2020 was a banner year for singer-songwriter Nat Vazer. She had just released her debut album Is This Offensive and Loud?, earning her an Australian Music Prize nomination. Three years and one pandemic later, she’s on the road touring the U.S. with a fresh new single ‘Addicted to Misery’, and a second album release on the horizon.
I caught up with Nat at The New Colossus Festival in New York City, for a one-on-one interview to talk about her latest release, latest tour, and her songwriting process.
Hey Nat, thanks for joining me. Let’s get right to it. You have a new album coming out?
Yeah, we’re preparing to release our, what do they call it; a sophomore album?
Yeah, that’s right.
I don’t think I’ve ever said that. I like the sound of it. Sophomore.
It’s called Strange Adrenaline, aimed to be released in September 2023. It’s pretty exciting because I haven’t released anything in about two and a half years. It was recorded with my band at Sonar Studios, with my producer, Robert Manasse, (Julia Jacqueline), and was mixed by Burke Reed (Courtney Barnett).
Also, my new single, ‘Addicted to Misery’ has just come out. You can listen to it in all the usual places. It’s the first single off my forthcoming album, my sophomore album.
For those about to hear the single for the first time, what it’s about, and what does it mean to you?
Yeah, It’s like a portrait of a time of feeling low. Hence the title, ‘Addicted to Misery’. I guess it’s an attempt to explore that notion through a conversation or journey. A real sense of spiralling through that feeling of trying to help someone you love but feeling quite helpless at the same time. [Editor’s note: this is a reference to Nat supporting her mom and her battle with cancer.]
It sounds like your music is shaped through your experiences. What’s your writing process like?
I guess the best way to put it is that my process is ‘ever-evolving’. I’m forever changing and growing as a person. I try not to have a solid process. I think it can limit possible ideas. I try to have some sense of direction, but I like to go with whatever I’m feeling and see where it leads me.
I often do this sort of stream-of-consciousness style of writing in the morning. I find that gets a lot of interesting things out of me, things you wouldn’t expect.
Who inspires you? Was there anyone for this project, specifically?
All the greats. I guess a lot of great thinkers, storytellers, writers, musicians, and philosophers. Everyone from Patti Smith to Bob Dylan, to The Beatles. Also, a lot of new artists and a lot of producers like John Parish, and Rick Rubin.
How is your new stuff the same or different compared to what you’ve done in the past?
This is the only solo songwriter project I’ve ever pursued. So it’s the most ‘me’ and the stories are much more personal.
I played in a few punk bands in high school, and heavy rock bands during uni’, but they never really took off. People never really liked seriously gigging or anything like that. I also played in a folk band as well, but yeah, they’re all sort of for fun.
This was the first serious project that I wanted to pursue and explore. There was some part of it that has always been a mystery to me. I felt this burning desire to live a more artful life and I realized how important that was to me. I had to abandon my old life in order to pursue this new chapter.
You’re on tour through the U.S. How’s the experience been so far?
L.A. was my first stop and it’s just been amazing. We did a little video performance with Yellow House Sessions. There’s this photographer and videographer couple in Pasadena, California filming on their own channel. Those videos will be out in a few months.
We also played hotels in West Hollywood, at a showcase event called We Found New Music, with Grant Owens and that was just wild. That was our first-ever international show, so it was pretty exciting.
Any stories you want to share?
In LA, we discovered food trucks. They were way better than the restaurants and we kind of got addicted to having burritos every night. 1 am, every night the food trucks would be out there and we’re like, ah, we really shouldn’t be eating before we go to bed.
Ya, I know that feeling… the food trucks will get you!
You can listen to ‘Addicted to Misery’ right HERE. To stay up to date with all things Nat Vazer, visit her website HERE.