The next artist to take the SendMe stage is Natalie Gelman, a young woman from NYC with a voice that is as haunting as it is powerful. Natalie may look like a fresh face, but she’s already gained quite a bit of fame and recognition for her honest lyrics and soulful voice. Between rollerblading 1500 miles for charity, her college struggle to find herself, and being approached by Peter Yarrow while performing in a NYC subway, this girl is one to watch.

Meet Natalie.

1. I think your music is breathtakingly haunting. How would you describe it?

Thanks so much, that’s really nice of you to say. I try to give someone a frame of reference when I tell someone about my music because that’s usually easiest way for them to tell if they will like it or not. I say it’s a cross between Sheryl Crow, Joni Mitchell and Jewel. Beyond that, I think I’m a very personal and honest songwriter. I try to fill my songs with as much of the experience that caused me to sit down and write the song in the first place. I think that comes across as very emotional and soulful, which a lot of people connect to that energy at my live shows.

2. Who are some of your biggest musical influences?

When I first started writing I was addicted to Jewels “Pieces of You” album. I really enjoy Sheryl Crow and I think Patty Griffin is one of the most underappreciated artists of our time. She writes incredibly passionate music with beautiful stories that are at once simple and intricate.

I grew up playing classical piano and violin and went to college to study opera. I’m sure I am influenced by my classical upbringing. I still walk around singing arias at home sometimes, that music is as much a part of me as anything else. I think it’s definitely apparent in the way I treat melody and the use of my voice too.

3. How old were you when you started playing music? How did you get started?

I started playing the piano when I was maybe five years old and violin not too long after that. My parents were both artists so there was always a big appreciation for music at home. I also took a lot of ballet classes growing up and we were accompanied by a real pianist. That helped me internalize rhythm and treat even the heaviest song with a lot of grace.

I never liked playing violin and piano and always knew I wanted to be a singer or dancer. I finally ended up convincing my mom to let me take voice lessons and from there I auditioned for the High School of Performing Arts (the FAME school from the popular 80s and now re-make movie) and got accepted as a voice and dance major.

I ended up deciding to go as a voice major and took all sorts of music classes from classical and chamber choirs to contemporary, musical theater and gospel music. I was really interested in musical theater when I started studying at LaGuardia but as I was applying to colleges I was more and more interested in Opera.

I decided to go to the University of Miami to study opera but I knew almost immediately after getting there that I didn’t want to sing opera anymore. I had put myself in guitar lessons the last semester of high school; I didn’t even have a guitar but my best friend happened to have a great nylon string that had been sitting behind her couch and she gave it to me the day before my first lesson.

As soon as I started playing guitar and my own songs, I knew that was what I wanted to do. My teacher was really relaxed and really focused on helping me learn what I wanted. I immediately started writing songs without even realizing what I was doing.

In college I found myself “escaping” my classical practicing to tinker with my guitar. I wanted to drop out or transfer but there was a lot of pressure from my parents to finish college on time and with a degree I could use. Yes, they did think I could use an opera degree more than a songwriting or general music degree. So, I finished it out as a classical voice major and just made more and more time for my own music.

4. I read that you like to perform inside the NYC subway system. What is it about that environment that connects with you? I imagine you meet some interesting folks.

I LOVE street performing and especially performing in the subway. Everyone takes the subway in New York so there is a really diverse range of people listening to you at any given time. I have become a bit of a people watcher when I street perform and have learned so much about not assuming anything and how to put on a great show. In the end, it really isn’t how well you sing and perform but whether you move someone and touch their spirit so they leave the platform (or show) better then they came.



Like I said, everyone takes the subway in NYC. There are all types of commuters and “jaded” New Yorkers like myself. Of course you have lots of tourists, too, which I love because I get to put some of the foreign languages I learned singing opera to use! If I haven’t been down to perform in the subway in a while it can take a bit of extra courage because you need to be prepared for anything to happen. That’s what makes it so special too.

5. Is it true Peter of Peter, Paul and Mary heard you in a subway station and came up to introduce himself? [How rad is that?!]

