Natalie Jean

Natalie Jean is a fantasitc singer and song writer who makes really fascinating Pop videos and has been known to tour around Washinton, DC with a jazz group. She has been nominated for countless video awards and won an award from the Josie Show Awards in Nashville Tennessee. You can find Natalie Jean in the 2nd issue of Azur Magazine - which will be ready for download around Oct. 18th

(click a video title or url to access a web site or music videos . . )

www.natalie-jean.com

Faithful - (music video)

Mission - (music video)

I had formed a jazz group about a year back . . .and ran into a Jazz/Pop singer named Natalie Jean. Before I turned to rap and the Luap C thing . . .I got a chance to check out Natalie's videos . . . I was amazed at how professional these shoots were . . .I mean . . how she was able to find videographers on this level at an affrodable price was astouding . .So . . I contacted Natalie to get a glimpse at how she shoots and to get more information about her Jazz and Pop career. To my amazement, she has been up for video and musical awards for the last two years. I sat down with Natalie to learn more about her production and performance . .and this is what she had to say . . . . Azur Mag: Basically, . . .the main reason why I like you so much . . .as an artist is because . . I mean . . .your songs are great . . .but . . your videos are so awesome . . .I just came back . . and . . I have got to figure out what makes you tick . . .as far as these videos are concerned . . .and . .the musical production is excellent . . .too . . .but . .I mean . . just the combination of both is . .really good . .and I . . really like what you do . . .So . . .to start things off . . .How is . . the Pop/Jazz scene in Washington, DC? Natalie: Well . . .the Jazz scene is pretty huge in DC . . .There are a lot of venues that . . .um. . there are a lot of Jazz venues . . .I can say that . . .and so . .I've been really successful at performing . . .at . . .like . .Mr. Henrys . . .Bossa Bistro. . .which is a French restaurant . . .and . .some places in Annapolis . . .and so . . it's a wild scene . . .and for the Pop scene . . .I would say that . . places . . like the Filmore . . .in Silver Spring . . .It's pretty huge . . . um . .but . .I would say . .Jazz is more or less . . .more popular than the Pop genre . . .to be honest with you . . . Azur Mag: So. .. your probably having more . . um . . .luck with the Jazz scene than anything that would consider . . Pop . . . Natalie: Well . . .the thing that's funny . .is that . . .one . .the Jazz scene . . .I've been talking to people about this . . .it's a very small genre . . .I'm going to explain what I mean about that . . . You know . . if you're not doing . . .songs that are just like . . .[mimic's a Charlie Parker sax solo. . .] . . .like classical jazz . . . Azur Mag: (Laughs . .) Natalie: . . .some times . .there are certain venues . . .that will not book you. . .because . . .some venues have not . .evolved . . .It's the 21st century . . .They don't know that Jazz has evolved . . .For example, with my music . . .it's more or less. . .about having . .contemporary Jazz . . .Like . .I took some old school Jazz . . .and I try to modernize it . . .so that the younger generation can listen to it . . .and the older generation can say . . oh . . .this takes me back . . .You know what I mean . . .? Azur Mag: Right . . . Natalie: . . .and so . . .Jazz . . .I find that it is. . .a difficult genre . . .because . ..the old school people . . .just will not recognize . . .some times . .that . . .it has evolved in the 21 st century . . .There's so many . .different combinations of Jazz . . .there's new Jazz . .there's show Jazz . . .This contemporary jazz . .sounds just like . . .the same [mimic's a Charlie Parker saxophone solo on sax . . .]