Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with NATIIVE

NATIIVE is one of music’s hottest artist-producers. With over 13 million streams of hit singles like “Memories” and “Trust Me,” NATIIVE has worked alongside industry heavyweights such as Ella Vos, Cailee Rae, and Alexander Oscar. He’s been featured on just about every Spotify playlist, including New Music Friday, New Pop Revolution, and Chilled Pop Hits.

This April, he teams up with powerhouse sister duo KTJ & CARLY for the first big hit of 2020: “Holding On.” Pop Culturalist caught up with NATIIVE to chat about the track, his career, and what 2020 holds for him.

PC: How did you discover your passion for music?
NATIIVE: I discovered it pretty early on. I started playing guitar when I was eleven or twelve, and it escalated from there. I was fortunate to get into the music industry pretty early on when I was around nineteen.

PC: You got your start as a lead guitarist, working with a lot of indie bands. How have those experiences prepared you for this next chapter?
NATIIVE: The experience of being able to work with different people early on helped mold my ability to produce other artists. I’m an electronic producer, but I tend to focus more on the songs themselves and the structure more so than the production. I think that definitely stemmed from that experience.

PC: Who or what’s had the biggest influence?
NATIIVE: Ryan Tedder is someone that I look up to a lot. He’s given me a lot of inspiration. I love artists and bands like the Killers and the late Avicii.

PC: You’ve had tons of success already in your career. When you look back, is there a particular moment that stands out to you?
NATIIVE: I was recently nominated for a Hollywood Music In Media Award. That’s something that definitely sticks out. Honestly, it’s being able to consistently work with new artists and make music as a living. That’s what keeps me going.

PC: What’s one thing that you know now that you wish you knew when you started your career?
NATIIVE: Just how hard it was going to be and how many “noes” you hear before you get a “yes.”

PC: You have a new single out now called “Holding On.” Tell us about the collaboration with KTJ & CARLY.
NATIIVE: The song came together pretty quickly. We got into a session back in November, and the idea was just a demo of a production that I had started working on about thirty or forty-five minutes before they showed up at my studio. It came together really quickly. We ended up writing the song, and I produced most of it in that session!

PC: The music industry has transformed into a singles market. What impact has that had on your career and the way you approach music?
NATIIVE: That took adjusting to. I had to realize, “All right, I’ve got to create a lot of smaller pieces of content and drip it out over time.” It has affected my output and my ability to finish tracks and write songs quicker. I think how I’ve been able to adapt to that is by not overthinking things nearly as much and not linger on an idea for too long, otherwise it sits around forever and never gets released.

PC: You’ve released a couple of singles up to this point. If you had to choose one that best encompasses you as an artist/producer, which would it be and why?
NATIIVE: I have two: “Memories” and “Trust Me.” Those two came out in the purest form because I wasn’t thinking about trying to appease any particular genre or market. It’s something that came effortless to me, which I think can get lost sometimes when you’re trying to write songs for Spotify and streaming as a whole.

PC: Your music has been streamed millions of times. Does that add pressure to future releases?
NATIIVE: It for sure does. The two songs that I just mentioned really helped build my fan base. Sometimes, I feel a lot of pressure to put out more songs that sound like that, but at the same time I have pressure coming from different parts of the industry and different professionals wanting me to either go more pop or more urban. I like to produce a lot of different types of music. Sometimes it can feel like you’re doing the same thing over and over again. I felt free to break out and do something different on “Holding On.”

PC: What does the rest of 2020 hold for you?
NATIIVE: I will be releasing a ton of music this year. I’m trying to do a single every three weeks.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
NATIIVE: Good question. I listen to a lot like Bleachers, COIN, a lot of indie rock stuff, oddly enough. I tend to listen to a lot of indie rock when I’m not producing electronic or pop music.

PC: First album you bought?
NATIIVE: Linkin Park’s Meteora

PC: First concert you attended?
NATIIVE: I think it was a screamo band. [laughs]

PC: An album that changed your life and why?
NATIIVE: I have to say that Linkin Park record. I was obsessed with it.

PC: A venue on your bucket list to perform at?
NATIIVE: I’d love to play the El Rey in LA.

PC: A must-have on the road?
NATIIVE: Lots of chargers and coffee. I could live off coffee.

To keep up with NATIIVE, follow him on Twitter, Instagram, and Spotify. Pick up or stream “Holding On” today.