All Photos: Alan Mercer Lighting: Eric V.
Nathalie Archangel has her fans. There are many postings on web pages where people write about how talented she is and how strange it was that she didn’t get a hit record. She released her debut recording in 1987 on the prestigious Columbia label and her second album ‘Owl’ came out on MCA in 1992. Both of these recordings are considered classics by the people who know them.
Nathalie has just released her third full album titled ‘Raven’ on the Ninthwave Media label. She continues to grow as an artist who has an uncanny ability to write and record timeless material. ‘Raven’ is a brilliant addition to her catalog. I have now heard it many times and the music and production is sublime. The bulk of the album was produced by long-time collaborator Jim West, from Weird Al’s band. Dana Walden produced the two covers on the album.
The Columbia debut was produced by legendary pop producer David Kahne, so the quality is top notch, and the songs are fun and quirky synth and dance pop. She released two singles, ‘I Can't Reach You’ and ‘Mr. Perfect For Me,’ that didn't get much attention outside of the hip dance clubs. Unfortunately it was never released on CD anywhere but Japan.
The MCA follow-up was produced mainly by Greg Penny, who has also worked with k.d. lang and Elton John. It is more mature than her first, and has a more timeless quality. The song ‘So Quiet So Still’ was the lead single, and it was also featured in the film ‘Switch.’ There were other possible singles like ‘My Older Lover,’ featuring Frankie Valli and produced by Don Was, and ‘It Don't Heal Clean’ featuring and produced by Howard Jones. Nathalie’s music is outstanding in the sense that it truly stands alone.
My friend Charlie Mason hooked me up with his favorite singer in the whole world, Nathalie Archangel. I met Nathalie and her family, including her husband and three beautiful daughters, in Van Nuys for a quick and informal photo session and chat, while they were on a weekend visit. I fell in love with Nathalie as a person and as a Grade A Artist immediately. Do yourself a favor and listen to some of her music. If you appreciate high quality, you too...will fall in love.
AM: Where are you from Nathalie?
NA: Originally, I’m from Bergen County, New Jersey. It’s easy to get into New York City which is the best thing about it.
AM: Did you get your recording contract with Columbia in New York City?
NA: Yes, it happened by extention through a professor from Juilliard. I went there once to observe a class. The father of Actress Jessica Walter was the professor. A very lovely guy and his son’s friend worked at Columbia and walked my demo tape in, handed it to the right person, who had just finished working with the Bangles and the rest is sordid history.
AM: Did you feel lost being on a label like Columbia?
NA: Yes completely, that year they only got behind two people. One you know as Mariah Carey and the other one was Terrence Trent Darby, who went away in a flash. They didn’t get behind anyone else. It’s too bad but it was also a learning experience.
AM: Your album was released right before CD’s started appearing wasn’t it?
NA: Right around that time, yes. My second album ‘Owl’ was released on CD.
AM: What label is ‘Owl’ on?
NA: MCA.
AM: How did they compare to Columbia?
NA: The CBS experience was unsatisfying on every level including artistically. I was very young and had led a very sheltered life. In retrospect I should have had a lot more control but I was so intimidated even though I played all the instruments on my demos. I let the producer handle it all. It was overall unsatisfying and it failed financially.
AM: Was it hard to handle this failure?
NA: I licked my wounds for a while. I asked Columbia to release me and they did. I started talking to MCA a couple of years later. That record is very artistically satisfying and I’m very proud of 'Owl.’
AM: I must say I love it! I’ve been listening to it all the time now. Great record!
NA: Thank you, I love it. I got to work with Frankie Valle! I’m from Jersey where Frankie and Springsteen are Gods. Greg Penny produced it and he immediately went on to mammoth success with kd lang. A lot of people were involved.
AM: Nathalie, I love your voice. It’s so strong. Were you always a big voiced singer?
NA: Thank you! I don’t think of myself as a big strong singer. I think of myself as more of a character. I can project but I’m not that big.
AM: You can belt it out!
NA: Sometimes...and sometimes I come close to belting. I’m pretty close to knowing who I am in the studio. I know what I can do with my voice. You’ll know what I mean when you hear the new song I recorded with Charlie Mason called ‘It’s Time.’ You’ll hear it very soon. It’s a really good tune.
AM: The video everyone is watching now is called ‘Next To Me.’ Can you tell me about that?
NA: Charlie asked me if I’d sing it and I said yes.
AM: Charlie told me you’re his favorite singer ever!
NA: I love that about him.
AM: He’s the one who told me about your new recording ‘Raven.’ It’s out now isn’t it?
NA: It’s out now. We are doing a soft release. We got the video out.
AM: Your music sound timeless anyway. ‘Owl’ sounds like it was recorded last week.
NA: That makes me feel really good. My first record does sound dated but we used strings for a couple of numbers on ‘Owl.’ The LA Chamber Orchestra came in and that was intimidating. Stringed instruments are timeless. Piano and guitar sounds are timeless as well. To this day I love that record.
AM: I’m assuming you’re loving ‘Raven’ too.
NA: Yes I love it too.
AM: Do you write all your material?
NA: Yes, except the songs Charlie asks me to sing. I do two cover tunes on ‘Raven.’ One is Tammy Wynette’s ‘Stand By Your Man’ and the other is an interesting cover of Leslie Gore’s ‘You Don’t Own Me.’
AM: Do you have any specific plans or are you waiting to see how it all turns out?
NA: At this point it’s cool to be older and do these artistic things. I can do it or not do it and I’m alright. It’s not like it’s all riding on this release. The desperation I had when I was young is gone now and it’s refreshing. Now I’m free to do whatever.
To learn more about Nathalie Archangel visit her web site http://www.nathaliearchangel.com/ and her face book page https://www.facebook.com/pages/Nathalie-archangel/382649457072