MARVIN Exclusive: Inside “the world i didn’t want” with Natalie Jane
Photo by Lili Skyler
Pop’s rising truth-teller Natalie Jane is no stranger to baring it all. With her sophomore album the world i didn’t want, she turns growing pains into glitter—pairing 90s Eurodance adrenaline with lyrics that cut straight to the bone. The record captures her leap from New Jersey suburbia to the dizzy chaos of Los Angeles, tracing heartbreak, reinvention, and the messiness of finding yourself in real time. After breaking out through viral parking-garage performances, Natalie’s evolution is undeniable—more confident, more self-aware, and more unfiltered than ever.
Now, with the world i didn’t want out, Natalie sits down with MARVIN to talk breaking out of comfort zones, learning to trust her voice, and what it really takes to build a life—and sound—on her own terms.
MARVIN: Your new album takes us from the monotony of the Jersey suburbs to the chaos of LA dreams. How did leaving home and stepping into that new world shape not just your sound, but the way you tell your story on this record?
NATALIE: Moving to LA at such a young age, was very difficult and pushed me out of my comfort zone and opened me up to a lot of experiences that I would never have otherwise gone through and shaped me a lot as a as a person in that time, and I wouldn’t have been able to put together what I think is such a clear story if it weren’t for the path I’ve taken
MARVIN: TikTok was where so many first discovered you, belting in parking garages at such a young age. Looking back, how does that raw, DIY energy compare to recording this highly personal, full-length album?
NATALIE: Making a video for TikTok or Instagram is usually a pretty simple process. I put my phone down, I sing 30 seconds of one of my favorite songs and click post. making an album takes a lot more coordination and attention to detail. It involves putting my emotions and feelings into words and being extremely vulnerable.
MARVIN: This record is diaristic in every sense: heartbreak, self-doubt, growth. Were there moments where you hesitated to be so vulnerable, and what made you finally push through?
NATALIE: The whole theme of this album is getting outside of your comfort zone. It’s about leaving behind the world you didn’t want and forcing yourself, even if you don’t fully want to, to do what’s best for yourself. There were a bunch of songs on this project that were really hard for me to write (girls will b girls, any1 but myself, 4ever) but we pushed through. It was time for me to write about topics other than heartbreak.
MARVIN: 90s Euro Dance pulses through your new music. What is it about that era — the beats, the energy, the escapism — that resonated with your stories of love, loss, and self-discovery?
NATALIE: Something about that energy feels so impactful. It’s so big and so full of emotion. There is nothing more. I love a big vocal over a deep sub base leading to a drop. It’s like the drop is the relief of all the pent up anger or sadness I’m singing about.
Photo by Lili Skyler
MARVIN: Each track tells a story, but was there one in particular that felt like looking in the mirror, exposing something you hadn’t confronted before?
NATALIE: Any1 but myself was really hard to write. It’s the first time I feel like I wrote about my personal insecurities in life. I feel like I put off writing that song for so long because of simply how hard I knew it would be to write, but I’m so thankful that this song exists now and I forced myself to create it.
MARVIN: Growing up in a small town while chasing big-city dreams can be isolating. What do you hope listeners take away about the tension between staying true to yourself and chasing ambition?
NATALIE: I want people to know that anything is truly possible. No matter where you think you are stuck, it might be hard, but you can always find a way out.
MARVIN: Compared to your earlier releases, this album feels like it comes from a deeper, more personal place. How did being honest about your own heartache and growth change your approach to writing and producing?
NATALIE: I think the fans just love the vulnerability and the transparency. Talking about real emotions I feel on the daily is extremely validating for my listeners, just like how I get validated when my favorite artist sing about things that I’m going through. A lot of us go through the same things.
MARVIN: LA has a way of inspiring and overwhelming at the same time. How did the city’s energy — the highs, the lows, the wild unpredictability — seep into your music?
NATALIE: LA is such a melting pot of artists and I’m exposed to a lot of different types of music and ways of expressing yourself and it’s just inspired new ways for me to express my creativity.
Photo by Lili Skyler
MARVIN: Were there any creative surprises while making this record — a lyric, a melody, or even a sound — that revealed a side of yourself you hadn’t fully seen before?
NATALIE: Track 13 on the album, black and white, goes between two different time signatures, 3/4 and 4/4 and that is something I’ve never done before and I think really plays with the way you feel the song.
MARVIN: If someone presses play on this album for the first time, what emotional journey do you hope they feel — the highs, the lows, and the quiet, introspective moments that tie it all together?
NATALIE: I want people to feel heard. They aren’t the only ones going through the things they’re going through and this is a way to let them know that they aren’t alone.
As the world i didn’t want cements Natalie Jane’s place among pop’s most fearless new voices, she’s ready to bring her story to the stage. The rising star just announced her the world i didn’t want world tour, kicking off in 2026 and hitting major cities across North America—including Los Angeles, New York, Boston, and Atlanta—before heading to Europe and the UK. Tickets go on sale Thursday, October 30 at 10 a.m. local time. This tour marks Natalie’s next electrifying chapter—bold, emotional, and impossible to look away from.
