NATTALI RIZE plays The Cave / Big Bear Lake Mar. 8; press photo
Social activism has always been at the heart of reggae music, from “Get Up, Stand Up” by Bob Marley and The Wailers to “No Blood For Oil” by Cocoa Tea. Nattali Rize continues this rebel spirit, bringing the sound and heart of reggae center stage.
“What got me into music was my mother’s impeccable taste in music,” describes Rize. “I grew up listening to the greats: Bob Marley, Led Zeppelin, Judy Mowatt, Santana, and The Eagles. You know, it’s a wide range of music, which was all old soul music, that evidently has an influence on an upbringing and soundscape that we grow up to.”
Elaborating further, “It’s not about when we get into music. We’re born with music in us; people are musical and people love music. It’s an element of our life that is creative and taps us into our higher selves. And also taps ourselves into a collective feeling of family, which is nice cuz that’s not something many other things in this current paradigm do.”
Rize’s love and passion for the music is a defining feature of her work, from her early days of busking to the current success of her most recent album, Rebel Frequency.
“It was never a hobby for me!” explains the singer. “From the moment I picked up the guitar, I knew that was what I wanted to do. And I was thirteen years old at the time.
NATTALI RIZE; press photo
“Building from the street, as in I was a street performer first, and going to the stage, you meet a lot of people. Whether that’s everyday people you meet and connect with or fellow musicians when you get into a band, all of these things inform and have an influence on you. I spent time in Jamaica so I can see the influence of the culture and reggae music; the birthplace of reggae music has had a big influence and inspiration for me personally. So have everyday people and what life is like cuz music, for me, is a reflection of what the times we are living in are like.”
This journey has given her extensive experiences in playing music around the globe. As a result, she has developed a unique live energy at her shows.
“Our show is high energy, deep dub, roots, and lyrical concert music,” spells out Rize. “Connecting with people is one of the best aspects. Touring and playing live shows is the opportunity to connect with people and just share and create this energy together. It’s new and different, cuz it is unique depending on who is in the room at the time, and when you play music and make music and put intention into these gatherings that we call concerts and shows, then you have the opportunity to harness the energy and intention. That’s the kind of vibration we bring to share with crowds and for them to take home, and to give us energy to get to the next show. Really, it’s a celebration of life.
NATTALI RIZE; photo Andy Ortega
“I really like playing this song of ours called ‘One People,’” states Rize. “We are a five piece band and for this song, we break it down to just guitar and vocals for the first part of the song. And this song just really speaks a whole lot of truth. It is a song that I wrote that kind of just downloaded and the lyrics just flowed out in one hit; it’s become a really popular song for my particular audience in all parts of the world. This song is always a joy because I let them sing the chorus with me, and they sing it so beautifully so it’s nice to hear.”
2019 is looking like another great year for the reggae singer. “Currently, we are well on the way to a new album, which will be released this year so that’s very exciting,” reveals Rize. “Right now, we are starting a six-week tour across America and the album we are gonna try and squeeze in, but tour life is very busy.
“After that, we have about a month before any more shows, so we are looking forward to finishing a new album and releasing it in the second half of the year and being back on the road sharing those new songs.”
Make sure you catch all the soulful excitement and vibrant energy Nattali Rize brings to all her upcoming shows in SoCal!