Natalie Brainin said she knew from her first year at UCLA that she wanted to perform as a soloist in Spring Sing.
The third-year ethnomusicology student and singer-songwriter performed in last year’s Spring Sing as part of two different production groups – her sorority, Delta Gamma, and Resonance A Capella. But this time, Brainin will take the stage alone with her keyboard.
Brainin will perform “Forever,” an original song she wrote earlier this year to preach self-love.
“One of the main messages I wanted to portray with the song is that you need to love yourself before you can love someone else,” Brainin said. “The only love that will really last forever is you loving yourself.”
Inspired by anything, ranging from her dreams to poems, Brainin said she practices every day in her apartment and strives to write a new song every month.
“(Playing music) is definitely a constant thing in my life,” Brainin said. “It doesn’t feel like something I have to think about. It’s something I want to do.”
Even though Brainin’s primary instrument of choice is the piano, she can also play the guitar. She said that by playing music, she is able to compose more.
“I’ll find a cool chord progression through practicing another chord progression and usually I’ll link that to an idea and I’ll have lyrics accompany it so I know exactly what to do with it,” Brainin said. “It really just depends on what I’m doing and what’s happening in my life.”
Although she said her music is acoustic alternative, Brainin said her songs are also influenced by pop and jazz, the latter of which comes from a jazz combo course Brainin took at UCLA this past year. Ultimately, Brainin said her music is reflective of the singer-songwriter genre and tries to keep her music at a more coffee shop vibe.
Last year, the singer performed twice, once with Delta Gamma and once with Resonance A Capella. However, Brainin said she has always wanted to perform solo.
“It was my goal when I was a freshman,” Brainin said. “I really wanted to get into Spring Sing and even if I didn’t get in, I knew I was going to try at least for all four years.”
Working alone, Brainin said she misses the fun social aspect of performing with a group and said the process of going solo is different.
“It’s been interesting in the sense that I make all the decisions and feel that independence – just believing in myself and knowing that I’m capable to run my own act,” Brainin said. “I think this is a much more self-reflective process, and I think it will be really rewarding because it has been so far.”
Brainin said Spring Sing will be the largest audience she will have performed in front of. The singer said she is hoping people get something out of her performance that they can personally and emotionally connect with.
“They can expect a really honest performance about something that I feel passionate about,” Brainin said. “I’m hoping to touch some people’s hearts with it.”