Earlier this year Nathan Jude and I talked about his music and with that came the note that he spent a healthy amount of his childhood Argentina. So of course we had to meet up once more and extend the conversation to touch on that part of his tale. From culture shocks to how his years spent in Argentina wound up influenced his overall way with music today.

Kendra: You came from Argentina to the US when you were a pretty good age, around 10? What provided the biggest culture shock; the food, customs, pop culture?

Nathan Jude: The biggest culture shock by far was the change in social tendencies. In Argentina, we spend hours at a time talking over dinner with friends. Or relaxing outdoors while sharing a yerba mate (the national drink of Argentina). When we moved to the US, I noticed that most get-togethers tended to revolve around an activity such as movies, video games, shopping, etc. It took me some time to get used to this change and find friends who still enjoyed just sitting around and talking.

http://soundcloud.com/nathan-jude/just-too-sweet?in=nathan-jude/sets/unafraid-2017

Kendra: Being bilingual, it made me wonder…when it came to music, in what language was the music that first captured your heart?

Nathan: English! Every country has their own celebrity bands and acts, but music in English is also incredibly popular almost everywhere around the world. When I was growing up in Argentine, so much of the pop music that was played was from the US, so naturally, almost all of my early favorite songs were in English.

Kendra: Can we hear your Argentinian roots reflected in your latest, Unafraid?

Nathan: Absolutely! Throughout my album, there are many little guitar and percussion parts that are rooted in Latin music. This is particularly obvious in the song “Just Too Sweet.” The song is written in English, but the entire mood, rhythm, and notation of the song is Latin-influenced.

Kendra: Are there any artists from there that you keep tabs on?

Nathan: One Argentine artist in particular that I’ve loved for some time is called Axel. He is a singer-songwriter and has written many incredible songs. I really love his song “Celebra la Vida.”

Kendra: What does 2017 have planned for you right now?

Nathan: With Unafraid being my debut album, 2017 is all about introducing my music to as many people as possible. I will be playing shows throughout Arizona, touring the Southwest and continuing to write songs. Another plan for 2017 that I’m particularly excited for is the release of my first single in Spanish! I am currently in the studio recording the song titled “Ella Sabe Amarme” which is a bachata song set to be released in late 2017.