The Struggles Of Staying Healthy On The Road

Songwriting has been a passion for Natalie Prass for as long as she can remember.

She began writing music when in first grade. She took voice lessons at school for a ‘little bit’, but things became more serious when Prass was granted a scholarship to Berkley on the strength of her songs.

“The songwriter thing has always been my main passion, even when I didn’t realise what I was doing,” confesses a matter-of-fact Prass. “I have written lyrics and poetry ever since I was a kid and as far back as I can remember really. I’m still doing it!”

Prass grew up around the music scene in Virginia. She describes it as a very small scene that was made up of punk musicians as well as people such as herself and Matthew E. White. It was clear from early on that White and Prass had the same tastes with their conversations revolving mostly around the topics of the Brill Building and Stax Records. It is the same things they talk about today, as Matthew is the producer of her debut.

“I reached out him and he gave me the cold shoulder,” says Prass on how she made the record. “He didn’t respond to me for a while, but then he saw me play live and said ‘yeah, lets make a record’.”

With White’s own career taking off, Prass’ album sat on the backburner until Jenny Lewis gave her just the kickstart she needed. Prass received a phone call that Jenny Lewis was looking for a keyboardist/vocalist and she was interested in me auditioning. The audition consisted of Prass filming herself performing via her mobile phone. It was just the confidence boost she needed to escape from the bubble of being surrounded by the same people.

“My friends in Nashville were asking me why I was going to give my life to someone else's career (by doing the Jenny Lewis tour), but at that time we had made the record with Matt and it hadn’t come out after three years. I was considering whether the record was going to ever see the light of day and whether I was going to keep on making music. I really needed the boost it gave me and it taught me so much about putting out my record. Once I got off tour with Jenny, I immediately released my record and did it all myself.”

Since the release of the album, things have been in constant motion for Prass. The touring schedule has been relentless, but she is excited to be able to bring her show down to Australia.

“My greatest obstacle is staying healthy on the road. I love to travel and experience new things, but I must be delicate as I get sick as soon as I start touring. It is probably because I am a vocalist and constantly touring and the stress gets to me. I am taking a heap of vitamins and trying to stay healthy. I have learned how to push through it now, too. The show must go on.”

Originally published in X-Press Magazine