. . .you know . .just the instrumentation . . .of Jazz . . . Azur Mag: (Laughs . . ) Well . .I mean . . .if you put stuff on MTV . . .I mean . .your stuff . . your Pop stuff. . .seems like the stuff to go for . .right? . . .or to go with . . .I mean . . . . Natalie: Well . . .the thing is . .with my Pop stuff . . .like I just released . . .I told you about the French album . . which is like a Pop scene . . .um. . album . . .French album . . .and . . .but . .to back track . . .I was in Nashville, this past weekend . . .and because I was nominated for Pop video of the year . . .and some other stuff . . .and I won . .Pop video of the year . . .for Faithful . . . Azur Mag: Oh my God . . .I don't blame you . .but go ahead . . . Natalie: . .but the thing is . . .I have . .not . .really performed any of my . . .well . .I've only performed . . maybe one song . . .from my French album, so far . . .because . . it's just come out . . .and . .I'll have to find venues . .that . . .will accept me to play a foreign language . . .and stuff like that . . . Azur Mag: Ahh . . . Natalie: The thing is . .also . . .there are a lot of top artist . . .that's why I did mine in a different language . . .you know . . .it has to try to find . . .a way to stick out from . . . .the rest of the group . . .like . . people like to conform . . .to what other people want . . .I'm not a conformist . . .I want to do music my way . . .and . .I want to be able to perform it my way . . . Azur Mag: Yeah . . I mean . . if . .you're promoting things via video, though . . .I mean . .you'll be able to . . .basically translate what ever you . . .do . .through French. . .or through English. . .into the media . . .I mean . . .I just think that . . .I'm just understanding that you just won an award . . for your video . . .kind of testifies . . .or . .just . . kind of . .strengthens the fact that . .of why I want to do this interview . . in the first place . . .because . .I saw your videos . .and I was like . . .man . .I have got to . . .include these videos in. . .what the magazine is doing . . .and now you're just telling me you won an award for one. . .so that fortifies what I'm doing, now . . .so . .you can sing French . . .and . .if the video is . . .awesome . .I think you'll be ok . . . Natalie: Alright . . Azur Mag: . .but let me . . change gears . . .so . . .what are your current projects, right now . . .? You mentioned the French project and anything else. . .? Natalie: Well . ..the French album was released August 4th . .so I'm, basically, . . .pushing that album . . .and actually trying to break into the European scene . . .The other thing . . .I'm working on . . .doing the new music video . . based on . . .one of the songs from my new album . . .so . . .I'm just concentrating, basically, on . . .promoting the new album . . .um . .getting on the Grammy ballot . .because I submitted it . . .to the Grammys . . .This year I submitted the last album to the Grammys . . .and it made it onto the ballot . . .so . .i would like to get a nomination this year . . .I'm concentrating on just pushing all of that . . . Azur Mag: Wow . . so that Nashville award . . .was a Grammy? Natalie: Huh? Azur Mag: That Nashville award that you got . . .was that some type of Grammy you got . . or. . Natalie: No . .no, no . . .It was called the Josie Show Awards . . . and basically . . .it's this very young, talented woman . . .decided to have an award ceremony and I was nomintaed for Pop song of the year . . .video of the year . . and . . .R&B/Soul artist . . .and . .so I decided to go out there . . .because. . . .going out to these. . . um . . .award ceremonies are very . . very good . .because . . .you can do a lot of networking . . .you can meet people you can, possibly, write with . . .or . .they can produce songs for you . . .um . . I had a fabulous time . . .In fact, you ask what's coming up for me . . .um . . in October . . I'm going to . . the IMEAs . . which is another . .music award show . . .I've been nominated for three things . . .R&B/Soul artist . . . .um . . Jazz song of the year. . for my song . .Boxed . .and then I was nominated for my R&B song . . ahh . .called Hands Up . . .um . . and then in November . . I'm going to . . the AMG Artist Music Awards . . then . .I was nominated for favorite main stream artist . . and that's in North Carolina . . .so . . um. . .there's a lot of award ceremonies I'll be attending . . .but the Grammys thing is totally separate . . .the thing you see televised on television . . .so . .I'm actually going to be attending the Grammys . . .um . .in February . . .but . I'm trying to get nominated . . . Azur Mag: Wow . . .this thing is bigger than I thought . . .