"OVER THE COURSE OF JUST FOUR SONGS ON HER DEBUT RECORDING, LOWER HUDSON VALLEY NATIVE NATALIE FORTEZA INTRODUCES HERSELF AS A COMMANDING VOCALIST AND SONGWRITER OF CONSIDERABLE IMPACT. AIDED AND ABETTED BY GRAMMY AWARD-WINNING PRODUCER MICHAEL LEAGUE OF SNARKY PUPPY, WHO IMPECCABLY CONTEXTUALIZES HER VOICE IN A BRILLIANT BATH OF CRYSTALLINE ACOUSTIC AND ELECTRONIC TEXTURES, FORTEZA SHINES HERE WITH HER DYNAMIC RANGE OF RHYTHMS AND EMOTIONS. OBVIOUS TOUCHSTONES ARE SADE AND NORAH JONES, BUT I HEAR GLIMPSES OF STEVIE WONDER, ASTRUD GILBERTO, AND ANITA BAKER AS WELL."

-SETH ROGOVOY / CHRONOGRAM MAGAZINE

A slow burn, simmering soft and subtle, tapping into both the sultry and sweet, Natalie Forteza's unique, recognizable voice summons emotion through layers of Alt-Soul, Indie, Alt-Pop, and World Music.  Forteza and her band have played respected NYC venues such as the beloved Rockwood Music Hall and The Iridium. Highlights of her artistic debut have been opening for Allen Stone, and Soul singer/songwriter Mutlu at Daryl Hall’s venue Daryl’s House, and opening for Charlie Hunter at The Falcon—all in her Hudson Valley NY backyard, as well as joining The Latin Dead as a guest vocalist for their 2023 Northeast tour. 

Raised in New York’s scenic Hudson Valley area for most of her life, Forteza draws much of her inspiration not only from her own personal experiences but from nature, from food, and from the mélange of different kinds of music she loves and grew up listening to.  While music has always been her first love since childhood, Forteza considers herself a latecomer in her pursuits as a songwriter and recording artist. In 2001, the Forteza family suffered a tremendous loss. Among the 251 souls lost to the American Airlines Flight 587 plane crash was Forteza's dad, Antonio. At a time when family was her priority, pursuing her calling in music felt like a distant dream.  However, she since has answered that call emboldened, threading all her inspiration into the fabric of who she is as a person, as well as who she is as an artist. 

To further materialize her talents, friend and legendary R&B artist Porter Carroll Jr. [Atlantic Starr founder, Hall & Oates percussionist] ushered an introduction to Grammy-winner, Michael League of Snarky Puppy, who produced her debut EP, “01” [2015]. Where she delivers musical escapes to passionate places where love, mystery and grief all manage to swirl together. Since her debut EP, Forteza continues to peel back the layers of her artistry through independent releases.