Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Natalie Joly. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Natalie, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?
When I was a kid I remember my parents instilling resilience in me by telling me to always finish what I start, not to get disappointed by set backs and that “failing” can always be a learning experience. I think that has carried through into my adulthood and has been solidified by so many experiences where I’ve seen my resilience working in action. In music there is no one way to reaching your goals, it’s more of a series of trying many different tactics and seeing what sticks. I’ve always had a really deep faith that this is what I’m meant to do and I think that faith really helps me pick myself up after things don’t go as planned.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
When people ask what I do I say I am a songwriter, music producer and performer. My passion is making music by writing songs, producing them in my studio, bringing them to life, and then performing them on stage. I truly love every facet of my career, but if I had to choose my favorite part it would be the process of writing a new song acoustically and then filling in the arrangement with instrument parts usually consisting of guitars, bass, keys, organs, drums and strings. When I’m in this creative space is when I definitely feel most in my “flow” zone mentally and time just seems to stand still. As of now, I produce all my songs myself but I do plan on expanding my workflow to involve some incredible talent here in Nashville to help take my songs to the next level. I just released my latest single “Ain’t So Bad” in July and am working on my next releases for the fall and winter! My music is best described as “soft rock”, pulling in elements from classic rock, pop, and some country. I have several songs released that you can find on all streaming platforms, as well as YouTube for my official music videos! You can also access my discography on my website nataliejoly.com and sign up for my newsletter if you’d like to be notified of my new releases going forward!
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
I would say 3 things that were the most impactful in my journey would be my commitment, my growth mindset about my skills and and my ability to network and put myself out there. If you really want something, you have to be committed enough to it that you will prioritize it and be willing to miss out on other things for the sake of your career. I’ve missed all sorts of parties and vacations to prioritize shows and working on my music. I missed out on having any college experience because I decided to go straight into working on my music and not go to college at all. I’m not saying you shouldn’t have balance because you absolutely should and you need to still live a full life in the meantime, but you have to be willing to put your career above other things when the time calls for it. I think it’s probably the most important thing you can do to develop a strong growth mindset in everything you do, but especially a creative career. You need to know you can improve and be eager to do so, and not get discouraged when you fall short. You are capable of so much more than you realize! You’re capable of things you don’t even yet comprehend because it’s several steps away, but as long as you keep moving forward I promise you will look back and be so proud of how far you’ve come. In terms of networking, that really is the name of the game. You have to get your name out there and tell people what you’re trying to accomplish. You will be shocked how many people offer a lending hand along the way! One door will lead to another, and to another and next thing you know it’s snowballing into opportunities far greater than you could’ve ever accomplished on your own.
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?
When I feel overwhelmed I like to make a long to-do list of all of the things in my head so I can get them down on paper and don’t have to rely on my mind to remember them all. Once everything is down on paper I can go through and see which items are most important or time sensitive that I can tackle first. It’s hard to manage everything all at once but when I write it all down and can look at it on paper, it feels more manageable and I can begin to start completing things to lighten my work load. It also really helps to just take a step back and remember why I’m doing what I’m doing, and take some time to rest! Whether that’s going for a quick walk or taking a whole afternoon to just be and get back to being creative without all the pressure, I definitely have learned the importance of resting so I can come back to my work with more clarity and energy.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.nataliejoly.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nataliejoly/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NatalieJolyMusician
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/nataliejoly
- Other: Follow me on Spotify! https://open.spotify.com/artist/7BGJL3ALXGZiNdQwUV6jGg
Image Credits
Kenzie Maroney and Gabby Baglieri