(laughs . .) . .I mean . .you're a lot bigger than I thought . . .You're just like . . .seriously out there . . and . . meeting people . .Your networking . . .and promoting . .that's really good . . .Alright . . I'll get into that . . um. . .so . .how did you come up with some of these video concepts? Natalie: Well . . .the concepts weren't really . . .mine per se . . .I had a little bit of . . .say . .with the videographer . . . um . . .I work with this guy named Zack Farkas . . and . .he's just been amazing . .especially . . .with the video, Faithful,. . . Every song that I've written is based on my life . . .so . .Faithful was written . . .about a relationship I was in . . .with somebody who was, basically, an alcoholic . . .so . .he took that vision . . .and . .he said . .well . .let's do it this way . . .and lets use some digital stuff . . .Mission . .was also a song about . . myself . .you know . . .about . .not adhering to . .everybody elses wishes . . .but . .really focusing on what I need to do . . .in my life . . .It's just . .to fullfill my own destiny . . so . . um . . .I didn't even know the Mission video is . . .[something that was filmed in completion . . ] . .because . .you see me in all these aspect of New York . . and I wasn't even in New York . . .It's just amazing how . . .the world has changed . . .when it comes to . . .technology and what you can do . . . Azur Mag: Yeah . . .that's and awesome thing to say . . .I'd say 99 or 97% of the video . .had to have taken place in New York . . .and, basically, you weren't even in there . . . Natalie: I was in downtown Washington, DC . . . Azur Mag: (Laughs . . ) . . .Ok . .that's pretty cool, too . . .but . .who is this guy that you worked with who came up with both concepts? Natalie: Actually . . .his name is Zach Farkas . . .He's done pretty well. . .I men . .I was the first video . . .Mission was the first video he had ever done . . .He's been doing a lot of video work . . .but he's very talented . . .he knows what he's doing . .and he's one of the best out there . . . Azur Mag: Yeah . . I was going to. . .ask . .if I could some how hire . . your talent out . . .as a videographer . . .but I guess . . you, basically, work. . through a videographer . . .to get most of this done . . . Natalie: Yeah . . .it's a videographer . . .I don't have the cameras . ..and everything that he has . . .to be able to do all that . . .plus you have to have . . .an editing guy . . .a person . . who can . . do all the graphics . .behind . . .It's a huge process to get these done . . . Azur Mag: Yeah . .I can imagine . . .I mean . .those videos are really good . . Who ever you're working with . . and however you found him is just awesome . . .it's amazing . . . Natalie: I found him on craigslist . . . Azur Mag: (Laughs . .) You're kidding . .really . . .(laughs . . ) That's funny . . . Craigslist . . .of all people . . .That guy is . . .good! . . .I've been looking for people on Gig Salad . .and everything . . .I didn't find . . anything that good on Gig Salad . . .I mean . .craigslist is amazing . . .Wow . . .alright . . um . .is there anything you'd like to add about the videos? . .I mean . .I'll get back to it in a minute . .anyway . . Natalie: Ok . . Azur Mag: Alright . . .How can people conncect with you . . .if they want to contact you? Natalie: Well then . .the basic way would be to find my web site . . which is www.natalie-jean.com . . .um . You can actually go into google and . .type my name and it'll be seen . . .and . .you'll find me . . .I mean . .I'm on google plus . . .I'm on twitter . . .I'm on facebook . . .I'm on Jane Doe . . .which is. . .a radio . .internet . .play . . .I'm on Pure Volume. . .I'm on . . .MTV Artist . . .I'm every where . . .There's no way . . .nobody can find me. . .just put my name right there in the search for google . . you'll find me . . .I'm one of the . .top names . . on there when the name comes up . . Azur Mag: Ahh . . cool. . . .Yeah . .alright . . .so . .um . . .How did you get involved in the music business in the first place . . ? Natalie: Well . . .my father . .is like a famous Hatian artist . . . He use to sing in the house . .He's recorded several albums . . .over the year . . .and . . .a couple years ago . . .I mean. . I've always sang . . .but . .I wasn't really that into