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Thursday, 14 June 2007 |
  Soul singer Nate James Set The Tone for a new generation of music stars by showing that you could follow your dreams without compromising your integrity. The fresh-faced funkster from the small town of Woodbridge in Suffolk has spent the last eighteen months touring with his band, entertaining sell-out crowds around the world including London, Milan, Tokyo and Amsterdam. His debut album was recorded and released on his own Frofunk label and by partnering up with various labels around the world he has enjoyed hits with his catchy singles Set The Tone, Justify Me and Universal. He is now about to release the title track to his new album, Kingdom Falls. Nate remains as motivated and grounded as ever as he sets out to record his second album due for release in the Spring. He knows how privileged he is to be able to make a living from his music and he supports several charities including working as an ambassador for Shelter, Global Angels and Youth Music.
I heard you’ve just got back from Japan. How was it?
It was great! I had a few shows out there to promote the new album and it went down really well. The whole band came with me and we went out afterwards. The album is selling really well out there so I’m very happy indeed. I’ve been there four times now and love it.
Are you more successful out there than you are in the UK?
Yeah I am in a way. I think the general UK view of Soul music is something left to be desired. It’s all about Indie and guitar bands at the moment and the only thing R&B related is Lemar really. My album was selling a lot out there anyway so Virgin got me to sign a deal to release it properly out there. It’s nice to not be as famous in the UK because it means I can go out to the pub with my friends and not be interrupted or photographed. I can just be myself. I would love to sell more records here and be more known but being famous is the down side of that. Everyone wants to be successful in their own home country.
What do you think of Soul music in the UK?
People used to stand up and look at what’s in the UK. We’ve got people like Natalie Williams and Vula who have been on the Soul scene for a while and they’re making waves but major labels won’t sign them because they don’t want to risk it. If people took the time to notice what talent there is in the UK then there would be a different story to tell. We just have to carry on.
Have you got any plans to work with Natalie Williams again?
She supported me on tour in Japan with her pianist and we had a great fun. We are on a track together called Conversation and her people want it to be her next single there. We’re very good friends and go out together and get drunk! She’s releasing her first commercial album here and I’m busy with my album but once we get together we’ll do some more stuff. Natalie and I don’t really plan writing sessions as such it’s just like, ‘right, I’m coming over for some beer’ and then it just happens off the cuff.
What are your favourite tracks on the new album?
It sounds a bit cliché but my favourite track is Kingdom Falls. It’s the deepest song on the album because of where it came from. I wrote it after I came back from Rwanda and saw some things out there. I wanted to do an album that was a bit deeper than the first and I wanted to show people more of me without putting all of my cards on the table if you know what I mean.
What does the video look like?
People need to see the video diary I filmed when I was in Rwanda to accompany the song on my Myspace. It’s just to show people where the song came from. I filmed the actual video in Ireland and it’s going to TV next week so you’ll see it soon. It’s filmed in castle ruins and it’s a really beautiful video.
The music on Kingdom Falls is similar to Justin Timberlake’s My Love. Was that intentional?
Not really. I’ve always been a fan of electro-soul kind of styles like Unkle Jam, Cameo, Prince and Outkast. Those were people who tried new things and had fun with music. I wanted something a bit fresher. I wouldn’t really say Justin’s music has inspired me in any way. I can see the similarities but I just told my producer what kind of thing I wanted and that’s what he came up with. I wanted a track that portrayed the emotions of the words of the song.
Was there a reason there aren’t many collaborations on this album?
Well, we got Vula on the album. She sung with Basement Jaxx and is an emerging talent on the underground scene. We wrote that song during a wine, food and jokes session in LA with a producer. We were both missing our other halves and thought we should write a tune about it. I also have a song with Emily Friendship. They are both people who I respect in music and are friends of mine. To be fair I’m still a new artist and I could quite happily do an album full of collaborations with UK artists but I want to be known as a solo artist. I don’t think collaborations would do me any favours in what I’m trying to do. I want to be able to make a name for myself without riding on somebody else’s coat tails.
Do you still think it was a smart move to keep ownership of the copyright of all your material?
Of course! Certain major artists who are big over here and wherever else wish they did that themselves. It was a decision I made quite early on in my career and I didn’t want anyone to take away my work from me. Whether it’s a label in the UK or in Japan, I can take my album with me. It could be worth money down the line, you never know. You want to make your mark and you don’t want someone trying to control what you worked hard to achieve. I just thought I would keep my shit to myself!
Do you think you would be recording something totally different if you were on a major label?
That’s a good question. I don’t really know. I was on a major label [Warner Bros.] before with a group I was in when I was 19. We already made our album when we went to them and we were signed on the merit of what we recorded from before so there weren’t any problems there. I probably wouldn’t sign a direct deal with a major label again, only something like licensing deal to release one album and then see if they do well with that one. That’s the beauty of being in control of it.
What do you think of people whose main goal is signing a deal?
It’s each to their own really. People need what they need. I was with an independent label and when I left them, I left with a pay off so I was able to set up my own company. I was lucky to have that opportunity. That way works for me even though it can be difficult to deal with the business side as well. Before I used to record my tunes, do the gigs and that was it. It’s definitely interesting and you get an insight to the music business though. I want to be able to release what I want when I want to put it out without arguing with someone about what the next single should be and how the video should look. I don’t think anyone needs a major label. Some people think signing a major deal is the way that you make a career. Look at me, look at Rhian Benson and look at Sway. We’re all doing our own thing and having a good time.
Where can we see you perform live next?
I’m performing at Scala on June 14th and doing a few other headline shows in the summer which I’m looking forward to. I’m also going to be doing some festivals. I’ll then be going backwards and forwards to promote the album in Europe.
The new single ‘Kingdom Falls’ is released June 11th and the new album by the same title is released June 18th.
Official site: www.natejames.com
Words By: Rashmi Shastri
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