Natalia
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Natalia

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"Caught Live"

Leggy, Gorgeous and with a killer voice to match its no wonder why Girls Aloud picked Natalia to support them on their UK tour.

With the inevitable comparisons to Amerie and Rhianna, the 18 year old British beauty looks set to raise the competition stakes . . . . .

Natalie Edwards - The Daily Star


"I'm In The Mood For Prancing"

After supporting the likes of Girls Aloud and Justin Timberlake in Sheffield exotic songstress Natalia finally launches her debut single Pretty Like Me with a series of club dates that have her at Doncaster's Mood tonight.

Born in Wales with Christian Lebanese and Turkish roots, Natalia has produced a rocky soul track which will precede a genre-jumping album called Random in the new year.
Natalia is a classically trained ballerina who worked in theatre, TV and music videos before dabbling with producers, MySpace and signing a deal with Upper 11 Records. She's still just 18.

She'll belt out Pretty Like Me at 11.30 tonight. She says: "The song is a reaction to all the pressure on women to look a certain way.
"It's about self esteem and about the way women and girls can be subject to bullying for not conforming to an ideal. None of us is perfect and at some point we all need to back away from the pressure and realise it's okay to be who you are."

Natalia made some of her debut album in the US. "I've got to work with some incredible people and it was such an amazing experience. They work differently out there and I learnt so much. It was much more demanding and it really challenged me, which I think in turn helped me to grow up and open my eyes to what the business is all about."

Pretty Like Me is out on February 4. She was last here opening for Simon Webbe at the City Hall.

Visit myspace.com/nataliaofficial for more.

David Dunn - The Star


"She’s Just tutu cool"

She's a part Lebanese former ballerina, sings a quirky mix of rock and R'n'B, and, more often than not, comes on stage in a tutu.

For a promising pop star in the making, Natalia doesn't believe in doing things by the book.

But her unconventional approach, killer voice, and catchy tunes have launched her on a trajectory surely leading to chart stardom.
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Although, after supporting Girls Aloud, during which she regularly performed to up to 16,000 people, the 18-year-old teen sensation is taking a step down for her first Oxford gig.

For instead of a stadium full of screaming girls, tomorrow's county debut will be in front of an intimate gathering of homosexuals and lesbians - at the city's Gay Pride.

"It's very different," she admits, talking to The Guide from her London recording studio, where she is busy putting the finishing touches to new single Pretty Like Me.

"I do love Gay Pride though. There is always a nice crowd."

And while she laughs off any suggestion of becoming a gay icon, she betrays an open-mindedness absent among many mainstream pop artists.

"I am really looking forward to the event," she adds. "And I hope everyone comes down to see me.

"I'm a great performer, my shows are very visual and colourful, and my music is cool, quirky and tongue in cheek."

Undoubtedly, the buffed-up throng congregating at Oxpens tomorrow will agree.

Growing up in Cardiff with her Greek mother and half-Lebanese, half-British father, Natalia was always set on becoming an artist.

But it was only three years ago that she decided to sing.

Before that, she was determined to make it as a ballet dancer. At 14 she won a full scholarship to study jazz, and contemporary and musical theatre at Elmhurst, in Birmingham, one of the UK's leading dance schools - and she hasn't forgotten any of her moves.

"It was very hard work but I loved it," she says, in her thick Welsh accent.

"I still do classes when I can - and I still wear the tutu. It's just one of those quirky things that people don't expect to see."

Joining pop act The Pussy Katz gave Natalia her first musical break - though she says she is happier as a solo artist.

"The experience with the band was good, but things didn't work out, so I went solo."

She is now working on her debut album - with a production team including some very impressive names - Peter Zizzo (J-Lo), Jimmy Bralower (R Kelly, Madonna, Britney Spears), Mike Mangini (Joss Stone, Run DMC, The Corrs), J-Remy (Kelly Rowland, Fatman Scoop, Fabolous), Lil Eddie (P Diddy, LL Cool J) and K.Warren (Brandy, Christina Aguilera).

"It's so cool," she says. "I love waking up every day knowing I can perform to people. I can't imagine doing anything else.

It was this summer's 16-stadium tour support for Girls Aloud, though, which finally gave the opportunity to share her music with a larger audience.

"It was amazing," she recalls.

"They are really nice girls and I loved every minute. They were so welcoming - and my shows got a really good reception.

"At Wembley there were 16,000 people. I was petrified - but once on stage I didn't want to go off. It was a pure adrenaline rush.

"But while I like the big shows, I also love intimate gigs, where you can see the crowd's reaction.

"I hope people come and check me out.

"You don't have to be gay to come along. It's going to be a great day."

Tim Hughes


- Oxford Mail


"Newcomer's Debut Date"

A classically trained dancer turned pop and r&b singer makes her Blackpool debut at Brannigans on Thursday night.

Natalia, who releases her debut single Pretty Like Me on September 24, will be on stage at the Market Street venue at 10.30pm.

As an unsigned artist last year, Natalia’s tracks reigned supreme at the top of the Myspace Unsigned Artists Charts for six months, receiving nearly 150 thousand hits between March and December.

At the end of 2006, Natalia signed a major deal with Upper 11 Records.
Born and raised in Wales, with Lebanese and Greek roots, Natalia won a full scholarship to study ballet at Elmhurst, one of the UK’s leading dance schools and is a classically trained ballerina who has enjoyed success in theatre and on TV. But her vocal talent was unleashed when she teamed up with producer K Warren to create a handful of experimental tracks, the best of which were launched onto MySpace.

