To get to know Nat Slater, all you really have to do is press play on her latest track, Been a Minute. It’s self-reflection at its finest, letting listeners take a dive into her current state of mind. “There's never really a set boundary of how I want to write something, it kind of just depends on how I feel on the day or whenever I'm writing it.” Hailing from West London, Slater’s music reflects moments and feelings as and when they happen, with her latest offering being released not long after it was written and produced alongside Dandelion, her friend and co-collaborator. Having been performing covers and original tracks at open mic nights from the age of fourteen, the laid-back melody of Been a Minute highlights Slater’s singer-songwriter roots, honing in on all the good that right now has to offer.
How do you feel now that the new song is out and everyone can hear it?
It’s great, it’s really cool. I mean, releasing a song is crazy, because it's so vulnerable. But then when other people can hear and relate to it, it's such a crazy feeling. It's cool.
What felt right about releasing this track next?
Well, I wrote this one in October. So it was pretty quick. I just wanted to get it out, because it was really just how I was feeling. And I was like, I need to just have this one out, because it felt really right in the moment, you know, I didn't want to wait.
How did it come into fruition? Do you do production and melody first, or lyrics?
Ah, it depends. I mean, every song is kind of different. With this one, I wrote it with my friend, Dan, Dandelion. And I was in the studio with him. And we made it, like the production and the lyrics, and everything kind of came together at the same time.
I mainly just work with me and a producer. I write everything pretty much myself. But when I'm home, I just write alone on my guitar in my bedroom. That's pretty much how I've always written. That's how I work.
Do you produce at all? Or is that something you want to get into?
I would love to! I mean, I just downloaded splice. So I'm trying that out, like, beats and stuff, which is just on my own logic on my computer. But yeah, I would love to get into that, 100%.
Did you start with an idea or a lyric that kind of spurred that on, or was it more-so how you were feeling at the time?
It was definitely how I was feeling. I mean, the song is kind of about, you know, feeling quite lost and confused, but then having this moment of finally feeling like yourself again. And I was definitely in that at that moment. That's how I was feeling.
Do you have a favourite lyric from that track that you’re proud of writing that relates to that?
I quite like the lyric in the second verse where it's like, took it back to the basics / Damn, I feel so amazing / Made it out of the maze alive.
I like that lyric, because it kind of feels like, you know, coming back to yourself.
Is this more of a time of exploration for your music sound right now? Do you know what's coming next?
It's kind of just exploring, and I love experimenting in the studio. I think that's a really exciting part of it, like getting in the studio, not really knowing what you're going to create that day and coming out with something, that's just really cool, and different and exciting. So yeah, I think exploring.
Are there things that have kind of come up from this exploring that you wouldn't have expected?
Yeah, I think I'm being more open and honest with my writing. Just you know, growing up and experiencing things feels good.
Are you getting more comfortable doing that?
I think I'm getting more used to it. I mean, it's definitely getting more personal to me, which, I think it's nice to just be honest, I enjoy it. So yeah.
How has growing up in London influenced your sound?
I guess it's always inspiring living in London because I'm just surrounded by music all the time. I mean, I grew up doing open mic nights around the city. And that's kind of how I got into it. So I guess where I live and where I'm from has always been a big part of it. And being around my friends, they're super into music and showing me new stuff. And it's just, it's always inspiring.
Do you remember your first open mic night?
Oh, my first! You know, I don't know if I remember my first but I remember there's been a few, where I'm like, probably like, 14, 15. And just super nervous, but then I got on and it was just the coolest thing ever. And that's kind of what ignited it for me. I haven't done it since COVID really, but I do miss it. I mean, I would definitely do it again. It feels nostalgic.
Has performing been on the back seat just in general because of COVID? Or is it something that you're doing again?
I would love to perform live, you know, I miss it. I miss it, man! And that's obviously what got me into, you know, doing all the open mic nights. But yeah, it's obviously been tough to perform the past couple years. I've done a couple bits. I've been mainly in the studio to be honest.
Are you working on anything in particular that you're gonna release?
I'm working on singles pretty much at the moment. But hopefully there’s an EP in the works. I would love to release a project, hopefully sometime soon. But I’m just kind of finding my way. I feel like I've gotten to a groove of things, which is cool. I've got a few songs that are coming next that feel that feel right, like I found my way, and I feel like I found my voice with things, which is cool, but there's obviously a few surprises.
What do you hope this next year brings for you in terms of your music?
I'm kind of just hoping I can put out stuff that feels honest to me, and, you know, do some gigs, and to perform live would be amazing. And, yeah, just keep going. I mean, when people reach out and say, “the song, you know, it relates to me,” that's the craziest thing. Like, that's the thing. I'm like, Wow, I can't believe that happens. Because, you know, obviously, when you write alone, you don't really think about anyone else. You just think about yourself and how you're feeling. And then when other people relate, like, that's a cool feeling.
Would you say that this time next year we'll have an EP?
Yeah, I mean, you never know. It depends. You never know what could happen. I would love to release a project. But it's just time like, you know, we'll figure it out. We'll see what happens.
Been A Minute is available now.
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