She is one of the sweetest most talented and adorable artists in the game. Everyone knows her catchy song, “I try…” but have you checked out her new album?! We couldn’t be more excited for “The Reset” available now, wherever you get your music. Macy speaks to Pop Style TV about her new album, her inspirations, the pandemic, and probably the best Kate Hudson story we’ve ever heard!
Lauren Conlin:
Hello, Macy Gray.
Macy Gray:
Hi. How are you?
Lauren Conlin:
I’m doing so good. I can’t believe I’m talking to you the entire morning. You know what I’ve been singing, girl. You know what I’ve been singing. I know, I can’t help myself, I can’t help myself. So how are you? What’s new?
Macy Gray:
That’s okay. I’m pretty good. It’s early here, so we don’t have to think too hard.
Lauren Conlin:
What time is it?
Macy Gray:
Oh, it’s 7:30, but that’s early for me.
Lauren Conlin:
Yeah. No, that’s early. And where do you live?
Macy Gray:
I live in Los Angeles, California.
Lauren Conlin:
Okay. It’s funny, that’s where most people that I interview live, so it’s like you’re all in the same boat doing these interviews super early. It’s so funny. I always feel bad for you guys. You’re probably chugging your coffee, taking your vitamins…but you have a new album coming out? Or, wait it’s out now!
Macy Gray:
Yes.
Lauren Conlin:
Please fill me in.
Macy Gray:
Yes, it came out on Valentine’s Day, February 14th, The Reset by Macy Gray and the California Jet Club. It’s amazing and you got to hear it.
Lauren Conlin:
Okay. Okay, so what is this all about? When did you start making this? What do you hope that people get from this album?
Macy Gray:
Man, we wrote the album during the shutdown in 2021, and this one is just like, at the time, we was like, “We just want to make an album to get people dancing again, make people feel better again, and put out some love songs.” And so it was really just for everybody to keep your head up. The Reset, it’s with… The California Jet Club is my touring band, Billy Wes, Alex Kyhn, Tamir Barzilay, and we had always talked about making that album together as a band project. And so, Covid came around and we had time to do it. So we went in for about a year and we just wrote songs about love and dancing and we wanted to make everybody feel better. We wanted to have an album that would lift everybody up, and that’s what The Reset is.
Lauren Conlin:
Yeah, yeah. Oh, that’s so nice. And that’s a great title, Reset. I feel like most of us have had to reset our lives in one way or another over these past, I guess it’s been, three years now. It’s so crazy to about. But, no, I think we can all still use something like that to reset us and just uplift us.
Macy Gray:
Yeah.
Lauren Conlin:
Okay, so-
Macy Gray:
No, that’s what this album does. It’s a great album.
Lauren Conlin:
What’s that?
Macy Gray:
I said that’s what this album does. It’s a great album and it’s very inspirational, and it’s rocking too. The music on it is incredible. There’s songs to make you dance, songs that make you fall in love. It’s a proper album. I’m proud of it.
Lauren Conlin:
Okay. Oh, that’s great. That’s really nice. I love that you said that, “I’m proud of it.” I interview a lot of musicians and it’s really interesting that I don’t think I’ve heard that in a very long time, like I’m proud of this. Is that not weird to think about?
Macy Gray:
Really? What do they say?
Lauren Conlin:
They just don’t say anything. It’s not that they say, “I’m not proud of it,” or, “It’s okay.” They talk about it and they’re happy, but I truly cannot recall them saying, “I’m proud of this,” which is very strange. And I just thought of that organically as you said this, because I found it uplifting.
Macy Gray:
Oh, cool. Well, that’s good. I’m glad I’m one of the few.
Lauren Conlin:
Yeah, I know.
Macy Gray:
But, yeah, if it was your album, you’d be proud of it too. It’s a great album.
Lauren Conlin:
Okay. Well, that is enough for me. Now, what does Macy Gray do for fun?
Macy Gray:
Oh, my God. So, honestly, I think the shutdown made me such a homebody.
Lauren Conlin:
I’ve got to know!
Macy Gray:
I’m so at home, like more than I ever, ever was. Yeah, because you know when you’re all bored at home?
Lauren Conlin:
So Netflix and chill is what you’re telling me?
Macy Gray:
Yeah, I come home and I have all these plans, and then I’ll look at my bed and I’ll be like, “Oh my God, that looks so good.”
Lauren Conlin:
That’s very funny. That’s very funny.
Macy Gray:
No, you know what? I like to roller skate, I like to roller skate. I call myself learning how to play golf, but it’s just because it’s so trendy.
Lauren Conlin:
Really?
Macy Gray:
I’m not even that into it. What about you?
Lauren Conlin:
I am not into golf. I’ve tried to golf. I like to ride around on the carts drinking tequila sodas, if that counts. I don’t know. I mean, it’s funny you say it’s trendy. Is it trendy, or is it trendy for fat, old, white guys?
Macy Gray:
Yes!
Lauren Conlin:
I don’t know. Yeah. And also-
Macy Gray:
Yeah, like some of my friends who’ve never even mentioned the word golf, all of a sudden they’re golfing because they saw somebody. I don’t know. I don’t really get it.
Lauren Conlin:
No, I totally see what you’re saying.
Macy Gray:
I like miniature golf way better.
Lauren Conlin:
Now, Your real name, it’s Natalie, right?
Macy Gray:
Yes. Everybody calls me Nat.
Lauren Conlin:
Okay, so I’m sitting here calling you Macy Gray and everybody else calls you Nat, or your real name. So that’s what you go by on a regular basis.
