Nathan Smith Released Two New Singles Off His Upcoming Album

Renowned guitarist, singer and songwriter Nathan Smith has announced the release of not one, but two brand-new singles – and a long-awaited album of original works.

Nathan, who is renowned for his session work have spent around 26 years in the industry and is a seasoned South African musician.

CLOSER, the first single that was released on Monday, 25 May is very special to him. Nathan wrote Closer – his first ever gospel release – about how grateful he is to be a child of the Creator. “I am aware of the pressures of the world and the media to ‘perform’ and to get to the ‘top’. But God says His grace is enough; it is all we really need, and the rest is just detail. So, I put to song my gratitude for His unconditional love and the provision He gives so freely.”

DECISIONS, a song about love and relationships not always working out the way we think they should, and not always happening when we expect them to, is the second single and was released on Thursday, 28 May to radio stations nationwide.

The song was originally written by Nathan many years ago – before he got married – and is about waiting for someone to respond to your feelings while still hurting from a previous relationship. “At the time, the song was about hoping for something that couldn’t be, which is a feeling or situation I believe many people can relate to,” he says.

The single ties in with the rest of the light rock/acoustic album, which is themed around the life stories of the musician and the people around him. The album came about, he says, because he musically wanted to share the stories close to his heart while doing what he does best – playing guitar.

Both of these singles were taken off Nathan’s upcoming new album Here’s to the Now, which will be released on all digital platforms at the end of June / beginning July 2020 and will feature twelve original tracks. This album is already receiving much praise from other seasoned musicians and artists – all huge fans of Nathan – in the music industry.

It is perhaps best summarised in the words of Dewald Wasserfall: “Here’s to the Now transitions seamlessly between soaring rock riffs, soulful blues and nuanced acoustic folk. Catchy melodies and stellar musicianship tie it all together.”

The final selection appears to be spot-on if comments by several renowned local artists are anything to go by. “Finally, a change of scenery in the music industry. I can listen to this all day long. Get out those headphones, you need to hear this…” says Bobby van Jaarsveld. And Riana Nel agrees: “Here’s to the Now is one of those albums you can listen to every day of the week. So melodic with killer lines. Skilfully done!”

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Nathan has also received praise from Francois van Coke, who describes the artist not only as a great guitarist, but also an amazing human. “His solo effort shows off his power as a songwriter too, with great blues influenced pop songs.”

Nathan grew up in a musical family and having spent around 26 years in the industry, he is a seasoned musician with many experiences and stories to share. A career highlight, he says, was playing at various Soccer World Cup events in 2010.

While renowned for his session work, original work has always been at the core of Nathan’s love for music, with 2006 seeing the launch of his solo album Songs from a Diary. In 2009 he released an experimental album with Mark Heydenrych, Paddy Smith and Kyle Rutten called The Nathan Smith Project – The Sum of All Things.

Commenting on his brand-new single and upcoming album, he says: “I love how you can instantly connect with people you don’t know on a deeper level of emotion and understanding through music. I want people to relate to the stories behind the music while appreciating the artistry.”

CLOSER and DECISIONS are now available here:

CLOSER:

https://music.apple.com/za/album/closer-single/1513087769