Los Angeles-based alternative pop star, Natalie Saint-Martin has released her new single, “2nd Place“. Recorded with producer David Holman at his studio in Laurel Canyon, the song is part pep-talk, part narration of a decade living in Los Angeles. Listen to it now below.
After making ends meet by working three jobs, Natalie Saint-Martin felt burnt out by life. Envisioning her musical aspirations as more and more of a fleeting dream, Saint-Martin decided to utilize these feelings of hopelessness and self-doubt and put them wholly into her craft. Inspired by the lyrical storytelling she witnessed in Atlanta’s hip-hop and country music scenes whilst growing up in the city, Natalie Saint-Martin aimed to focus primarily on one narrative during the writing process: no matter how many times you’ve felt like you’re meant to stay the runner up in life, you are always allowed to be 1st Place in your heart.
Speaking on the new track, Saint-Martin said, “2nd Place was written about being doubted by everyone in my life at the time. Feeling runner up at my job, in my music career, more particularly when I was alone in my dormant thoughts. After endless months of self-doubt and fear, it forced me down two terrifying, tornado filled roads. Believe the people that know nothing about you, or believe in the person you have always dreamt of being. Fear will always coexist. The orchestra is our resilient hearts, our creative minds and our hard work. Yes, fear exists but it is not the conductor. 2nd Place is a reminder to myself, and hopefully to you that despite what anyone else says. You’re allowed to be in 1st Place.”
For the “2nd Place” music video, Natalie Saint-Martin wanted a literal interpretation of the delicate balance that her life in Los Angeles conveys. Speaking to this concept and the execution, Saint-Martin explained, “The concept for the video was to be “floating” from a bridge, to convey the feeling of trying to stay afloat in the ocean with house sized waves above you.
To capture the way Murphy’s Law swings at us when we think we have nothing left. It really was a struggle though. I was hanging under that bridge with a gargantuan, cartoon-like, wedgie from the harness holding me up. So ridiculous and hilarious all you can do is laugh that the DIY process of it all was the most rewarding part, now looking back. I chose this song because we all feel this way at some point in our lives, and it felt like it was the most appropriate way to begin the release of all the music we’ve made the last two years.”