The production team on her debut album includes names such as; Andy Marvel & Peter Zizzo (Celine Dion, Avril Lavigne, Chaka Khan), J Remy (Kelly Rowland, Fat Man Scoop) and Lil Eddie (LL Cool J & P Diddy).

Produced by Mike Mangini (who has worked with Steve Vai, Extreme, Joss Stone and Annihilator), the single Pretty Like Me is already tipped for the top and she was hand picked by Girls Aloud to support them on their 20 date arena tour this year. She has also supported McFly on tour.

By Duke - Blackpool Gazette


"Rav's News of The World Column"

Here's a name to watch out for - gorgeous Natalia. The cute Brit singer has notched up a string of celebrity fans, including Girls Aloud, Timbaland, and boxer Amir Khan, who could star in her new video. The leggy starlet, whose debut single 'Pretty Like Me' is out next year has also penned a track for Britney Spears.' - News Of The World


Discography

"Pretty Like Me" - Single Released 4th February 2008

Album - Released Spring 2008

Photos

Bio

19 year-old Natalia has the kind of wide-eyed beauty and infectious laugh that engage you from the moment you meet her. But as we all know, when it comes to the music industry, gorgeous looks and a sweet demeanour won’t get you anywhere unless you have the talent to back them up. Luckily for Natalia, she’s been blessed with that too, which is why, from here on in, you’ll be hearing a hell of a lot more about her. With killer tunes, a killer voice and - let’s face it - killer looks, it’s no wonder Girl’s Aloud invited her to support them on their 16-date stadium tour earlier this year.

Born in Wales to a Greek mother and a Lebanese father, Natalia is the middle daughter of three. She started performing from a young age and attended the local ballet school from the age of three, before winning a place at the esteemed Elmhurst ballet school where she studied ballet, jazz, contemporary and musical theatre. On leaving, she began dancing professionally, appearing in theatre productions around Europe and landing the role of a Greek dancer in the film Alexandra The Great.

Natalia’s achievements didn’t always go down well with her peers and she suffered bullying from a young age. She turned to music as a comfort and it became a form of self-expression. Natalia is now an ambassador for the young people’s charity UK Youth. “I had a really hard time at school, it’s not always easy fitting in. Bullying is harder to cope with than people think.”

Natalia began singing while at college and later joined a girl group called the Pussy Katz after being invited to audition. “The group didn’t work out for various reasons and around that time I met a producer called K Warren,” she explains. “I knew that singing was all I wanted to do and I would miss the buzz of performing, so after a lot of soul searching I took a chance and I went solo. I started recording songs, and I put some on MySpace and it totally blew up. It was crazy!”

So crazy, in fact, that Natalia’s page was getting seven thousand hits a day and her tracks soon reached number one on the MySpace R&B and Other charts. “I couldn’t believe it,” she smiles. “I had three songs on there and more and more people kept listening. I would sit there watching the counter go up open-mouthed.”

Word soon spread and representatives of record company Upper 11 - whose president is Mark Shimmel, ex-Arista and LaFace Records - went to one of Natalia’s gigs to see what the fuss was about. Needless to say, with interest growing daily and several record companies chasing her, a deal was soon on the table and Natalia signed with Upper 11 at the end of 2006. “It all happened too fast, but all at the right time,” she muses. “I never questioned anything that happened. I just went with it and trusted that it would all work out.”

Unsurprisingly, the cream of the music world has flocked to work with Natalia. As well as working with noted choreographer Paulette Minott (Sugababes, Rihanna, Girls Aloud) she has worked with some of the world’s best-known songwriters and producers.

The finishing touches are currently being put to her album, due for release early next year, and the contributors list reads like a who’s who of producers and writers. Among those who have worked their magic on her debut are Peter Zizzo (Avril Lavigne, J-Lo), Andy Marvel (Jessica Simpson, Celine Dion, Diana King), Jimmy Bralower (R Kelly Madonna, Britney Spears), Mike Mangini (Joss Stone, Run DMC, The Corrs), J-Remy (Kelly Rowland, Fatman Scoop, Fabolous), Itaal Shut (Jewel, Maxwell, Rob Thomas), Lil Eddie (P Diddy, LL Cool J) and K.Warren (Brandy, Whitney Houston, Christina Aguilera).

“I’ve got to work with some incredible people and it was such an amazing experience,” says a clearly thrilled Natalia.” I went out to America to work on parts of the album. They work differently out there and I learnt so much. It was much more demanding and it really challenged me as an artist, which I think in turn helped me to grow up and open my eyes to what the business is all about.”

Of course, Natalia can’t wait to unleash her album to the public. “It’s really eclectic and while there are some lovely, meaningful songs on there, there are also rock tracks and uplifting songs that are there purely for people to dance to. I’m influenced by everyone, from R&B to rock, and I wanted to express that on the album.”

Her debut single, Pretty Like Me – a stomping, pop and rock-heavy, tongue in cheek look at modern-day society’s obsession with looks – is set for release in February and will feature mixes by Bimbo Jones (Usher, Ciara). “The song is a reaction to all the pressure that’s on women to look a certain way. It’s really about self esteem, and about the way that women and girls can be subject to bullying for not conforming to an ideal. None of us are perfect and at some point we all need to back away from the pressure and realise that it’s okay to be who you are.” The video for the song, directed by award-winnin