UNLIKE many musical artistes out there, Nathanie Ngu’s calling for music came at a later stage in life. In fact, as a child, the budding musician from Kuching was not exposed to any music or television. Her early interaction with music were in school competitions.
Her interest only grew once she relocated to Arizona in 2017 to pursue her education.
“I was alone a lot. So, I turned to music as a point of comfort. And when I was writing, I would write based on my observation of the people around me. I pretended like I knew them. It made me feel less alone.”
In hindsight, her imagination paid off as her latest track Sunscreen was a result of an overnight success. A snippet of the song, which was posted on TikTok, garnered so much attention that it prompted her to release the full version.
“Getting love from people back home was really cool. Initially, I was a bit afraid of disclosing that I was Malaysian because of the saying on how you are never a prophet in your hometown. But people have been very kind to my music.”
How do you decide which song to release?
I am trying to figure out too. At the moment, I upload snippets of songs on TikTok to see if it resonates with people. And if it works, I build on it from there. But this approach is a bit dangerous because you do not want to make music that is only for the masses. You also want to make music that you enjoy.
So, I guess it is kind of difficult for me. I have a lot of songs that I just do not feel like I will ever release because I do not know if it is good or bad. So, that kind of gets in the way of my creative flow. But I have been trying my best to get out of that mindset.
What is the story behind Sunscreen?
That was honestly about the time I forgot to wear sunscreen when I went out cycling. After coming home, I thought it would be funny to write a song about it. So, I posted a short clip of me singing about how I forgot to wear sunscreen.
I did not expect a lot of people to like it. But even then, I still did not finish the song.
It was only when one of my friends texted me and asked if I was going to finish the whole song. So, I finished it and sent it to a few people. They liked it and told me to release it as a single. So, I started making tik toks about it.
Do you think it is easier now for local artistes to break into the industry?
I will say yes and no. With the number of platforms, it is a lot easier to release independent music now. And with social media, you can really put your name out there. But at the same time, because it is so accessible, there are so many people doing it.
So, there is so much choice that maybe you do not get listeners because there are so many options for people to choose from. For me, I try not to think about it too much. It can get quite intimidating. So, I just take it one video at a time and keep going from there.
How has TikTok helped you connect with your listeners?
I get to show my personality on my platform. Instead of just posting about my songs, I get to show them my writing process, my life and my family. It definitely helps to connect us because sometimes people just like you and not your art.
That is fine too but I think it is super cool because now, it is not just about selling your art. Now, your listeners can kind of attach your work to you. And you can provide value in that way too. That is pretty cool.
Are you looking to release an album soon?
I am looking to put out more of a six-song project by the end of this year. I am currently working with a videographer to get out some visuals. Right now, the songs are demos.
I just hope we get it done correctly.
