Natalie Layne is making waves in the music world with her soulful pop sound and powerful vocals. After graduating from Belmont in 2020 with a bachelor's in commercial music and again in 2022 with her master's in commercial piano, Natalie stayed in Nashville ready to pursue her dreams as a singer/songwriter.
Her hard work has paid off. Natalie’s latest independent single "Amen" has racked up millions of views on social media, where Natalie has amassed hundreds of thousands of followers. The single follows her 2021 EP "Castles" which earned global attention, leading to opening slots for major Christian artists like Jeremy Camp, Chris Tomlin and We the Kingdom and sharing stages with Steven Curtis Chapman, Mandisa and Crowder. She most recently finished two major U.S. tours with Danny Gokey, Austin French, Brandon Heath and Josh Wilson.
In December 2022, Natalie signed an exclusive recording and publishing contract with Centricity Music. Her label debut, the “Amen” EP, has amassed nationwide radio adds, reached No. 5 on Independent Christian Radio Charts and broke the top 30 on Billboard charts. From the EP, an exclusive live performance of her song “Grateful For” was featured by the Recording Academy/GRAMMY’s for their “Positive Vibes Only” segment. Natalie was also amongst Pandora’s “Top 10 Artists to Watch” and featured on a billboard in Times Square.
At Belmont, Natalie was involved with Navigators campus ministry and frequently accompanied vocal students, honing her skills in arranging that she still utilizes today leading her own band. She won Belmont’s Christian Showcase in 2019.
"Belmont opened so many doors for me," she reflects. "I work with friends from Belmont, and we use the songwriting, composing and arranging skills we learned there every day. Belmont students working in the industry are known for being incredibly driven, helpful and hard-working individuals, and I can't help but think that Belmont shaped that spirit in us. "
Beyond her music degree, Natalie says her theology minor impacted her journey. "I knew I wanted music and theology, and Belmont was one of the only schools with robust programs in both areas."
Those harmonized interests continue to shape Natalie's path as she writes and leads worship at her church and plays in several Nashville-based R&B and jazz bands.
For Natalie, being a "Bruin for Life" means keeping alive the driven, hard-working spirit instilled at Belmont. "People joke Belmont is like going to Camp Rock – that’s a pretty good comparison! When I think about my time there, I think of playing music in the gazebos, working on arrangements late in the practice rooms and making music with my friends. Those experiences made me who I am as an artist."
She added, "No other music school has the opportunities Belmont does, being located in Nashville. Its connections proved so helpful for many of us starting our careers."
As Natalie Layne's star continues to rise, her Belmont origins remain inseparable from her identity as an artist and person of faith.