FemaleFirst Q&A - Nate James

On first glance you may be forgiven for thinking that the new up and coming British soul-funkster, Nate James is just another Lenny Kravitz wannabe, but you will be happily mistaken - he is much more than that. Looking like he hails from Crooklyn, Suffolk born Nate, is about to take his place next to the new wave of British soul/R&B artists like Lemar, Craig David and Joss Stone who are revitalising the British music scene. His first single "Set The Tone" received massive airplay from stations like 1xtra, Kiss FM and Cool FM and his many shows have gained rave reviews. Nate new single "Universal" is out this month and he is about to drop his debut album "Set The Tone" in August which will showcase this talented 25-year-olds amazing soulful voice and funky groove, all which have gained him comparisons to greats like Maxwell and Stevie Wonder.

Femalefirst caught up with Nate to see how he intends to "push the boundaries" of British music with his "soulful core."

Hi Nate, How are you today?

"Good, good"

When your debut single "Set the Tone" was released many people thought you were American - are people surprised when they learn you are actually from Suffolk?

"Yeah very, especially the Suffolk bit. If I was from London I think they would be a lot cooler but because I"m a country boy their kinda like "ah, can people from the country sing like that?" But no the whole American thing was great because everyone is into this whole American artist thing, thinking can English artists compete with American artists?

So to be seen as an American artist to begin with is a great compliment."

How hard was it for you to get into the British music industry?

"It took about five years. I was in a group and I experienced being in the music industry through the group. We got signed, we experienced the highs and lows of the industry and went though all the crap and came out the other end, still good friends, but not as a band. I went my own way and did my own thing my way this time instead of being dictated to. So yeah it"s been a bit tough but it has been worth it and the rewards are starting to come in now."

Do you think you have learnt many lessons from being in Notorious (Nate"s former band)?

"Yeah definitely, I have come into this now as a solo artist with a much clearer head and a clear idea of what sort of artist I want to be, what sort of music I want to do and write and what I want to talk about.

So I am really thankful that I had that experience and that grounding out of the public eye because it means now I can do things with a fresh face."

Is it difficult for you to maintain your creative freedom when you finally make it in this business?

"No, not really - I came to the label [OneTwo Records ] with two near enough finished albums so for them to see where I was and what I wanted to do first off and then to see where I was going from that, they haven"t tried to change anything at all. If anything they have tried to encourage me to write more for the 3rd album, so it"s not been a case of having to compromise any creativity or any ideas I had.

Everyone is on the same wave length and everyone has agreed with what I do, so it"s great."

Your debut album "Set The Tone" is dropping in August, tell us a bit about that?

"It"s a very funky, up-tempo album. There are a couple more mellow grooves on there, Set The Tone, being one of them. It"s called Set The Tone, because it"s been said that I"m setting a new tone for British R&B music, which is quite amusing and a huge compliment so we thought it might be a good title for the album.

Hopefully it will be one of those albums that people can drive along to, can get ready to go out to, can listen to and feel good about themselves, its just one of those really happy, good vibrant albums."

Do you think we are ready for a soul revolution?

"I think so. I think to be honest looking at who"s out there now and who I know is up and coming; it"s definitely on the up and up. You"ve got Joss Stone out there, Lemar, Craig David, and Jamelia. There are so many great solo artists already there and so many more that are coming through like Natalie Williams, and myself.

There is a lot of room for all of us so I think it"s going to be a good up turn for UK soul music definitely."

You already have some similarities to Craig David. You did a vocal spot on Poker Pets, dance track "Lovin" You", right?

"Yeah I did a feature vocal on one of the Poker Pets tracks, which was great. It was a bit of fun, they just said to me one day "Nate do you want to sing on this", I was like "why not", and the next thing you know they released it and did the video.

I love the track, its one of those kind of classic anthems. I think it did quite well in the charts so it was good for them and me."

And it gave you a chance to be heard by a different type of audience as well....

"Yeah, Set The Tone is more underground urban, aimed at the R&B market rather than the commercial - so with Poker Pets we kind of crossed over and broke down a few barriers and I opened myself up to a wider audience."

Have you got any plans to do a "Craig" and try to crack the American market?

"Well, I"m hoping to get out there soon and do some writing for two or three weeks with some great artists. I"m not going to say who just yet but yeah, hopefully by the end of this year I will be over there doing some writing for my next album and get out there and start promoting the album later on in the year.

I want get into things in the UK first and make my mark and then when I have got the time to go somewhere else I will do. But I"m not going anywhere else just yet......"

And you already have a second album in the pipeline?

"We have got a blueprint for a second album done. I wrote about 60 tracks last year, so I just picked from those - what the first album would be and what the second album would be. Obviously there is room for change and to make things better.

Everyone is really happy with it but we are going to have another look at it when it"s ready to be re-recorded. The second album will hopefully be coming out around April next year."

Have you any advice for people like you who don"t quite fit into the manufactured pop role to break into the industry?

"Definitely do a lot of the open mic nights, especially around London. Not just nights that cater to urban music, but an open mic night where you might have a guitarist or keyboard player there and do some of your own stuff or covers.

It"s a good way in, there are a lot of great people who go to these nights, whether it be producers, managers or label people, there is lots of great events going on in London.

