top of page

NATHAN REISE [Q&A]

 February 14, 2024

7C387511-7E49-491E-BB44-8372828C536B.jpg

This song seems more intimate than your last release - is that an indicator of the direction you’re going in 2024?

 

Nathan Reise: I think it was important to contrast ‘She Don’t Want Me’ with a slower, more intimate track. I approached these two tracks like an A-side and B-side, but felt they were strong enough to stand on their own as singles. As far as the direction I’m going for this year - we’ll have to wait and see. I'm constantly discovering new music and genres, so whatever I write usually depends on what I like at the moment. 

 

Do you find it easy to be vulnerable when writing? Is it something cathartic or simply a creative choice?

Nathan Reise: It depends on the track, really. Since I started songwriting, it’s been easier to share my vulnerability. I usually write about love and heartbreak because that’s just what I’ve been inclined to write about as of late. I feel I have a lot to say about the topic. I’ve been exposed to love songs my whole life, so I think it just comes natural to me. I’m really not that great with words, but when it comes to writing songs it’s easy to say how I feel. Music speaks to me and for me; I’ve always been able to make sense of my emotions because of music. I want people to listen to these songs and have a moment like that. 

IMG_4452.JPG

What was the process of making ‘Roulette’?:

Nathan Reise: This was originally a collaboration with Miguel (BODO). This song was made out of a need to capture how we felt at the time. We made ’She Don’t Want Me’ and ‘Roulette’ after a pretty unproductive studio session back in '22. We spent the next few weeks really locking in - taking that energy and putting it towards creating these tracks. We started writing and producing it that same year and never really touched it, until I revisited it last year. I wasn’t really sure how I felt about the song at first, but as I continued to work on it, it just made sense for it to be the next single. We finalized the new recordings and I had Austin (Depth Drop) work on the final mix. There’s versions with Miguel singing on the track that probably won’t see the light of day, but it’s a reminder of that time and how this track came to be. 

IMG_4302.JPG

Where did this song come from emotionally?

Nathan Reise : It came from a place of uncertainty and not knowing what was going to happen next in our lives. Taking a gamble with love and life was a big inspiration for me and Miguel at the time. It leans into how addictive love can be; it can be all consuming and you can lose yourself. You yearn for someone and they string you along and you’re all in, only for them to leave you behind. I think it was important for us to sit down - really open up and be aware of our emotional state then. As male songwriters, it’s hard to open up this way and be vulnerable, but when you have something to say it becomes necessary.

 

This track seems to build off of the tone set by your previous release, “She Don’t Want Me” - would you agree? What was it like recording that music video? 

Nathan Reise: Totally - it wasn’t intentional at first, but they seemed to naturally work together. Alternative R&B is the genre that inspired me to make music and these two tracks are like my love letter to the genre. The music video was a first for me, but it felt right to do it for ’She Don’t Want Me.’ It gave me the experience I needed to understand the process of creating visuals and building a world around my songs. I couldn’t have done that video without my friends at Phat Puma, they worked really hard to make that video happen, they killed it.  

IMG_3116.jpg

What can people expect from you this year?

Nathan Reise: More music for sure. I've been working on a lot lately, just trying to hone in on the sound I'm going for. Also planning on playing some live shows later this year, it's time to hop on a stage.  

bottom of page