Natalie Merchant’s
Mixtape Memoir: On Her Terms
How many artists can you think of that left their band at the peak of success to go solo and not only found even greater success, but sold over five million copies of their solo debut? Not only that, but their first album of songs entirely written, performed and produced by that artist, with a band of their choosing. An artist that would go on to have a solo career that is over 25 years and counting, on their own terms. Now try to come up with a woman who was able to achieve this rare feat. Stumped? I can only come up with one. And on this episode of Mixtape Memoir, we’ll hear her story. Natalie Merchant was born in 1963 and raised in the rust belt of upstate New York, in Jamestown. She joined 10,000 Maniacs while still at community college, and their debut EP Human Conflict Number Five came out in 1982, making this year the 40th anniversary of that album. Natalie would stay with 10,000 Maniacs for the next decade and five albums, two of which went double platinum - their 1987 breakthrough third album In My Tribe, and Natalie's final studio album with the band, 1992’s Our Time In Eden. But it was their 1993 MTV Unplugged album that would go triple platinum, right as Natalie decided to leave the band to pursue her solo career. Tigerlily, her solo debut arrived in 1995 to critical acclaim, and commercial success, with her first top ten hit, “Carnival”. As previously noted, this album went on to sell over five million copies, going five times platinum in 2001. What perhaps has been the most quietly powerful but essential factor of all this success was that Natalie Merchant had simultaneously forged her own authentic path: one that saw her take control not only of the sound of her albums, but every other aspect of her career, too - including deliberately slowing the cadence of album releases to accommodate her number one priority - motherhood. Living authentically for Natalie has also included living in a rural setting in New York’s Hudson Valley, and tirelessly devoting herself to the socio-political and environmental causes and concerns that have always taken center stage in her lyrics. I've always thought that it was ironic that “Kind and Generous” is one of her most famous and popular songs, because every lyric could and should be sung back to Natalie, who has spent countless hours giving back to causes big and small. Now as she readies a new album which will be her first of all new material in nine years, we look back, to create Natalie Merchant's Mixtape Memoir.
LISTEN HERE:
Episode Credits:
Host/creator/creative director - Carmel Holt @carmelholt
Edited/mixed/mastered - Phoebe Wang / @feebswang
Theme music - Lucius @ilovelucius
Cover art - Merle Cooper @m.c.cooper
Art direction - @carmelholt
Natalie Merchant press photo - Shervin Lainez / @shervinfoto
Guest: Natalie Merchant / @nataliemerchant
Label: Nonesuch Records
1981 map of Jamestown, NY
1964 Natalie Merchant with siblings
1967 Natalie Merchant portrait
1969 Natalie Merchant family portrait
1976 Natalie Merchant
1976 Natalie Merchant school photo
1977 Natalie Merchant's mother
1981 Natalie Merchant student assistant job
1984 Press Post Journal
1985 Natalie Merchant live in London
1985 press Village Voice
1989 10,000 Maniacs publicity photo by Kristine Larsen
1991 Natalie Merchant by Marion Ettlinger
1992 10,000 Maniacs by Rob Marinissen
1995 Okenfels
1995 by Dana Lixenberg
1995 Tigerlily cover photo by Dan Borris
2004 Natalie Merchant and daughter learning to walk
2006 Natalie Merchant and daughter
2007 Natalie Merchant and daughter on ferry
2017 Natalie Merchant and daughter by Jacob Blickenstaff