My Story
I was thinking of hiring an amazing writer to make me seem like a great work of art, but I figured I’d keep it simple and real. So, it’s just me.
I’m sure you’ve noticed that I love to sing -- I hope you enjoy listening as much as I love singing, because I don’t think I’m going to be able to stop any time soon.
I’ve been singing for as long as I can remember. I was raised in a musical home -- even one of those homes where you were woken up before school to practice the piano and learn your music. So, I learned to play the piano and violin, but my passion...my passion was really basketball. Almost every day after school I went straight to the neighborhood basketball court to compete with friends. Reality set in, however, right around the age of 15: the NBA was not in my future!
Around this time, I was also involved in the high school choirs and musicals and I loved getting on that stage to perform. I started taking classical voice lessons as well and that’s when it all began. I would listen to recordings of the 3 Tenors over and over again -- I had no clue what they were saying at the time, but there was something about their way of singing, as well as the style of the music, that reached deep down inside and moved me in a profound way. So there at the age of 16, I would try to mimic them and sing those high notes and capture the same emotion that they did, but I didn’t even come close! It’s a tricky thing trying to sing opera; and especially if you start before you’ve fully matured, it’s easy to listen to the great opera singers and try to make your voice sound exactly like them -- it may sound good in your own ears, but it’s not as friendly on other people’s ears. In other words, there were a few years there that I sounded like Kermit the Frog. But I kept with it.
My college years then began and I attended BYU. After my first year of college, I made a personal decision to do missionary service in Brazil. So, I took off to a land that deserves a visit (or two or three) by every rational human being on planet earth. I love Brazil. And though my grandfather was from Curitiba (about 5 hours south of São Paulo), I had never been up until this time in my life. Little did I know that forever thereafter a part of my heart would remain there. The food, the people, the culture, the language, the countryside, the beaches (and I’ll let you fill in the rest after visiting) -- all of these things were enough to do me in forever.
After returning home, I continued my studies at BYU, while also doing a study-abroad program in Italy and participating in a small concert series in Brazil. (I could ramble for 5 pages about how much I fell in love with Italy, but we’ll save that for another time.) My college years flew by, and, shortly before it all came to a close, I realized that I needed to decide whether or not I was really serious about doing this as a career. I suppose we all face a fear or two when we are about to embark into the unknown, and I of course faced a few of my own. But I must confess that one of my favorite quotes by Shakespeare served me in good stead:
“Our doubts are traitors, And make us lose the good we oft might win, By fearing to attempt.”
I decided to go for it and it’s been an adventure ever since.
The audition process began, and one hot July afternoon (the day before Italy won the World Cup!) I was singing for producer Ric Wake and his business partner Bob Murray. At that time, Ric was working with Yanni, suggesting that he work with singers -- that audition for Ric could not have happened at a better time; he introduced me to Yanni and that started the project that came to be known as “Yanni Voices.” We spent a couple years in the studio and then hit the road on a tour of about 80 concerts in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada. They were 3 years of non-stop recording, writing, singing, performing, and learning what the music industry is all about.
All of this led me to where I am now. I signed with Disney in 2009 and began working on my solo project. They introduced me to Leo-Z, who then became the producer of my debut album, and we worked 24/7 (with the exception of a cappuccino break for Leo… an Italian who fell in love with Starbucks) for a year with other great writers until we found what we were looking for. We recorded in London, where we experienced the magic of Air Studios and the Philharmonia Orchestra. What a journey it’s been and I cannot wait for you to hear these songs once they’re released.
Now, if you happen to be in the L.A. area in December, I’ll be giving a few concerts at the Geffen Playhouse (www.geffenplayhouse.com) as a tribute to the great Gil Cates who recently passed away. He will forever be a legend in the entertainment industry and I will always remember him as a true friend and a great mentor. So, if you happen to be in the area, I’d love it if you could come. And, if you just so happen to find yourself on the other side of the Atlantic during January and February, I’ll be partnering up with Katherine Jenkins (www.katherinejenkins.co.uk) on her tour throughout the U.K. -- it’s going to be a great show!
Well, my friends, I’ve probably rambled your ear off. Thanks for listening and thanks for being here. I hope to be able to sing for you in person in the not-too-distant future.
- Nathan
