Natalie Gardiner

b. Uppsala, Sweden. Her father was from Ghana, her mother from Sweden. Inspired by her parents’ large collection of jazz, soul and funk records, Gardiner began singing at an early age. She moved to the Swedish capital Stockholm in 1998 where she worked the live music scene in jazz and soul bands, before a timely meeting with the hip producer RMJC steered her towards the club scene. Gardiner’s debut EP Trouble In Mind, released in 2003 on RMJC’s Ramjac label, attracted the attention of an international audience and she was soon in demand on the lively nu jazz/breakbeat scene as a guest vocalist. Her self-titled album debut was released in 2004, and with RMJC in the producer’s seat there was a sweet mix of soul and electronics to complement Gardiner’s powerful vocals. The recording became an underground hit and led to further invitations from producers and DJs for guest vocals, with notable appearances on Gert-Jan Bijl aka Gerd’s 4 Lux label. Gardiner’s follow-up, California, reprised the successful style of her debut and was released at the end of 2007.
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