Natalie Duncan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Natalie Duncan
Natalie Duncan performing in London, 2014
Background information
Birth name	Natalie Alexis Duncan
Born	1988 (age 36–37) Croydon, London, England
Genres	Soul blues
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter
Instruments	Vocals piano
Years active	2009–present
Labels	Verve
Associated acts	Goldie Liam Bailey Muse

Natalie Alexis Duncan is a British soul musician from Nottingham, England. She is known for her soulful voice and piano skills. Natalie is currently signed to Fallen Tree 1Hundred, a record label started by the famous British music producer and DJ, Goldie.

Natalie released her first collection of songs, called an EP, titled Natalie Alexis Duncan in 2009. Soon after, she was chosen for a special TV show on BBC Two called Goldie's Band: By Royal Appointment. This show aired in 2011 and helped her become more widely known. Because of her appearance on the show, Natalie got a recording contract with Verve Records. She started recording her first full album in 2011. This album, Devil In Me, was released on July 16, 2012. Later, in 2015, she released another EP called Black & White. Her second studio album, Free, came out on July 31, 2020, under Goldie’s Fallen Tree 1Hundred label.

Natalie Duncan's music style is inspired by many different artists. Some of her influences include Nina Simone, Pink Floyd, The Rolling Stones, Aretha Franklin, and Radiohead. People have often compared her to other talented singers like Alicia Keys, Amy Winehouse, and Norah Jones.

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Natalie Duncan was born in Croydon, a part of London, England. Her mother is from Jamaica, and her father has both English and Greek heritage. In 1991, when she was young, Natalie moved to Nottingham, where she grew up.

Natalie showed a strong interest in music from a very young age. When she was just three years old, she created her first song on a small toy keyboard. She started taking piano lessons at age five. Instead of reading music notes, she preferred to learn by listening. By the time she was 14, she had earned a Grade 5 qualification in jazz piano. Her father had a large collection of records, which included a lot of black music. Natalie also listened to classical music and enjoyed a wide variety of other music.

Natalie first sang in public when she was 10 years old, at her junior school. At 15, she won a music competition at her high school. She sang and played a song by Alicia Keys. She also started writing her own songs when she was quite young. After leaving school, she studied music at New College Nottingham.

Music Career Highlights

Natalie Duncan began her music journey by performing solo at open mic nights in Nottingham. She also sang with local bands. Eventually, she signed with a local record label called Farmyard Records. For this label, she recorded her first EP, Natalie Alexis Duncan, in 2009.

Her big opportunity came in 2010. The BBC was making a show about 12 young musicians from across the UK. These musicians had used music to help them overcome challenges in their lives. The show was created by Goldie, a pioneer in drum and bass music. The three-part series, Goldie's Band By Royal Appointment, shared each musician's story. It then challenged them to write 12 songs to perform at a live concert. This special concert took place at Buckingham Palace for Prince Harry.

After this TV appearance, Natalie signed with Verve Records. She recorded her first album, Devil In Me, at Peter Gabriel's Real World Studios. The album was recorded "live" in just two weeks. It featured well-known musicians like Greg Cohen and Earl Harvin. When it was released in 2012, the album received great reviews.

In September 2012, Natalie appeared on the BBC show Later... with Jools Holland. The same episode also featured the British rock band Muse. Natalie later had the chance to open for Muse at the start of their European tour. The next year, she was featured on a popular radio show in Nottingham. She also provided vocals for the Disclosure song "Apollo." This song was part of their remix album, Settle: The Remixes. Natalie also covered the classic song "At Last" by Etta James on her Find Me a Home EP. This song was used in a TV advertisement for Auto Trader in the UK.

In 2014, Natalie Duncan left her record label, Verve Records. She then released her new EP, Black & White, on digital platforms on February 2, 2015. This EP showed a new direction for her music, with more electronic influences. She released another single, "Kingston," on July 24, 2015. Natalie also released the single "Lies" on August 28, 2015. This song quickly gained over 50,000 listens on Spotify in its first month. It now has over 600,000 listens.

In July 2020, Natalie released her second full studio album, Free. This album was released under Goldie’s Fallen Tree 1Hundred label.

Natalie Duncan's Music

Albums

Extended Plays (EPs)

Singles

Collaborations

Natalie Duncan has worked with other artists on various songs:

Music Videos