Pool Of Sound - Natalie McCool

 

Natalie Hannah McCool was born on the 28th of June 1988 in Whiston on Merseyside and is a singer-songwriter and musician. Natalie loved playing music from an early age, and growing up in a musical household meant she could try things out. She remembers, " My dad was a blues guitarist, he used to play a lot of slide guitar and I was always fiddling about with his guitars in the house. He had quite a few guitars. I just kind of taught myself for a bit and then I started singing and writing songs, and then I got into LIPA when I was 17 and that kind of just did it for me, I was away, I've just gone from there really." She first became recognised when she won a Yamaha-sponsored national songwriting competition, 'Make It Break It', judged by 'Coldplay' frontman Chris Martin, which proved a real breakthrough for her. Natalie says, "I played on stage and then afterwards Steve Levine, who was one of the judges, he's a record producer, he signed me to his label, which was brilliant." Steve is the multi award-winning producer of legends such as 'Culture Club', 'The Beach Boys', Deniece Williams, 'Honeyz', 'America' and Gary Moore. His record label Hubris, with whom she signed on a four album deal in 2009, is also the home of newer bands '6 Day Riot', 'Daytona Lights', 'The Glitches' and 'Patch William'. At LIPA she was playing to an audience of four people in a tiny room; however one of those four people was Sir Paul McCartney! Here she had a one to one songwriting masterclass with Sir Paul – " I played my song to him and he picked up his guitar and started jamming along! So that was quite surreal but very, very memorable." It was at LIPA that she also met her bandmates and found that her voice was strong and distinctive, a powerful force with a folk edge.
Moving to London for a short time she released her debut EP 'Black Sun' in September 2011 before her eponymous LP in April 2013 when she was back in Liverpool. Natalie has found a home here in the music scene, despite this brief foray to the capital. When asked about her experience here compared to other cities she says in a romantic gesture "Oh, it's Liverpool". With Steve Levine setting himself up in the Baltic Triangle, she was revelling in her re-location. "London is so big, you get swallowed up, and there're lots of little scenes, but it's not really substantial. I'm glad I lived there, but I much prefer it here. You know everyone, it's nice." Championed by BBC Radio Two, BBC 6 Music, Amazing Radio and Channel 4's Hollyoaks, she was also lucky enough to work with ex-'Suede' guitarist and 'Libertines' producer Bernard Butler on the haunting 'Thin Air', fulfilling something of an ambition held since childhood. After the Liverpool Music Week Awards in autumn 2013, came the singer-songwriter's success in winning Best Female Artist of the Year.

Although pleased with her first album, she felt it didn’t really reflect her as an artist one hundred per cent and due to these artistic differences she split with Steve Levine, but not acrimoniously as she still chats to him. She linked up with fellow Liverpudlian David Berger from 'Outfit' to produce her new material. Having previously done live engineering for her at a festival, Berger invited her to visit his studio after liking what he was mixing and months after the split from Levine, she decided to take him up on his offer. The fruits of her new partnership were stunning, with tracks like 'Cardiac Arrest' and 'Fortress' ushering a sublime synth-based sound that still managed to capture Natalie's famed guitar playing, lyrical flair and experimental edge.

Jumping to September 2016 her sophomore album 'The Great Unknown' in 2016, had tastemakers from across the board becoming fans of her exceptional art, such as The Sunday Times, Q, Line of Best Fit, as well as Huw Stephens and Alice Levine. This album was self-written and is without doubt her finest and most accomplished set of songs to date with the 1st single 'Dig It Out' described as 'a mesmerising lilt pop gem' in The Sunday Times, and the 2nd single 'Cardiac Arrest' being immediately playlisted on BBC Radio 1. Natalie was now a singer, songwriter & multi-instrumentalist shining as a major star in the UK indie world, having risen through the ranks and amassed a ton of organic support and critical acclaim. This vibrant, contemporary artist with quick-witted lyrics has not only performed extensively across the UK with two headline album tours under her belt and appearances at Isle of Wight, Festival No. 6 & Kendal Calling, but has also played shows and festivals worldwide in Europe (France, Spain, Germany, Italy, Denmark, Estonia, Croatia, Holland).

If 2019 was a transitional year for Natalie McCool, 2020 felt like she was forging a new path for herself, having built a strong foundation to achieve great things. Her single 'Someone Nue' picked up support across multiple national radio stations and saw her support Aurora and 'She Drew The Gun', alongside playing many of her own headline shows across the UK. Recently, a cover Natalie did of ‘Wondrous Place’ by Liverpool legend Billy Fury was chosen by SKY to head up the advertising campaign for one of their new dramas 'The Third Day', a collaboration with HBO starring Jude Law and Naomie Harris, produced by Brad Pitt’s production company. Lifted from her forthcoming album 'A Sun Going Down', the titular track, was released on the 24th of February 2021 and showcases more of her rich and bold sound. The official video for this latest release was filmed on Liverpool's Formby Beach during the sunset.

see also:- http://www.thefootballvoice.com/2021/05/pool-of-sound-lapsley.html