it at the time . . .There's been a lot of stuff going on in my life . . .but . . .Somebody said . . .well . .why don't you . . .why aren't you doing something in the music . . .and I said . .ahh. . .I don't know . . .so I took an old demo . . .that has three songs in it . . and sent it out . . .and then somebody gravitated to it . . .a tape music group . . .so I signed with them . . .They helped me do the first CD . . .but . . .I was doing all the work . .so I left them . . .then . .I found that I really enjoyed it a lot . . .and being on stage . . and performing. . .and so . . I decided to . . oh . . .I've always loved Jazz . . Jazz is my heart . . .and so I decided . . .well . .let me do a Jazz album . . .and then . .after a while . . .I got a booking agent . . .and he was like. . .you'd do better if you had a band. . .and putting the band together was only blessed by God. .because . . .I was able to get a keyboard player . . .right away . . .and I contacted you . . .and I found some other people . . .so . .it's been really great . . .I have a great back up band . . .and they're awesome . . .in August . . .we went to Staten Island . . .That was a great . . opportunity . ..right there. . . . Azur Mag: Yeah . . that's excellent . . I'm sorry . . .I messed up with you . . .I'm just like. .my whole thing wasn't really . . .working out. . . in that moment in time. . .anyway .. .I mean . . I found a drummer . . .at that point in time . . .and he didn't have a drum set . . . so . .I was like . . .trying to figure out . . .(laughs . .) how to finance his drum set . . .and then . .we got things going with Eugene . . .and everything . . . Natalie: Right . . it's ok . . . Azur Mag: . . but . .I don't know. . . Natalie: It's alright . . .things are working out . . .so . .it's ok . . . Azur Mag: . .but . yeah . . your thing sounds awesome . . .You're just promoting on levels that I couldn't even imagine. . . so . .I'd like to do more research on how your doing . . .but . .um . .Have you been looking for other record labels? Natalie: No . . and I'm actually trying to stay away from signing with a label . . .Once you . . get deeper involved in the music industry . . .you understand . .that. . .huge record labels tend to take a lot away from you . . .They take a lot of your percentages . . .You're almost left with nothing . . .so . .if I did that . . .I would probably go with an independent label . . um .. .to see what they could do . . .but. . .for the most part . . I think I can do what ever a label can do . .because . . it's just about setting up a team . . .that can go out there and promote . . . your music . .that's it. . .and promote . . .you . . so . . .I'm gearing . .away from . . .the labels . .and getting myself out there . . . Azur Mag: Yeah . . .well. . .it sounds like the social networks are helping you a lot . . .unless you're, financially, doing yourself, as well . . .are you able to finance it yourself, too? Natalie: Well . .I pay for everything . . but it's hard . .because. . .I still work a 9 to 5 job . .and I still . . .um. . . and I teach aerobics at the same time . . .also . .and so . . . Azur Mag: Naw . . I mean . . it's cool . . .I mean. . .I don't expect you . . .to be a millionaire . . .but . . .I met one interviewee who actually promoted everything through facebook and . .twitter . . .and she actually ended up on the UK hit list . .or some chart . . .and I was like. . .well . .how in the world do you do that?. . .It was like the craigslist thing that you found . . .she just found people . . .and put her out there . . .in the UK . . .and she didn't really pay any money for that . . . . .so . . .I mean. . .the fact that you're actually spending some money on it is good, too . . .You're actually getting awards . . .so you know what you're doing . . . Natalie: This past year . . um . . .between 2014 . .and 2015 . . .I've been nominated 35. . .over 40 times . . . The Pop video scene is not the first award that I've won . . .I won one for the Hollywood song writing contest . . . for my song . . Falling Again . . .um . . I've won a lot of things in the Academia Music Awards . . .um . . so . . I've been winning a lot of them . . .I've been semi-finalist in a UK song writing contest . . .um . . .I made the top 3 list in . . .the Australian song writing contest . . .I've been a finalist in the female vocal. . . .singer universe . . .so. . .there's a lot that's happened over that last year and a half . . . Azur Mag: Wow. . . yeah . .you can say that, again . . .