Macy Gray:
I mean, yeah, the people that know me-know me, they call me Nat, yeah.
Lauren Conlin:
Okay…
Macy Gray:
But I still answer… Of course, I answer to Macy Gray.
Lauren Conlin:
You do?
Macy Gray:
Mm-hmm.
Lauren Conlin:
And so if you’re at a concert or you’re doing an appearance and the producers are like, “Nat, let’s go.” They don’t say, “Hey, Macy Gray, let’s go”? What do they say?
Macy Gray:
No, they say Macy. Most-
Lauren Conlin:
They do. Okay, I don’t know why this interests me so much because-
Macy Gray:
Okay, but in my regular everyday life, I’m Nat. But anything having to do with my career, people call me Macy, yeah.
Lauren Conlin:
Okay. Okay. No, it’s funny, I forget who I was talking to, but somebody else had an… I don’t know what it’s called, not an alias, but what’s it called? I’m drawing a blank.
Macy Gray:
A PKA.
Lauren Conlin:
Oh, what is it?
Macy Gray:
So your AKA, right?
Lauren Conlin:
I don’t know… Oh, as known as. Yeah, something like that. Yeah. I mean, it was just funny, where I was like, “I feel silly for calling you this right now because I want you to feel comfortable and not think of me as some weirdo.”
Macy Gray:
Oh, so I’m comfortable. You know what? I’ll answer to all of them. I’m comfortable with all of them. No worries.
Lauren Conlin:
Okay. And then, Nat, who… I just want to know for you because, when you first came on the scene, you’ve got this voice that people were not used to. You came out, and you were incredible, and you were this little things and just so amazing. Where did you get your inspiration from growing up and just figuring out that you wanted to do this?
Macy Gray:
A lot of people. I have a lot of influences. I think I learned a lot from Samari and Billie Holiday, and I learned a lot from Robert Plant from Led Zeppelin. He has an incredible voice. I learned a lot from him. I learned a lot from hip hop, because hip hop is all like singing, rhythm. You’re kind singing, but you’re talking. It’s pretty wild. So I’ve had a lot of teachers. And then, of course, I have a vocal coach. I’m a huge Diana Ross/Donna Summer fanatic.
Lauren Conlin:
Me too.
Macy Gray:
That kind of stuff I like. So, yeah, I’ve had a lot of teachers.
Lauren Conlin:
You did, you did. And in your career when, let’s say, you were at an awards show or whatever, who were you most excited to meet or see that you never thought that you’d ever meet in real life?
Macy Gray:
Okay, so here’s a crazy story. So, I mean, of course, I’ve met-
Lauren Conlin:
Okay, wait, talk into your phone.
Macy Gray:
Everybody I’ve met has been like an adventure. Oh, I met Kate Hudson once at a party and we got into this…
Lauren Conlin:
Okay.
Macy Gray:
She goes… Because one of my favorite movies is Bride Wars. So when I met her I was like, “Oh my God, that’s Kate Hudson,” and okay, so I met Kate Hudson at a party.
Lauren Conlin:
Okay.
Macy Gray:
One of my favorite movies ever was Bride Wars, right? So I was like, “My favorite movie by you,” and I couldn’t think of the name.
Lauren Conlin:
Okay.
Macy Gray:
And then we got into this kind of back and forth and she ended up walking away because I think I was so drunk.
Lauren Conlin:
Wait, I cannot.
Macy Gray:
So that was big moment, HA.
Lauren Conlin:
“Kate, I love this movie. It’s my favorite. I can’t remember the name,” and she was like, “Yeah, okay”?
Macy Gray: No, she kept trying to tell me. She said, “Yes, you’re thinking of Bride World.” I thought she was saying Bride World, but she was saying Bride Wars. And I was saying, “No, no way, it’s not called Bride World,” and I was telling Kate Hudson the name. It was so stupid. That’s why I shouldn’t drink, but I did get to meet-
Lauren Conlin:
Wait, this is the funniest thing. This is so funny.
Macy Gray:
No, I was like, “No, it’s not called Bride World,” and she was saying Bride Wars, but I thought she was saying Bride World. So we’re arguing about this thing that wasn’t even happening. And then she just was like, “Oh,” she goes, “I know what it’s called because I starred in it and I produced it.” And I said, “No, no, no, but it’s not called Bride World,” and she walked away.
Lauren Conlin:
Oh, my gosh. Wow. So, I mean, is it safe to say that Kate Hudson probably won’t be buying Reset?
Macy Gray:
I know. That’s why…
Lauren Conlin:
I don’t know, maybe not?
Macy Gray :
Yeah. Or she just thinks I’m just the biggest idiot ever, because that was silly.
Lauren Conlin:
No, I feel… No, you’re fun. You’re definitely not. I think everyone knows when someone’s had a little bit too much so I wouldn’t worry about that, no way.
Macy Gray :
No, it was bad.
Lauren Conlin:
Now, is there anything else that you want to plug for yourself, or promote, or just whatever, or say?
Macy Gray:
Yeah, so follow me on Instagram @MacyGray, definitely get The Reset, it’s a great album, and we’re going to be announcing our global tour next week.
Lauren Conlin:
Oh my gosh, that’s so exciting. I love that. Okay, Nat. Well, thank you so much. I feel very honored to call you Nat right now. And I can’t wait to get the word out about your new album.
Macy Gray:
Okay, Thank you so much.
Lauren Conlin:
Thank you.
Macy Gray:
I had a good time. Thanks.
Lauren Conlin:
Have a good one.
