Official Biography (courtesy of Nate Larson)
Upon first look, there may be some aesthetical comparisons to other artists who have come before him. But upon first listen, those parallels immediately begin to fall away. Atlanta-born/ Orlando-raised singer-songwriter Nate Larson is poised to take the industry by storm with a dynamic Billboard-bound vocal style. “Maybe some would put into the blue eyed soul box,” he concedes. Flaunting a musical style described as R&B with a pop edge, Nate has managed to tap into his broad range of musical influences while bringing a remarkably fresh sound all his own.
Since his beginnings in the fertile musical crescent of Atlanta, Nate has been incessantly grooming his gift of song. “Music was always all around me,” he says. “My mom tells me that from the age of two, I would memorize songs and lyrics from artists such as Billy Joel and Michael Jackson. Anything that had a good beat.” It wasn’t long before his insatiable love of music found him performing with a gospel group for a number of years.
During his tenure with the group, Nate began to explore and become enamored with the full range of American popular music. But it wasn’t long before he realized that he had more of an affinity for the vast canon of black music. “I have to say my favorite era of music was 90’s R&B. Artists like Jodeci, Boyz II Men, Prince, Michael Jackson, and Luther Vandross made me really think about being a full time entertainer.”
At the age of 18, Nate made the brave decision to shift gears. He left the gospel group to spread his wings as a solo R&B artist. He concentrated on sharpening his skills as a songwriter by honing in on the great icons. “I got so much inspiration from a lot of the old Motown songwriters like Smokey Robinson and Marvin Gaye,” he concedes. “I love the way they arranged background vocals.” Pretty soon, Nate was in the studio recording solo material.
A new signee to eOne, the largest independent music and video distributor in North America, Nate headed back to the studio this summer to record some dynamic new tunes for his 6-track EP Never Be The Same (NLM/Nia/Purpose/eOne). The album includes tracks with the Grammy-winning songwriting/production team of Shannon Sanders (India Arie, Johnny Lang, Eric Benet) and Drew Ramsey (Heather Headley, John Legend, Robert Randolph). The brilliant lead single, “Close To Love,” is a shining testament to the successful pairing of the duo’s musical Midas touch and Nate’s vocal prowess. On “Close To Love,” which Nate also co-wrote, he earnestly pleads his wish to be near the object of his affection against a rhythmic track destined for radio playlists across the country.
Along with “Close To Love,” the Ramsey and Sanders-produced cut “Landmine” finds Nate premiering his commendable songwriting talents. “Landmine” delineates how falling in love will change a man forever – playing off the album title – he will never be the same. Ramsey and Sanders also contributed their production savvy to the passionate “Live On Love,” an alluring duet with Dove Award winning singer-songwriter Rachael Lampa. Nate’s working relationship with Ramsey and Sanders further builds on his superlative standard of working with the best in the industry. “Nate Larson is a refreshing blend of a clear voice and clear heart,” says the duo. Nate also linked with esteemed industry vocal coach/songwriter Robert “RAab” Stevenson (Justin Timberlake, Jennifer Hudson) and producer Drake Murphy. From the blissful, guitar-driven “Perfect Picture” to the synth-laden “Miracle Girl,” the song’s lyrics give credence to the age old idiom love conquers all. The song “Miracle Girl” is also featured in the upcoming feature length motion picture Escapee, starring Dominic Purcell, Danny Nucci, and Kadeem Hardison.
Nate is well aware of the musical landscape as it stands. However, he’s also aiming to cement himself just beyond the borders of convention. After all, this is how legends are made.