Meet Natalie Robles

We recently connected with Natalie Robles and have shared our conversation below.

Natalie, so good to have you with us today. We’ve got so much planned, so let’s jump right into it. We live in such a diverse world, and in many ways the world is getting better and more understanding but it’s far from perfect. There are so many times where folks find themselves in rooms or situations where they are the only ones that look like them – that might mean being the only woman of color in the room or the only person who grew up in a certain environment etc. Can you talk to us about how you’ve managed to thrive even in situations where you were the only one in the room?

I’d say I’ve definitely overcome the hurdle of not looking like my peers in this industry by not minimizing my features or my size, but rather embracing and even embellishing them. The idea of showing up and having people see something way different than what they expected used to terrify me, and there were even professionals who asked me to change or lose weight to become more “marketable”- ultimately, I decided the way I present my body and style meant more than just a conventional picture of who can make music. I’ve accepted that my type of beauty transcends the standard into a league of its own, audibly *and* visually.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I’ve been making music on and off for the last 14 years- it started with a love of music stemming from my father Ray Robles, who is also a musician with experience well over 40+ years. Growing up in the world of Tejano music, I was able to experience my childhood pretending to be a little rockstar, sneaking onto the stage as if no one was watching; my dream of one day singing to crowds was far stronger than my stage fright and I found myself writing more and more. Eventually, my passions extended me to pursue Jazz Studies at University of North Texas for a year, where my world burst open with endless iterations of the music I wanted to create… when everything came together, I was able to get a hold of production, composition and scales I’d only dreamed of understanding. Fast forward to 2024, I was able to meet so many amazing people through SOFAR Sounds and finally released my debut EP, “Calliope”, which is my love letter to everything that inspired me to do this in the first place!

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Three ideas that helped me persevere in moments of doubt or failure: understanding that mistakes are essential to the creative process, vulnerability is key to finding your true soul circle, and your community is absolutely everything! I wouldn’t be who I am without other creatives inspiring me to keep going, even when I was in unfamiliar territory. To be uncomfortable is to be open to change, always for the better of yourself!

What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?

As someone who struggles with anxiety and mental health, I learned to soothe myself by seeking out regular therapy and healing my inner child- whenever I’m overwhelmed, I always go back to the source of my behavior and realize that people are meant to make both the right and the wrong decisions in order to grow and move forward. Mental health is not talked about enough, especially when it comes to creatives.

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Image Credits

Personal photo by Judith Williams

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