Nina Herzog
Interview conducted on January 29, 2021
By Dan Locke
She’s been called a “vintage songstress” by Broadway World, has sung on over 200 songs for Hal Leonard Publishing, BMI Publishing, Sony, and Universal, has performed with The National Symphony Orchestra conducted by the late Marvin Hamlisch, and with Grammy® Award-winning composer/arranger Patrick Williams (Barbra Streisand, Frank Sinatra), has starred in Buzzfeed comedy videos, and she’s been the voice of Odette, The Swan Princess, from Sony Animation’s “The Swan Princess” since 2018. Now, it’s finally her turn for time in the spotlight singing her own songs.
What is your upbringing?
I was born in Los Angeles, and then we moved to the mountains. I grew up playing with the neighborhood kids, outside, usually in the woods, or in the apple orchards around my childhood home. Those apple orchards are actually where we filmed the music video for “Changing Seasons.” It was so special to be back. There was a lot of creativity and imagination during my childhood, with my friends and siblings. Our favorite form of play often included “putting on a show,” and we would come up with dances, and sing songs. One time when we had dinner guests, one of my neighbor friends tied a clear string to my pigtails, then put the string through the chandelier, and every time I sang a high note, my friend (who was hidden upstairs) would pull the string, and my pigtails would go flying up in the air! I’d do shows for anyone who would listen, including my stuffed animals. My mom worked full time, and she would take us to Descanso Gardens to play, while she finished paperwork on a picnic blanket sometimes. I’d entertain myself for hours, dancing and singing on their outdoor stage there, imagining a giant audience of ferries from the gardens flew in to see my show! Music is still my favorite form of play, and I am so grateful to have been surrounded by nature as a child during those years. Nature is really so healing.
How did you discover music?
Music is my longest friend. I don’t remember finding or discovering music, because I feel as though I’ve always had it with me, and we never have parted.
How did you start to write music?
The real question is how do I stop writing? I can’t stop! I feel as though I have so much to birth and there is so much to do. Sometimes it feels overwhelming. One song at a time, they say. Or is it five songs at a time? Five. Five is my lucky number, anyway.
Describe your music.
I want it to feel like a day in nature, living your best life. I feel it’s soft, warm, and cozy. It’s cinematic, transporting listeners through a dramatic journey, with many musical layers. There are feelings of mountain music in there–pastoral countryside sounds that are reminiscent of my time growing up in the apple and peach orchards. My music also has a classic modern feel to it, though. I live in Hollywood and spent the first five years of my life in L.A. too, so I’ve been exposed to contemporary sounds, Old Hollywood Jazz, and pop from an early age as well. Like L.A., that is a blend of so many cultures and ideas, I’d say my music blends a lot of styles.
How did you get your first guitar, and do you still have it?
The guitar I have now used to be my father’s. I am happy to say I still have it, last I checked. I check often. Sometimes the terrible fear that it is gone strikes, and I have to get up and go in the room to check on it and make sure it’s still there.
How is it to play your father’s guitar?
Father Guitar. I learn from its wisdom, rocking with it is a lullaby. It soothes me and inspires me. I feel him so near to me when I play that guitar. It’s a hug from him when that guitar sits pressed up against my heart.
What was your first performance like?
My first actual audience that wasn’t just family members and/or stuffed animals and dolls and an imaginary crowd, was I think in the second grade! I sang “Blue Moon” at the talent show. My first Elvis Presley cover! Actually, “Can’t Help Falling In Love,” my other Elvis Presley favorite, is coming out February 5 to all music listening platforms, as my Valentine’s Day Love Song. After that first talent show, singing “Blue Moon,” I was called “The Blue Moon Girl” around town. Other early performances included singing on our local cable channel when I was 12, and singing with the National Symphony Orchestra when I was 16. My studio singing career started in college. I did a concert with Patrick Williams conducting the symphony, playing his charts he arranged for my voice right after college. That’s also kind of when the songwriting for this EP was starting. Performing feels so fun and good. It feels incredible to connect with a community of people, gathered together, connected in music. Connecting is so important. It feels so necessary!
What makes a good songwriter?
Honesty. Vulnerability. Arms wide open to the fullness of life. Expressing love on sound. Actually, writing the song. Living a vibrant life that offers metaphors to write with. Taking a song through all the steps of production. Crafting a narrative that feels authentic. Depth.
What is the process of writing your music?
I spend a lot of time alone. Sometimes a song jolts me awake in the middle of the night, singing to me in my dreams, and I must will myself to sit up, turn on the lamp, and capture the idea it before it floats away for fear of losing the moment if not seizing the day! One song on my TOGETHER AWAY EP coming out March 12 is called “Journey Bound,” and I actually had that one come to me while I was seated in a middle seat on an airplane. I had to softly record the idea into my iPhone, and just hoped that I could figure out the chords once I finally landed, Ubered home, put my bags down, and sat at my piano to flesh out the song that was coming to me at that moment. Sometimes, a poem comes first, and then some musical collaborator angel comes into my world with the perfect chord progression, and we just start groovin’ to the song, and there it is! The song always comes in different ways. I’m grateful that it comes.
Do you belong to any songwriters’ organizations like the International singer-songwriter association, SESAC, BMI or ASCAP?
