From jimmy’s star to rising pop star: an interview with natalia vassilian

The world is not ready to meet Natalia Vassilian, the star that she is. The nineteen-year-old singer-songwriter inspires many young theater kids who dream of a career in the music industry. I had the honor and pleasure of getting to know her and her artistry. 

Where does your inspiration stem from?

“Taylor Swift is definitely my biggest inspiration musically and business-wise. I think she is just a really sharp, smart woman. Her music just really speaks to me that conversational, relational lyrics. I really am inspired by her. I’d say Stevie Nicks is my other huge inspiration—visually, lyrically, and musical content. I really love everything about Stevie Nicks. In terms of  the songs I write, I take inspiration off the relationships in my life, or lack thereof.”

Guide me through your songwriting process…

“It's a little bit different every time. Most commonly, I will be out and about, someone will say a word or phrase and something in my head will say, ‘Ding, ding, ding.’I will whip out my notes app or voice memos, I type out what I heard or sing the melody into my voice memos, and I immediately go home and write down whatever chords I was feeling when I wrote that phrase. And I just kind of stream of consciousness whatever comes out of my mouth, and then I just refine it until it feels like whatever I felt in that moment. Sometimes, I’ll get together with my producer, John, and we’ll talk about things happening in my life, and he’ll just start making a drum beat, and then I’ll start spitting off melodies, and we’ll make something that way.”

What would you say is the hardest part when brainstorming new music?

“I would say hunkering down and doing it. I get in my head a lot. I have a bunch of ideas swirling all the time, but once I get down to my guitar and piano, my mind just goes blank, and I am almost afraid to sometimes say what I want to say. That’s definitely the hardest part. Being able to say what I want to say. Once I do start and allow myself to go to that place, it kind of just writes itself.”

How was it participating in the Jimmy Awards?

“Right off the bat it was such an amazing experience. It was like nothing I’d ever done before because there’s theater kids, and then there’s theater kids and all these people were just a hundred massive theater kids all combined into one space for seven days straight. It was just so many characters, so many different personalities, some people had these really heavy Southern accents. Everyone was from a different place, and we all bonded over theater, which was really cool. It was really intense, though, just going all day, but it really sharpened my focus and dedication. When you’re in that environment of people who are also so into art in that way, something kind of turns on, and you’re like, ‘yeah, I’m here, and it’s possible to do this, and I already got this far.’ So it was very inspirational.”

What impulsed you to switch from the theater world to the pop music industry?

“I would say I grew up doing theater because I always had a passion for music. Music was always first for me. Before I could even talk, I was in my crib singing to wake up my family. I’m not the best at memorizing lines, but I did it because I wanted to sing. I wanted the musical aspect of it, and I love performing, I love entertaining a crowd. That’s what drew me to theater, but the base of it was always music. As I transitioned out of high school, I did the Jimmy Awards. I was like, ‘Okay, what do I wanna do? Do I want to go the theater route? Or do I want to pursue music in a way that feels more authentic to me and to my story? That’s why I choose pop music. I felt like it was a way to express my emotions, express my story specifically, rather than play somebody else.”

How was that switch, going from performing on theatrical stages to releasing music?

“It was really nerve-wracking, I’m not going to lie. I have done theater my whole life, so I got really comfortable on stage. I got to a point where I wasn’t really nervous going out and performing a two-hour show. And then, when I started doing solely pop music I started getting really nervous again whenever I’d do shows. I think the nerve-wracking part was that it was my story. It was a raw, vulnerable part of me that wasn’t playing a character. When I got up on stage and was singing my lyrics, I was like ‘Oh, people are seeing me, the entirety of me. Not just a character.’”

In what ways have you seen yourself grow as an artist through USC’s Music Industry Program?

“Honestly, the people that I have met have been so inspiring. It was a similar experience to the Jimmy Awards, where you see people that are so dedicated to their craft that makes you want to be as dedicated and as into it. Meeting people on the industry side, but also a big part of being a music industry major is that we work with the Pop majors and the actual performance majors. Getting to see the performance has been so inspiring. I try to go to as many music events as I can go too. I went to see a Jazz concert the other night, and that’s just as inspiring as when I saw Taylor Swift's The Eras Tour. I have also been in a couple of songwriting classes, and seeing other people my age and what’s up and coming in the songwriting scene has been very inspiring for me.”

Where do you see yourself in five years?

“Well, the goal is a sold-out arena tour. That’s ultimately where I see myself, whether it’s five years, two years, or ten years, I want to get there. So yeah, arena tours, making music, but most importantly, connecting with people and inspiring people through that.”

What would your dream Natalia Vassilian headline tour look like?

“I think it would be filled with lots of sparkles, and backup dancers are a must. I would love to be dancing because I love dancing. Lots of outfit changes because I love fashion. And lots of good vibes. It would be a party. I’d want everyone in the audience to be having a party.”

Do you ever feel like your fashion sense and the music you listen to/write intertwine?

“For sure, I’m very much like Taylor in that way. When she’s going through the different eras with different music styles, she dresses in a certain way, and I feel very inspired. If I’m wearing something flowy, witchy, darker colors, then I want to make more Stevie Nicks music. Sometimes, I wear a more grunge rock aesthetic, and I kind of want to make rock songs. I’m very inspired by my fashion and visuals.

What impact do you want to make with your music?

“What a big question. I want young girls, young people who feel like they don’t have someone to relate to, who don’t feel like they have someone who represents them and their story and what they go through, to feel like they have somebody to connect with. Growing up, Taylor Swift was that for me, but of course, I didn’t have someone that looked exactly like me and so I want to be that for other people. I’m nineteen years old, and I’ve never had a boyfriend. That’s a unique experience, but I think it’s a common experience. My music kind of reflects that a little bit. I want to make music and live a life that inspires young girls to do whatever they want.  Whether it’s a music career or a law degree, I want to inspire people younger than me.”

Should we expect to hear any new music soon, or perhaps any live shows?

“I just played a live show a couple of weeks ago, so I don’t have anything lined up as of right now, but I think that’ll change soon. As for music, I do have a single that’s probably going to come out within the next month or two. It’s a very poppy single. It’s like a ‘situationship’ anthem, a good one, and hopefully an EP coming in the spring.”

If you could give your listeners/future listeners any message, what would you tell them?

“I would say go for it. Whatever you want, go for it 100%. If you believe it, it will happen.”