that doesn’t necessarily have a through line; it’s a series of vignettes wherein individual characters each tell their own story. It was awesome!
HCTX: Did you enjoy directing? Would you consider creating a full musical?
NP: I did! I couldn’t have done it without Lilly’s help. She’s trained in musical theater specifically so having her insight on the project was vital. I’d only directed in small portions before (in-class exercises, a scene here and there) but a full show was a brand new experience. I would say that, in the future, I wouldn’t direct and perform in a piece because it’s too many balls to juggle for one small brain. I’d love to write a full musical someday, but that’s far down the road. I need to learn how to compose music.
HCTX: What’s your favorite song you’ve ever written?
NP: Ugh, that’s like making me choose one of my babies! I’d say that my favorite song I’ve ever written might be “Let Me In.” It’s one of the more musical theater songs I’ve written, and it was sung by Trey Curtis in “Life, Love, and What I Lost.” He absolutely killed it!
HCTX: What’s next for Natalie Patton?
NP: The New Works Festival really wiped me out, so I took a bit of a break over the summer. This fall, I plan on writing new music and maybe even trying my hand at writing a play! I can also be seen in UT Theatre and Dance’s production of Anne Frank this October.
HCTX: If you could offer advice to upcoming musicians or songwriters out there, what would you say?
NP: Quit so I have more success. Kidding, kidding, but on the real: work with people you love. Collaborate, collaborate, collaborate.
To learn more about Natalie and check out her music (including “Burn with Me” and “Let Me In”) you can visit her SoundCloud at www.soundcloud.com/nataliepatton, her Twitter at www.twitter.com/natpatsays, and the official website for “Life, Love, and What I Lost: A Song Cycle” at www.lifelovenwf.wordpress.com. You can also learn more about UT Theatre and Dance’s production of Anne Frank at http://texasperformingarts.org/season/diary-of-anne-frank-2015-ut-austin-theatre-dance.