Approach Major A&R Representatives - Catch Up with Natalie Tuvey

Natalie Tuvey is a talented singer/songwriter from London, with exceptional experience working with major labels. The singer has developed great wisdom over the years on the best approach to getting noticed by A&R representatives. Using the platform to grow in her skill as a topline writer, we caught up with Natalie to discuss why it’s important to slow down the creation of music, her opinion on what labels and publishers are looking for in upcoming singers/songwriters, and how the platform met her expectations sooner than she thought it would.

#1 Tell us a bit about yourself and your background

My name is Natalie Tuvey and I am a 17 year old singer/songwriter from London. I recently moved to London from Harrogate, North Yorkshire to study music full time and pursue a career in the music industry. It sounds almost cliche but I honestly have been singing for longer than I can remember. I’ve always known that music is what I want to do. More than anything I want to write not only for myself, but for others too and to collaborate and co-write with as many people as possible.

#2 How’re you enjoying the platform, what benefits have you noticed so far?

Since discovering music gateway things have become so much easier for me. It feels as though people on this website are not on there because they’re looking for money, but because they all have a passion for music and want to meet people with that same passion.

Personally, I didn’t have the right production for my music and music gateway has helped me to find good producers who similarly have an interest in working with me and I am hoping to soon have some good music on the way. Music gateway is brilliant – I would recommend it to anybody trying to immerse themselves in the music industry – whatever they want to do. There’s a place for everybody.

#3 When you first joined the site, what were your needs and goals and have some of them been met?

I joined Music Gateway around February primarily because I was looking to topline for people. I had recently had a great topline opportunity and wanted to take my toplining skills further – I just didn’t know how. After browsing the internet I came across music gateway and within the first 10 minutes saw multiple topline opportunities. I have been very busy and so I have not yet got around to completing these toplines to the full – but I have 3 tracks through music gateway which I am working on and which I hope to be done by the end of the year. In addition to this I have had multiple people approach me, which is more than I expected.

#4 You’ve been involved in quite a few projects, what are the main advantages for you when it comes to running projects through the platform as opposed to working with existing connections?

I think that music gateway opens up more opportunities for a young aspiring singer/songwriter like myself. In London I am surrounded by people in the music industry, but music gateway has allowed me to work with people from across the world and develop some of my favourite music yet. Existing connections are great, but you cannot live off of them forever – it gets boring! I am really finding my ‘sound’ by working with people through music gateway. I honestly mean that.

#5 As a singer/songwriter I can see that you’ve had some experience working behind the scenes in the music industry. In your opinion, what doyou think labels and publishers are looking for in upcoming singers/songwriters?

You will not be invested in if people are not investing in you. I have worked at Universal Music Publishing and been in meetings with those who have signed Adele, Coldplay – and the list goes on. I had the opportunity to perform to these A&Rs too, and I am lucky enough to still be in contact with them. From my knowledge and insight of the music industry I know that you need to stand out. People need to be talking about you before the A&Rs are. Nowadays the way that you get a second look is through word of mouth and so I believe that it seems to be more about who you know rather than what you know.

My advice for that is to not only network but go to seminars. I heard a piece of advice from Laura Mvula’s manager during a masterclass and it has really stuck with me ever since. He said that if you aspire to be a songwriter you music “write 100 songs and you’ll be taken seriously on your 101st”. I think that what he meant by that was that once you’ve written 100 songs you become bored of writing on your own and so you co-write. This is when your name spreads and gets noticed. I am only young but I know that co-writing is so important. If you’re looking to be noticed by a publisher you need to do more than just write. You need to write for other people, in a range of genres or a specific genre. Make demos, send them out.

(Natalie performing “Little Features” Live on London Live TV)

More importantly you need to love the music that you are making! If you don’t love what you have written, how do you expect anybody else to? If you’re looking to be an artist, labels will only take you seriously if you are serious. An A&R told me that the biggest mistake they see young artists make is rushing. If you put your music online and an A&R comes across it but the production is not good at all, they will throw it in the bin. I got told that they would rather see a completely stripped back version of a song than a song that is trying too hard to be something it is not yet. In more simple words, don’t rush into the production of your music. It’s much better to wait. Once you get shivers from your own music you know that you’re doing something right – but until then keep that music on the downlow in your private library. Again, more importantly than anything at all – love it. The competition is so high nowadays that you NEED to stand out one way or the other.

#6 Do you have any music being released anytime soon for people to check out?

As I said previously, I have learnt that it’s bad to rush and although I am DYING to show people the music I have been making I know that it’s not quite ready for online release. I have been sending my music around to my contacts and receiving some of the best feedback which I am currently putting into place. I promise I’m working on it though! However, you take a look at my website here 🙂

#7 What advice would you give to other members looking to utilise the site to aid their career and stay pro-active on the website?

Check out and try new opportunities every day! Don’t be sad if someone doesn’t accept your pitch for an opportunity, the great thing about music gateway is that there’s plenty of them and something for everyone. Music Gateway is an ideal platform for all sectors of the music industry – whether you’re looking for a producer, songwriter, artist, composer..The list really does go on! Music Gateway has given me so many opportunities so just keep searching the site. If you miss a day you might miss an opportunity!

If you’d like help in regards to developing your career or equally if you’d like to connect with people like Natalie, sign up to Music Gateway today!