We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Natalie Duque a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Natalie thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

Last year I decided to go all in and finally learn how to produce my own music. I was tired of needing to depend on others to help bring my songs to life, and financially, it just wasn’t feasible. When I got to a point where I felt comfortable with the tech-side of music production, and felt like I had a good workflow established, I started looking into more session work and custom songwriting opportunities that would allow me to continue to strengthen my music production chops! In my search, I discovered the “Songs of Love” Foundation. The Songs of Love Foundation is a national nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that creates free, personalized, original songs to uplift children and teens currently facing tough medical, physical, or emotional challenges in hospitals. As soon as I stumbled on their page, I applied to be a songwriter, and I am proud to share that I just submitted my 12th Song of Love to date! Writing custom songs for kids going through a tough time, knowing that my goal is to put a smile on their face and bring a little bit of light during an extremely challenging time, is the most meaningful and rewarding project I’ve ever worked on. I am honored to be a Songs of Love songwriter and am excited to continue to bring love and light to these very deserving children and their families.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’ve been singing since before I could talk. I remember singing the entire Wilson Phillips album in the back of my mom’s minivan on long car rides, reciting every single word from memory. I didn’t discover songwriting until later on, but when I did, everything just kind of clicked for me. It really became my therapy and the way I made sense of the world around me.

I still remember the first time I wrote a song…

It was an accident, really. A homesick kid in a strange place.

I grew up in NYC, but was visiting my dad in Colombia for the summer. We were at a relative’s house, and I was feeling bored and lonely, Spanish words flying around my head making me dizzy, so I wandered off by myself into one of the bedrooms…

It was pitch black out, but I could see tall buildings in the distance, which was a contrast from the mountain painted backdrop from my father’s neighborhood. It reminded me of home (NY) and the beauty, sadness, and irony of the moment inspired me to break out into song.

It was instant and impulsive- like I didn’t have a choice in the matter.

I just started singing, making up words and melody as I went, and even included some grandiose hand gestures like an animated Disney Princess!

About halfway through my song I could “feel” something behind me, and when I turned around, my aunt and uncle were sitting there, staring at me, watching my every move…

I was mortified… and also a little annoyed that they interrupted my little solo musical… :) but from that moment on, I knew music was my voice, my connection to the world, my way of turning emotions into a universal language.

And that’s why I created my custom songwriting project, Love and Melody. I knew there were others out there, just like me, who felt things deeply but maybe couldn’t find the words, or the tune, to share it. I’m here to be a musical scribe, helping to turn the unsaid into the unforgettable, and the unexpressed into an anthem that’s as unique as each of us.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

For the longest time I told myself I wasn’t tech-savvy enough to learn music production.

When I started getting into doing more vocal session work and collaborating virtually with other songwriters and musicians, I wanted to learn how to at least record my own vocals in order to be able to collaborate more efficiently and submit for more virtual session work opportunities.

So in 2019 I purchased my first “Produce Like a Boss” (PLAB) course, but was still battling some negative mindset issues around my ability to produce music at the time, so I told myself I would only learn the vocal recording portion and I skipped the rest of the videos pertaining to music production.

But it wasn’t enough…

I finally got the courage to retake the course a couple of years later, and have devoured the entire PLAB catalog ever since! Add in a 6 month coaching program, and I’m a changed woman 😉

And in August 2023 I was named PLAB producer of the month!

It’s been so empowering and freeing to be able to produce my own music.

This experience taught me that nothing is innate and anything can be learned- you just need to put in the time, and be okay with not being good at it in the beginning. Whenever I would struggle, I would remind myself that even the best producers out there right now started where I was, and struggled with similar issues. It helped to shift my perspective and continue to work my way through the hard stuff!

Have you ever had to pivot?

I actually have a keynote talk about this VERY topic that I share with high schools, colleges, and young professionals!

I am ALL about the PIVOT.

When I quit being a classroom teacher to pursue music full time, I felt so unsure. I knew I wanted to have music in my life on a daily basis but I didn’t know what exactly I wanted to do or how I was going to make it happen.

All I knew was that I needed to be like Nike and just do it!

I remember feeling embarrassed telling my coworkers I was leaving to pursue music. Especially since I didn’t really have any “answers.”

The only thing I knew was that NOT doing music was making me (literally) physically ill.

And then on one of my final days at work, as I was telling the last of my co-workers the news, someone turned to me and said: “wow, you’re so brave! Congrats on this next adventure!”

And it was just what I needed to hear.

Courage isn’t about knowing all the answers, it’s about moving forward even when you don’t, and pivoting when you need to.

For the longest time I thought the path to success was a straight line, crystal clear from start to finish.

Study hard. Get good grades. Get a good job. Work hard. Get promoted. Become successful.

But what the last few years has taught me is that the reality is, it’s more like navigating through dense fog, with only a vague sense of the direction (and I have a REALLY bad sense of direction, so that’s not really saying much!).

What has taught me the most? Trials, errors, and unexpected detours.

Wading through the uncertainty of it all by putting one foot in front of the other.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.loveandmelody.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natalieduquemusic/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-duque-11216432/
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@NatalieDuque?si=CyATozegxhGipuQo
• Other: https://www.natalieduque.com/

Image Credits
Mad Muse Studios