Conversations with Natalie Litza

Today we’d like to introduce you to Natalie Litza.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I was born the eldest of six girls. We sang Christian and a cappella music as we toured together throughout my childhood and early adulthood. Music helped us bond and gave us the space to dream a little. Not being allowed to listen to anything but classical and selective pieces of Christian music, I learned much of what I used through improvisation and dreams. At the age of fourteen, I was creating 5 and 6 part harmony arrangements.

Up until the second year of college, I wanted to pursue a career as a gynecologist. However, doors kept opening in all directions to pursue my passion for music. Shortly after graduating undergrad, I knew that it was meant to be my life’s work. A year later, I was accepted to New England Conservatory, where the entire game changed for me. It was my official introduction to so many dialects of music, art, yoga, and more. It was like Hogwarts School of Magic for me! It changed my life, perception, and direction.

After Grad school, I had the opportunity to move to California and learn under a record label setting. The next seven years, I gained valuable on-the-ground training in songwriting, teaching, performing, and co-producing.

Through this journey, my skill sets have grown in depth and expanded to other mediums of expression. While I actively engage in producing, songwriting, composing, and more performing (pending post-pandemic), I’m embracing loving myself as a person, separate from music, that has unlocked my potential in such a massive way. For so many years, there was a lot that I didn’t think was possible. I’ve gone from feeling trapped to being reborn and have chosen to mark this transformation by permanently changing my stage name to Litza, my middle name.

I was always terrified of “Litza”. A combination of my father’s middle name and Litz; given to him by my grandmother who loved the Hungarian Composer, Franz Liszt. After doing some research, I found empowerment through other forms of that name and through the fact that I could define it myself. My dream has a name; it is called Litza and she is whoever I create her to be. You’ll see!

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The journey was not an easy one. I’ve had some painful life experiences. I’ve even had battles with mental illness. I lived an extremely sheltered and abusive childhood. I suffered from depression as a child because of my upbringing. Unfortunately, I grew up with the notion “you just don’t talk about our problems”. However, these experiences help to shape me and my music in ways I’m now beginning to fully comprehend. The past 24 months gave me the “me-time” I needed to heal and to dream. I’ve learned to cope, not through my talents alone but to tune into myself and feed my essence what it needs. I’ve learned how to forgive and have reconnected with family and friends in a meaningful way. The music coming out of me now makes me extremely excited and I’m looking forward to sharing it!

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m an artist with four toolboxes that I use to paint musical expressions. Songwriting, Producing, Composing and Performing. While I began my musical journey with Jazz influenced vocal arrangements, I’ve expanded to other skill sets that serve to complete the picture. It all starts with a voice and a story, and my job is to make sure the music serves that story and that unique voice. The past several years, I’ve learned more about my musical roots and have embraced them, integrating it with my personal style. Now, I am bringing that experience to the creative space with other artists to tell bigger stories. This is something I’m excited about, and I can’t wait to share the music that has resulted from these collaborations.

What does success mean to you?
For me, success has to do with reaching your full potential within yourself and as a member of the human community. When I’m able to tune in to those around me and use my collective superpowers to meet their needs, that’s everything! I feel like I’ve been getting a lot of practice these days by tuning into myself and my extended musical family, grounding my skill sets, growing through collaboration and reducing latency between ideas and the execution. This way, I can create and give spontaneously but effectively. At every point, asking questions like; What does Natalie need? What are the needs of my collaborators? How does this idea serve that need?

Contact Info:

• Email: info@lovelitza.com
• Website: Lovelitza.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/love.litza/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Love.Litza

Image Credits:
Aaron Lacy, Photography. Brandon, Hair/ Makeup stylist.