Natalie Layne is originally from Colorado Springs, but has lived in Nashville for four years now! She grew up in a very musical family – her grandma taught her piano when she was little and she fell in love with it. Her mother sings, father plays trombone and bass, and her brother plays drums. They love to have family band sessions when she is home in Colorado.
She told us, "As long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to make Christian music with a flare –with something special that really digs deep and makes people want to continue listening! I’ve loved creating a CCM sound with R&B/gospel additions."
Natalie Layne's Top Six
What makes Nashville special to you? Nashville is literally a whole community of creatives. I love knowing that wherever I go, people are music-lovers. They’re artists and designers and managers and photographers, and a lot of people moved there to get into music in the first place. Nashvillians get why the music industry is important – and they know the way music can change people, because somehow, it’s changed them too. How would you say your hometown of Colorado Springs differs from Nashville? The environment is way different! That’s probably what I miss the most about Colorado – mountains, snow in the winter, dry heat in the summer. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to the Nashville humidity. And Nashville is hilarious in the winter if it ever snows. I still laugh at the way people freak out about being cold – I’m used to winters hitting 0 degrees sometimes! Say you had a completely free day in Nashville—no work allowed. What would you be doing? I’d be grabbing food at one of the best Nashville restaurants, hammocking at a park with my friends, and going to see some music in the evening. I could do that every day of the week and never get tired of it. What are some of your favorite Nashville restaurants?There are the classics – Hattie B’s, Biscuit Love, etc. Those are awesome. My personal classics are also Cava, Poke Bros, Barcelona. Lately I’ve been loving North Italia too. Their pizzas and salads and garlic bread are insane! Is there a place you haven't eaten you have been dying to go? I’ve heard Greenery Co. is crazy good. Haven’t made it there or Crumbl cookies yet. If someone is coming to Nashville for the first time, where do you take them? Gotta go to the Opryland hotel! So much to see all in one place. I’ll usually take friends on a drive downtown, and sometimes walk across the pedestrian bridge and grab a GooGoo cluster. And if we can see some great music every night, I won’t complain.
One Thing About Nashville
What is one way Nashville has influenced your music? I hadn’t really played jazz or R&B music until I got to Nashville. This city has given me the chance to grow in those styles, and I’ve also grown so much as a songwriter in the last several years living here. I’ve met so many of my songwriting heroes and continued to learn from them!
Five Favorites
What’s your favorite place to go for ice cream in Nashville? Jeni’s. No contest. Best ice cream in the world. What’s your favorite place for breakfast in Nashville? Biscuit Love is pretty tough to beat. I’m probably too obsessed with their cheese grits, and I don’t even like grits in the first place. I would also eat their jam by the spoonful. Do you have a favorite music venue? Again, the Ryman is pretty hard to beat. Leading worship on that stage was one of my favorite moments – so much rich history and you can feel it in the room. I also love going to the Listening Room and Rudy’s Jazz Room!
(Side note: I went to Belmont and I still think some of the best music in Nashville comes out of that school. I still go to the student programs they have, and I especially love the jazz concerts and Christmas at Belmont). Favorite museum? If you haven’t been, you MUST go to the National Museum of African American Music. Blows my mind every time. Favorite grocery store to shop? I’m between Kroger and Trader Joe’s. I like to switch off if I can.
Website: natalielaynemusic.com
Facebook: facebook.com/natalielaynemusic/
Instagram: Instagram.com/natalielaynemusic/
YouTube: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UC3RWHRU8338vciU-gNp2c1g
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6N1l2HIYtw3RhoJ2wzLYaB?si=PKb-mCILQJSE1KSGq4QfNA