Yep, Peter came up to me in Penn Station after I performed “Forgive Me” which is a song off of my CD. I don’t normally play it on the subway because it’s a bit quieter and un-amplified, so it’s hard to get across. But he stopped to listen and after the song he came up to me, said “great song” and started taking to me. He asked me if I knew about the Kerrville Folk Festival, which I didn’t at the time. Peter was really nice and was telling me how I should submit to perform and listing off a bunch of well-known artists that perform at the festival. I said I didn’t think they would book me because I’m not as established to which he said, “I book the festival. I’m Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul and Mary.” I was basically just shocked and looked at him and finally recognized the face.

As he was saying this, his train was pulling up and he jumped on saying something about submitting or getting in touch. I wrote the main email on the Peter, Paul and Mary Web site, to which Paul replied to me which was also pretty cool. I still haven’t heard back from Peter and it was too late to submit to Kerriville for that year and last year I had already booked a tour for that weekend. It was really fun to meet him, though, and I am making a point of submitting and going this year no matter what.

6. Okay, so I read that you rollerbladed 1500 miles up from Miami to NYC to raise money for charity. What was that like and how did that come about? Any lessons from your journey?

I did. It was an idea I had during the summer after my sophomore year of college. I was really frustrated with the opera program I was in and they had just failed me on my barrier which is a test you take after your sophomore year in music conservatories. It’s basically a way for the school to throw you out of the program so you don’t ruin their reputation if you’re a bad musician. Throwing me out wasn’t what they wanted to do. I was actually on track to graduate college at age 19 and they wanted me to go on to a graduate opera program. I think they thought if they had more time they might be able to convince me, so they suspended me. This basically just gave me a lot more work to do and made me feel even more displaced.

I went to an opera program in Salzburg, Austria to try to make up for some of the extra work to pass my barrier. While I was there, I decided I wanted to drop out of school and make my way on rollerblades to each state in the continental US and play a show in each. I came back home a week before classes were supposed to start again and canceled everything. Unfortunately, or fortunately, my parents were not okay with that at all and I ended up back in school. I realized that it would be more important for me to put closure on the years I spent in college in a big way.

The summer of my junior year I began sponsoring a child with Children International and working on my album when I got back to school. It naturally came together with the idea of supporting something I cared about and getting them, and my album, more recognition as I did something that really tested my limits.

I have always been attracted to challenges and extremes and this was going to be something I could be really proud of because I had been going to school studying opera for 4 years and didn’t really feel like I had been living a very authentic life that I was proud of.

It all came together and I learned more in 6 weeks than I had in 4 years. There were a lot of fumbles and things that could have been done so much better if I had more help, money or time.

I was hit by two cars along the way, had to run 8 miles through a county when the sheriff told me that rollerblading was “banned” and had people following me telling me they were going to kill me for a few hours in their truck. I can’t say I was even that phased by anything, even those guys threatening my life. I was so mentally focused on getting to the next goal rest stop and just putting one foot in front of the other.

I think I learned that we really only have self-imposed limits. It’s really easy to listen to the doubt and limits others place on your possibilities too. Even while I was going along people would ask me what I was doing and basically tell me to stop. This guy saw me in the morning on the way to work and on the way home 70 miles later he pulled over to stop and ask me what I was doing. I told him and his response was: “Girl, let me give you a ride before you get clipped.” Obviously I didn’t take the ride and I told him that wasn’t the point but that was a really important lesson that people are scared of things that don’t make sense to them.

About a year after the rollerblading tour I started learning to drive and it still amazes me that all the roads and driveways are connected.

The tour wasn’t all getting hit by cars and me against the world. I actually did learn just how supportive people in my family, friends and across the country are. Some strangers joined me rollerblading, some waited for a chat and autograph and some people dropped by with some cold water or a donation for the charity. I actually thought I might have to cancel the tour half way through because of a disagreement with my tour manager who was driving and didn’t meet me at a rest stop for hours. My family and friends came though to make sure the tour finished and I had someone to drive my guitar and stuff along the way.

7. How are you using the Web and social media to get your music out there and reach out to fans?



I think the Web has made it both easier and harder to be a working musician. There is a lot expected of you as an artist in terms of making your life and experiences accessible to your fans and I’m still feeling out how comfortable I feel about that. There’s a part of it that takes away from the time you would normally spend being introspective and creative, but it is crucial to be out there so people can find you and to be on as many Web sites as you can so people can listen to you where they feel most comfortable.

