NYC-born multidisciplinary artist and vocalist, Nate Livingston, is fresh off the release of his third single “Respond,” which dropped Dec. 6th, 2025, ahead of a new untitled EP releasing early 2026. Along with the single, Nate just dropped a new music video inspired by a little-known love story, Romeo and Juliet.
I sat down with Nate at a Turkish coffeehouse in the East Village that played predominantly TikTok-adjacent music and discussed his single and upcoming EP.
Over our abominably hot coffees, we caught up about life, love, and, randomly, our shared admiration for “The Chronicles of Narnia” series. Eventually, I remembered I had to record an interview, and off we went, first delving into Nate’s new single and his history in music production.
Gianna Dallman: So, you have a new single out, yeah? I want to hear all about it.
Nate Livingston: Yeah, I wrote it at home at my dingy home, kind of, studio—very DIY kind of thing. A lot of these songs that I’ve been putting out and the songs that will be coming out are all just kind of home projects. Production for me started during COVID, and like, I got very comfortable working at home… It’s really great to be able to work just myself on the music I, like, personally value as a musician and an artist.
How old were you during COVID when you started producing?
Nate: 16. Yeah, I mean, a lot of that stuff was god awful back then, but you know, formative. Everything is a lesson. I’ve grown a lot since then.
Okay, back to the single, tell me more.
Nate: I’m just super excited. It’s definitely a bit more pop-leaning. But, I don’t know, still has an interesting character to it, I think, it’s not just down the middle… The inspiration is kind of very dramatic; a big part of what the song is about is thinking about somebody you love, or are into, whatever you make of that, and then overreacting or overanalyzing something they did or said in your head to make something more than it actually is. All of a sudden, you’re just ruining your relationship with a person, not even romantically, but really just in general because you’re being weird about it and feeling off about the whole situation… But also, it’s kind of just understanding that that shit happens, but the point of the song is not to say ‘Don’t do this!’ but more kind of that’s how I see [this situation] myself now and how I looked at it, like I lived that. It’s another lesson.
Very cool, it’s a great song and very relatable, and I like it! You mentioned the vibes being more pop-leaning on “Respond.” Will that be the direction of the EP, too?
Nate: Yeah, so I’ll be releasing an EP at the start of next year. I want to take my time, and I don’t want to rush into anything… I’m kind of venturing into a much more close, and kind of, I wouldn’t say softer sound, but emotional and true sound sonically, making my production more intimate. With “Respond,” its production is kind of a wall of sound, and I love that, and that’s how I started producing, layering guitars and making shit sound huge. I’ve also kind of found the beauty recently in how much I love stripping things back and making, or letting, songs stand alone. Instead of just like, ‘Damn, this song is sick! The production is sick! This is a record!’ You know what I mean? Like, if I can write a song and focus on that, then I can kind of let the song shine through rather than these bells and whistles flying around it.
All of a sudden, Beach House’s “Space Song” starts playing over the speakers, and we share a moment of mutual silence over how good that song is. A Tumblr classic and a track I could see on a playlist with Nate’s stuff, too, I thought to myself.
Nate: Wow, shoutout Beach House. I love this song. Anyway, since the start of the Fall and going into the Winter, I’ve embraced acoustic. Kind of just you in a room with the music. I think it allows songs, if they’re really great and good, to shine through more and inspire people.
Is anyone inspiring you right now?
Nate: Weirdly, I’ve been in a place where I haven’t been listening to much music… I’ve been very inspired, though, in general. I have all these songs in my head, and I have these ideas that are coming through that are a mixture of a lot of things. I go through phases like that all the time. If I have writer’s block, well, not necessarily writer’s block, but I actually wouldn’t say I have ever truly had writer’s block, luckily. Not for an extended period of time, at least. There’s always something creative going on. Whether it’s on my guitar or I’m going to record something on my computer and track something. I’ve been writing and writing and writing. I’ll wake up late, hang out, and then just write songs. Sometimes I don’t even finish them. But sometimes, suddenly, I’ll pick up my guitar and write one of my favorite songs I’ve written in the past like three months that I’ve made. That’s just how it goes for me sometimes; I don’t have a rigid formula for that kind of stuff.
That’s kind of the best way to be.
Nate: Yeah, it allows me to kind of stay truly creative and not formulaic. I hate formulaic shit in terms of songwriting… Because of that, a lot of my songs will [all] sound different. I am in the discovery part of my music career… There’s no formula; I’m just going and going and not trying to fit inside a box or between some set of lines. I’m just exploring and figuring out what I love.
Very cool, I think that is working for you! How long have you been playing music? Tell me about where music started for you.
Nate: I started playing music, well, that’s a good question. There are multiple answers I can give. I guess to start, my dad introduced me to music, and my dad is a musician as well… He was in bands in the 80s, 90s, and college, and even when he was older too… He had instruments lying around too, and, this is always a story I tell: there was always kind of a mystic energy about his guitars because he wouldn’t let me touch them when I was like four, obviously, but when I became, like, of age enough, I don’t remember how old exactly, but definitely before middle school I was allowed to start fooling around on them. I had no idea what I was doing, but I was just trying to like impress my dad. Like ‘look what I can do!’ while playing random shit. Eventually, I asked for some help with learning chords, and he taught me some. I have a memory of sitting on my old bed, sitting with him and the guitar, and him showing me some chords, and I had my first moment of like ‘wow, I’m starting to play.’ Then, one of my best friends in middle school and I started playing together. He was a great piano player and still is, but he picked up guitar when he saw I was starting to learn, and we pushed each other all throughout middle school, high school, and we even went to college together… My first song I learned [on guitar] was “Jumping Jack Flash,” shoutout The Rolling Stones.
Steering away from childhood and moving towards dreamland, I guess, I have a sort of random question I like to ask people I interview that I was reminded of because of your mention of “The Stones.” What would be your dream bill to be on? You can headline, you can open, really whatever you want.
Nate: You know, if I could open for ‘The Strokes,’ that would be my dream. They’ve influenced so much stuff I’ve done.
A New York City classic band right there.
Nate: I have a song that’s going to be on this EP that I made when I was really young that’s heavily Strokes-influenced. The Strokes were all I was listening to before I got to college, and I made this song when I was 17 years old, and it was like my first baby. It was the first song I totally produced myself.
Do you play all the instruments on your tracks?
Nate: Yeah, I play everything… I program my drums because I am, I guess, a frustrated drummer. I’m trying to get better, though… “Respond” is entirely produced by me.
What’s next for you other than the EP?
Nate: Yeah, the EP for sure and my show on the 13th. Still definitely going for that stripped-back sound with intimate roots for this project. Stuff that’s less in your face, but more kind of experimental, but like also traditional? Let the songs shine through, make sure the production doesn’t step on the songwriting and just put out good shit.
Well, Nate, we’re excited!
We said our goodbyes and off we went, and I boarded the extremely packed L train, listening to the demo of “Respond” Nate sent me earlier this week. Catch Nate Livingston Live Dec 13 @ Hill Country. Details below. See you at the show !
FOLLOW: @Natelivingstonn
LISTEN TO “Respond”:
BRAVE THE COLD AND GO SEE NATE LIVE FOR FREE:
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