(laughs . .) That's really good . .I mean . . .you're actually doing well out in the UK and Australia. . . I don't know how you two do it . . .and . . you two are the only females in this issue and your both like. . .internationally known . . . Azur Mag: The thing is . . you have to be on the internet every day. . .um . .I submit my music to . .awards and things . .because it's a way to promote my music . . . You don't know who's listening to your music . . .You don't know if somebody is saying . .wow . . .this is fantastic . . .I'd like to work with that person . . it's all about the promotion . . .It's great when you win . . .it's great when you become a finalist . . .and you're nominated . . .because. . .somebody thinks your music is great. . . .but it's all about the promotion . . . Azur Mag: Right . . .well . . .You're , actually, doing a very good job . . .I mean . . both of you are able to find people that . . .I haven't even considered yet. . .I've gotten into radio promotion . . but. . .that's about it. . .Those are the things that I've been able to do . . .but . .it's not about me . . . .it's about you . . .um . .ok . .I'm now, . . . .I'm going back to video production . . .um. . . what is the name . . of . .the guy you were working with . . .Zach Farkas . . .what is his video company called? Natalie: I think it's called Zach Farkas Productions . . . or . .I might have to email you . . . .because I can't remember off the top of my head . . . Azur Mag: No . .don't worry about it . . .That's good enough . . .so . . um . . .I'm pretty much impressed with the Pop genre that you've fulfilled in writing . .but your Jazz . . .thing seems really cool, too. . . I've seen some pictures of you in concert . . .or in a show . . .and it's really cool what you do. . .and everything . . .but I guess . . .when you want to perform live . . .you do the Jazz thing . . .right . . ? Natalie: Yes . . .when I perform live I do the Jazz thing . . . My French album has some slow songs on it . . .I do try to perform . . .One or two of them . . just to give like a . . different feel to the performance that I'm doing. . . Azur Mag: Oh . . well . .it's a good idea. . .I never really considered . .um . .what you have. . .to go through to put together a live. . .band . . .because I've been working with . . .a lot of rappers. . .and . . .they don't have a band . .They just put the CD . . .on . . and rap over the CD . .so . . .that's like a whole different kind of thing . . .right there . . it's just like a . . .live act . . . but you know . . it's in a different type of realm .. . .where you're playing with live bands that actually perform . . .and the clubs might actually pay you something. . . .and it's different . . .you know . .it's like. . you're being promoted. . .that way . . .It's hard to say . .how many gigs you get . . .as compared to how many gigs they get. . . but you're both are working . .or you're both doing something . . .it's just a different thing. . . .but the hip hop scene is growing. . .so . it's a different type of thing. . ..I can understand why you want a band . . .because a lot of clubs . . look for bands . . .they're just use to listening to bands . . .more so than the rap thing we hear, now. . . It's different for me . . .because I grew up playing in bands and listening to groups.. . .and playing in clubs . . .so when rappers started performing . . all I saw was one guy with a microphone . . .well . .that's a different thing . . the microphone and a DJ. . .but I'm use to it, now. .and it's becoming the norm for stage performance . . .but. . .I have a DVD of Jay-Z and he had an orchestra playing behind each song . . .and that was a really good DVD . . .so . .for that reason . .I can see why you want a band . . .so . . .do you have any last words for your viewing audience? Natalie: Well . .go after your dreams. . .Don't let anybody . . .tell you that you can't . . .because . . you can . . . Azur Ma: Yeah . . .exactly . . Thanks Natalie . . .

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