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On "Artist You Oughta Know," we introduce you to artists that you...well, oughta know. Be it for their distinctive style or their sheer talent, these are artists from all over the country who deserve your time, attention and support. Today's artist is Nashville singer-songwriter Natalie Schlabs.
She has one of those holy-guacamole-go-tell-your-friends voices. She weaves heartrending tales of love, loss and identity that sound tailor-made for a campfire soiree. And she seamlessly merges country and folk in a way that makes you ask, "Who is she?" She is Natalie Schlabs.
Photo by Fairlight Hubbard
Born near Amarillo, Texas, Schlabs has spent years honing a style that sounds both wholly original and like an old friend. Armed with that aforementioned impeccable voice and a knack for writing sensational records, Schlabs uses her new album to mine the ties that bind us.
Family, friendship and home are all explored in Don't Look Too Close, a collection of sweet and somber songs. One of the tracks, "Ophelia," is a love letter to a friend who lost a baby at full term. After witnessing the toll that took on her friend, Schlabs says she wanted to write a song that let her friend feel what she needs to feel. She hopes it helps others, too.
"That’s one of the amazing things about art: the shared humanity we can feel," she says. "The art that you love has a way of making the ordinary expand into this grand thing that everyone feels and connects with.
Stay tuned for more micro-interviews with artist you oughta know. Follow us at @artistuprising & @artistuprising.studios.