And keep your focus, if you"re trying to be a new artist and you"re someone with a different flava, don"t listen to people who tell you, you should be doing it this way, you need to stick to your guns and keep fighting through. I am a great believer in that good things come to those who wait and if you want something bad enough it will come."

You have been working the underground circuit for a while now. (with rave reviews)

"Yeah we released Set The Tone (the single) in January and its been bubbling on the airwaves since then on stations like BBC 1Xtra, Kiss FM and Smooth FM, so it"s been doing the rounds for a while. I kind of got the big push at the beginning of this year so it"s going well."

You are headlining your own set at The Shepherds Bush Empire (postponed till Oct) how is that going?

"It"s happening tomorrow night and it"s going really well. I have been rehearsing with the band for the last three days and I am ready and rearing to go. Dawn Robinson is my special guest."

Performing with Dawn Robinson (En Vogue) is that a great honour for you?

"Yeah one of the first albums I bought was the En Vogue album, The Funky Divas. I have been listening to this woman for so long, so when the label said, who would you like to work with on the album, I said Dawn, and they managed to track her down.

We spoke to her manager and the next thing she was on a plane over here and we were rehearsing together. It"s a great honour to have her here. We have become really great friends and I hope that is going to continue and hopefully I will do some stuff on her next album too."

Who else would you love to work with in the future?

"I wouldn"t mind working with Alicia Keys, she"s not bad to look at and she has a great voice (laughs). John Legend, I would love to work with him as well, so hopefully when I go out to the states I"m going to set up some meeting and sort out some collaborations out there."

Your new single "Universal" is about a guy who goes with the flow when it comes to woman - are you generally like this in your own life?

"Yeah, you get these guys who make their minds up and only like blondes or brunettes. I think you are limiting yourself if you are too picky about girls. You need to be more open minded and that way if you say you only like blondes and a brunet walks past and you don"t look at her, then you might be missing out on the most beautiful woman you have ever come across.

So yeah, I do go with the flow, if you get lucky you do, if you don"t, you don"t."

Have you got anyone special in your life right now?

"No, not right now, I have been working so hard getting the album finished - so no I"m not in a relationship right now, I"m very much single!"

You remind me of someone from 1970s Brooklyn, have you always had such a unique style?

"I have always been quite individual with the way I dress, it"s not that I don"t like to wear what other people wear but I like to have my own thing going on. The afro thing started when I was about 18 and I couldn"t be bothered to get my hair cut and kept growing it. I have always had quite a unique kind of character - so yeah."

Who have been some of the most important musical influences to you growing up?

"Marvin Gaye, Luther Vandross, Stevie Wonder, Lenny Kravitz, Jimmy Hendrix, Prince, Terrence Trent D"arby, Omar, any artist who has that individual thing going on. Luther Vandross, (god rest his soul) had that beautiful silky tone to his voice. Prince had the crazy funk, purple suit wearing thing going on and it worked.

I just admire people who go against the grain and do things that they want to do, rather than listening to the powers above. Just doing something that keeps people on their toes."

Have you met any of your idols so far?

"Yeah, I did a show with Omar and I met John Legend. I did a show with him last year and went to his gig over here that was really good. I went to see Al Green and Isaac Hayes, in concert last week which was amazing but I didn"t get to meet them unfortunately."

Who are you feeling right now in British music?

"Joss Stone is on a world wide stage so you have got to give her props, she"s great, Craig David, Lemar. I"m glad Lee Ryan has gone solo because he has got some funky stuff. There"s a couple of up and comings Natalie Williams is one of them."

Did you watch Live8 on Saturday day?

"I was one of the lucky buggers who got a ticket. It was amazing I so wanted to be there to be able to stand and watch those amazing people. I"m only 25 so I was young when the first one happened but just watching the highlights and thinking what those people must have felt watching those legendary artists.

I though - here I am doing it 20 years on, looking at Annie Lennox, Elton John and Paul McCartney, and all these amazing British artists, the atmosphere was awesome, I can"t describe it.

I got my photo taken with Elle McPherson as well, which was the highlight of the day (laughing) I met some great people and saw some amazing musicians."

And you were a part of history.....

"I wouldn"t have minded getting up on the stage but I think they would have thrown me off - "like, hey who is that guy with the big hair, what"s he doing?"

Do you think you could have coped with that massive crowd?

"I would have loved every single minute of it there were over 200,000+ people in that crowd. It would have been great if they had known my song. They couldn"t have thrown beer bottles at me, there was none allowed in the park, I"m sure they would have found some bags of tomatoes or something."

FemaleFirst Five:

Which person living or dead, would you most like to have dinner with?

Marvin Gaye - just to get advice.

What is your idea of perfect happiness?

Not having to worry about anything.

What is your all time favourite movie?

This is going to sound really sad. The reason I say this is because I can watch this movie over and over again and never get sick of it - The Never Ending Story!

What makes you angry?

Ignorant people - I think that makes everyone angry, rude people really aggravate me, but I bite my lip.

What is your motto in life?

You don"t know what you have got till it's gone.

And finally do you have a message for the readers of Femalefirst.co.uk?

"Ladies I hope to see you tonight at Shepherds Bush Empire. I hope to get a few pairs of knickers thrown at the stage - just so I can look good in front of my mates. I hope you enjoy the album and I will see you on tour in October."

"Universal" is released July 18 on OneTwo Records - "Set The Tone" is released August the 8th

www.natejames.com

Sarah Williams