I love using Twitter (@NatalieGelman). I just got an iPhone so it fits really easily into my life to post a thought, picture or shout out about some news rather than me carving out a lot of time to write a blog or film and edit a video. That said, I do love using video and I am going to keep trying to include more behind the scenes footage like these two fun videos from backstage at the House of Blues in Boston and Dallas.

And I have been trying to broadcast my shows more live on the Internet when it’s possible.

8. It sounds like you’ve racked up a few, but what’s the professional moment you’re most proud of or awestruck by?

There’s been quite a lot of little moments that were life changing and serendipitous. Every time I think I have things in control and I know what’s going on, life usually throws me a curve ball. It’s usually something I think is horrible but facilitates growth as an artist or something I never could have made come together myself that just works so well and makes me feel like I’m a rockstar for a few days.

I am most proud of the moments that are tough and break me down so I can become a better person and artist. I have had shows where people couldn’t care less and recently someone even left midway through the show saying “shut up” as he walked out because I was telling a story about my song and he wanted me to stop talking and just play the music.

After I got off stage it had me down for the rest of the night. I have been told that it’s great to get a strong reaction like that because when you are truly hated you will be truly loved, but in reality that wasn’t doing much for making be feel better about getting back out and performing. I realized I just needed to work on that aspect of my show even more. I know my stories and banter was a weak point and I have had great shows since that moment because I have become more intentional and committed to my audience and what I’m getting across. I didn’t take any of it out or take who I am out of any of the show. I’m learning how to really feel out an audience and if I think they want to hear some more personal stories I absolutely share that stuff. It’s how I share it that has changed and it seems to work better so I’m proud of that.

As far as being awestruck, that’s in all of those little moments that I have no control over when I meet someone new and incredible, connect to an audience at a show or on the subway or a song pours out whole and complete and saying exactly what I want it to. Those moments are awesome and incredible reminders of why I do this.

9. Do you have any secret talents, other than your voice?

I can do this pretty freaky cross-eyed thing that irks some people and makes others want to learn how to do it. I’m also really good at finding a bargain in the grocery store and when I find myself shopping with friends I always save them money, which is a more practical talent.

10. If you had one superpower, what would it be and why?

I would love to be able to fly and look at the land below me and have the whole sky to be quiet and daydream in. It would also be awesome be able to transport myself anywhere instantly like they did in Star Trek. That would really save me on touring costs, and be a heck of a lot of fun traveling all over the world.

I think both of those would get old after a while though and I have always been fascinated with the super hero’s who have healing powers and can save someone’s or something’s life by healing a wound. It always looks very intense when you see it in a movie (the Matrix) or on TV but I think it would be a very intentional and awesome power if it did exist. I think that’s the one that I would ultimately choose.

11. What do you hope to accomplish with your music?

I want to become a better and better songwriter. I hope my music changes a lot of lives for the better. Many of my songs are sad and angry but I think they connect with people to serve as a reminder that they are not alone in those feelings and to help them communicate how they feel. Admitting your feelings really does help you move on from a rough experience.

I love to perform so I hope to be doing that for a long time to come too.

12. Lastly, what advice would you give to up and coming artists?

I think it’s all about persistence. It’s a really tough business so stick with it if this is what you want. You have to let people know about your music and art and commit to working towards what you want a little everyday. I think it’s important to remember why you got into music and if you can form a little support team that gives you honest and supportive feedback that’s great too. This doesn’t and probably shouldn’t just be your friends and family. Other artists are great to form a collective with. You can share knowledge about touring, conferences, suppliers, advice and more.

You will move forward a lot if you always exceed people’s expectations. This includes to your fans with a great live show, to venues by bringing in those fans that keep returning for your great live show and to anyone you meet or anyone who helps you out by sending a thoughtful thank you. There’s so many ways to exceed expectations so try to use that as a metaphor for how you live and you will be golden. There are so few people out there who do think about how to make someone’s job easier so you will stand out in a good way.

Remember to take time for yourself and nurture your art as much as you can too.

Thanks so much, Natalie. Make sure to keep in touch with Natalie by watching her personal Web site, Natalie’s MySpace and, of course now that she has iPhone, following her on Twitter!


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