The rise and rise of Nattali Rize

Blue King Brown frontwoman Nattali Rize just seems to grow more beautiful by the year – her face, her heart, her talent… it’s truly a force to be reckoned with.

The girl we first met on the streets busking with Carlo has gone a long way, and is quickly becoming an international musician in her own right. Nattali Rize returns ‘home’ to play the Hotel Brunswick on Sunday.

Tell me what has been happening with Notis on the solo project you have been completing in Jamaica…

Earlier this year Notis from Jamaica and I released our debut EP, New Era Frequency. It’s actually nine tracks in total including three dub mixes. I moved to Jamaica a couple of years ago after meeting Notis in Melbourne while they were on tour with Jimmy Cliff. We wrote and recorded our first single that night we met, so we decided to pursue that connection and embark on this collaboration project together… and after many days and nights writing and recording till the early hours in Kingston, we have created something we all feel is unique and fresh in terms of the cross-cultural collaboration and in terms of actual sounds that have come from out collective inspiration and creativity.

We have also realised a huge part of this dream, which was to tour this project. We’ve toured through the US and Canada this year as well as a couple of Jamaican shows, and we are all really excited to be bringing it back to Australia where it all began!

Why the move to Jamaica? Is this part of a push to a more international market?

Jamaica is the home of so much music that has inspired my art and continues to inspire me daily. There is a buzz energy here that makes creating/creativity constant… there is literally so much happening and so many amazing artists and musicians that it’s positive just to be here surrounded by that energy, let alone writing and recording in it alongside the musical community. As for pushing to international markets, it’s definitely a lot closer to the US, which is home to a big reggae-loving community. I certainly feel a certain pull towards that part of the world in terms of the people being fully ready and waiting to hear music like ours, from the support we had on tour earlier this year with Michael Franti & Spearhead and Katchafire.

Why did you choose Jamaica to create your solo project?

After meeting Unga Barunga, drummer and producer from Notis, we decided that there was potential to create something different. Unga is a really amazing drummer for starters, but he’s also a great producer and someone who has his ear out on all different types of genres and sounds. I feel really grateful that our relationship has been able to grow and create new music and that’s because I packed up my things and took the giant leap to move to another part of the world. Jamaica. All of the greats are here but also such a thriving younger generation of musicians and singers who genuinely have love and support for one another. There’s an absence of ego that I think the rest of the music world (and the world in general) could really learn from.

Keep your eye out for Notis on stage. As many of the Byron Shire community know, I come from a drumming background and have been surrounded by some of the best in the country, so when I say Unga is a great drummer, I really mean it. You guys are going to love seeing this band live.

How have you approached crafting your songs on this project – what are the songs you are the proudest of thus far?

We generally would start each song with a melodic or rhythmic idea, put that idea into Logic (studio software for making music) and build the ‘riddim’ (bed track) from there. Once it got to a place, or even during this process, I would start writing the vocal melodies/lyrics on the spot… sometimes they would come quickly, sometimes not so quick.

Each track has its own story and journey into being a fully realised song. I think one of my favourites off New Era Frequency would be Generations Will Rize featuring Kabaka Pyramid, who is an amazing conscious artist you need to check out!

What have you offered up as Nattali Rize in your solo as opposed to what you do with Blue King Brown?

Obviously just the nature of writing and recording with different people from a different part of the world is going to make a fresh sound. As an artist I am ever evolving; more and more I feel the change in my world, my consciousness and my environment every day and that alone will have an effect on the music that comes out through me. Wether it’s from Blue King Brown or Nattali Rize, it’s all one mission, to be actively creating music to help in the shifting of consciousness and the growth of all our planetary family on multiple dimensions. Music is a very powerful way to connect. I think music is more powerful than we’re yet to fully understand; there’s more to it than just lyrics, beats and melodies – there’s also other energies that have gone into making and propelling a song, and I know that we can feel those things too, the intention behind the lyrics, the feeling of the drummer as they played the rhythms etc… all connected. Ride on, music-makers. Your success is not in commercial gain or financial wealth, but in choosing music and creativity as way of life! Now that’s straight-up cool.

How have your gigs in the US been?

Our shows in the US have been great. We started out on a tour through the middle of America with our longtime friend and legend in general, Michael Franti & Spearhead.

It is always awesome to tour with Michael and crew, and to be able to perform for his audiences.. As most of you know, Michael’s energy on stage is one of a kind, and he has that instant feeling of joy and celebration that sweeps across the crowd the minute he sets foot on stage, so for us to be able to share some of our energy was great fun; we had a really good response. We also played alongside Katchafire on the west coast of US, which was also an epic part of the tour and an opportunity we took to introduce our project to that part of the country. We performed at some bigger festivals as well in the States and Canada, so overall it has been a positive progression and we look forward to keeping up the momentum when this project reaches Australia for the first time!

Tell me about the band you are playing with.

I’m playing with a 6-piece band from Jamaica. The drum and bass players are Notis, similar to Sly & Robbie to give an example of the kind of rhythm section they are. And the rest of the musicians onstage are world class, hailing from Kingston and all of them bring something unique and special to the sound we create and project on stage.

What should we expect for you show at the Hotel Brunswick – does it feel a bit like a homecoming of sorts?

I feel like it’s not that often I’m able perform live in the Shire, which indeed feels like a hometown show for me. I’ve always had so much support from the community whether it’s from the days of drumming on the streets to Skin to Blue King Brown, so to be able to come through with my new project is kinda monumental to me.

I’ve been greatly inspired by the musicians and community in the Shire, part of which is reflected in my music, so it is right for me to bring this new branch of my musical expression and evolution to a place where my musical journey has grown from. In Australia it’s not often you get to see a full Jamaican band at the forefront of modern-day Jamaican sound and frequency, the next generation of great musicians out of Kingston; add me into the mix and you might start to get an idea of the kind of fire we’re going to be sparking at the Bruns Hotel – but you’ll have to come through with your whole crew on 3 January to really feel it! The Brunswick Hotel is the perfect venue for this show. We are conscious of being able to perform for all generations and it’s a free show! Plus special guests including Bobby Alu and DJ Rudi Quinzalez. So get ready for some heavy grooves, upfull reggae, real rebel music in a dub, roots, heavyweight rockaz style. One love family. Up!

Tickets & info: nattalirize.com.