As a songwriter, I am a member of BMI. My indie publishing company, In Bloom Publishing, was also formed under BMI. In Bloom Publishing is the main publisher of my songs that are out now, “Changing Seasons” and “Least Resistance,” as well as my debut EP, TOGETHER AWAY, out March 12.
What was the title of your first original song? Did you record it?
I wrote a lot of songs growing up, but I never recorded them. It was just a form of play. I don’t remember most of them though, because they weren’t recorded. They were fun in the moment though! The earliest song that stuck with me and got recorded (at first just on an iPhone so that I wouldn’t forget it) is actually on TOGETHER AWAY. It’s called “Lean Into Me.” It’s a lullaby of sorts, a promise to always be there. It’s a declaration of limitless love. It was great to finally record it, and I can’t wait to share it.
How did you become a Jingle singer for Universal Music?
I had a mentor who believed in me and threw me my first gig.
How was it to be the new voice of Odette in Sony Pictures “Swan Princess: A Royal Myztery”?
Such fun. Such an exercise for the imagination. There are no sets, props, costumes, or even scene partners in the room to inform the storytelling when you’re acting–doing the singing and speaking voice–in an animated film. In “The Swan Princess,” I play the Swan Princess, Odette. Odette is such a sweet, kind, strong, generous, funny, loving, daring, brave, determined, believing-of-eternal-love character. What a wondrous character to get to play! I loved it. Truly. I am so grateful for that movie-making experience, thanks to Sony Animation.
Can you tell me a funny story about the making of the movie?
Ha! Well, I was never actually in the same room as my Prince Derek during the entire making of the movies. I was in the vocal booth alone, and it was then a team of about three producers, an engineer, and the director on the other side of the glass. There I was, singing with this totally imagined character–all in my head–with only a voice in my ear. Never had the real face to the voice! Animation is SO unlike live theatre, or live action film. It’s a really cool process, and each performance medium inspires me, and challenges me, in a different way.
Tell me about your upcoming release “Together Away” which comes out March 12?
It’s my debut EP, and it means so much to me. I hope you’ll check it out.
You just released “Changing Seasons” Tell me about the making of the video?
We filmed it on the apple orchards we used to play on as kids. The fall colors really do make me want to sing. The joy and impulse swells, and it feels as though it must be let it out or you might pop, at a certain point. It felt so right to be twirling around in my dress and boots in those apple orchards, singing my song, telling my story.
Why did you pick Taylor Henry to direct the video?
She’s so cool. She was working at Capitol Records. I was introduced to her by our mutual connection in the radio world. We wanted to try collaborating, so we did. I enjoyed collaborating with her.
Where was it filmed?
Oak Glen, California, in the Southern California Mountains where I grew up.
Why do you have two versions of the video?
One has a secret, magic message in the video. Do you know which one it is?
What is your favorite track on the album?
“Lover’s Lullaby”holds a special place in my heart. It is the focus track of the album.
How do you stay healthy while performing?
Water, water, sleep, water, Pilates, water, good food, sleep, practice, warm ups, stretching, steaming, hot baths, cuddling and resting, soup, tea, long walks daily and often up hills, swimming when possible. And continuing to write.
What are you feeling about streaming music?
I hope everyone streams my songs, over and over, and over again! Can everyone just like leave my music on repeat while you work out, snuggle up inside, garden, go on walks or hikes, are on long car rides, during backyard chills, and fireside hands? That would be really cool. I also want a LOT of people to play my love song coming in February and feel love in. I really want to connect through music, and streaming music lets me do that with the entire world. That excites me! I want to be creating and sharing for all of my days. Streaming is a big part of that these days it seems. It would be cool if artists were paid more per stream.
How can people forget about the origin hashtag # Sharp in a musical score? Because of social media #sonyrecords vs. F#
People should definitely all carry around a monocle, and look very closely so as to not miss these things! I love that emoji. Do you use the monocle emoji?
Digital vs. vinyl?
Well digital most often, but I LOVE to stop everything, plop on the couch, and listen to an entire vinyl album from start to finish. I love that journey. I love the sound of texture on the record, and the styles of old vinyl albums. Vinyl is a fun choice when cooking alone or with friends, and for dancing in the living room or kitchen. I love vinyl records, and the artwork on them, too! Most of the artwork in my home is just vinyls on the walls. The covers influence me, and set a tone in my home.
If you can’t do music what would you like to be doing?
Being a mom that has a flower shop and does floral arrangements on hats, or a schoolteacher to little one’s sound like fun!
What is your happy place?
Nature. I love to be in a beautiful garden. I love to be around trees. I love to sink my skin into the soil. I love the smells, the sounds, and the feel of it all. It is my sanctuary. Large bodies of water rock my soul like a lullaby for any stage of life.
Tell me about your next single “Least Resistance”?
It’s like: get clear about what you want, really go for it, stop getting in your own way, go for what you want with vigor, do not be discouraged when things get hard. Don’t just take the path of “Least Resistance.” Take charge, and go after it! I was trying to get that through to myself when I wrote the song. I still am trying to get that through my head even today. Rise to the occasion! Let’s do it!
Anything you would like to say in closing.
Thank you so much for having me. It means a lot to have the opportunity to share music. Connecting right now feels important.
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