Renowned for his expressive drumming and genre-defying versatility, the GRAMMY-nominated Nate Smith is immediately recognisable for his unique style that blends deep grooves with technical mastery. Over his career, he's become a go-to collaborator for artists across jazz, R&B, and beyond - and when he's not writing or recording music, the drummer has become equally as known for his viral videos, reaching an entire new audience through his social media platforms.
Having recently released his latest album, Live-Action, Nate Smith shares what life has been like since the release, insights into the collaborations on the album and what's coming next...
Congratulations on the release of LIVE-ACTION – How has life been since the release?
I’ve been mostly in tour-prep mode, I’ve got a long stretch of dates for the US, EU and Japan starting now. I’m very excited to take this music on the road.
Can you explain just how your musical career began?
I started playing in middle school band class, like a lot of kids. But my earliest sonic influences were in the house. My dad played a lot of records from the instrumental R&B era – George Duke, Quincy Jones, Bob James, Donald Byrd – and I absorbed those sounds. My first paid gig was at church; I played for the church choir for a special concert. I made $15 – that was big money to me!
How would you describe the new album?
It’s a genre-blur. Lots of collaborations, and some unlikely ones. It’s also a bit more of a producer record I think. It’s as much about the aesthetic, the sequencing – the sound of the record as it is about the music.
In Live-Action, you’ve brought together a powerhouse lineup – Lalah Hathaway, Michael League and others. How did these collaborations come together, and what did each artist bring?
I wanted to make a record with Lalah for a long time, and the stars aligned with this 'Automatic' cover. Speaking of Michael League, it was he who reached out to Lalah on my behalf. All of the collaborators brought something special, something truly unique to them. My goal was to make space for them while still maintaining a cohesive album sound. I think I achieved that.
With so many genre influences, how do you approach cohesion on an album with such broad reach of sound?
My drumming is the thread that runs through the album. The feel, tone, pulse of my drumming sets the environment for all of the tunes. I also chose to use a similar sonic palette for all of the songs that I played keyboards and keyboard bass on. I wanted it to feel dreamy.
Were there any moments in the making of this record where something unexpected completely shifted the direction of a track?
Lionel Loueke blew my mind with the tracks he sent me for 'Magic Dance'! What an amazing musician he is. Michael League is really the glue that holds that tune together as well. They both played so beautifully, they completely brought the record to life.
How does LIVE-ACTION fit into your musical journey so far?
I think this album really does sum up a “sound" in a way that my previous albums haven’t. It’s also the album that sounds the most “like me” – in large part because I’m performing a lot of the parts on the record.
In recent years you’ve created a huge online presence through viral videos: what prompted you to start doing this, and what impact do you think they’re having?
It didn’t happen on purpose. Yes, I was intentional about using social media and sharing my music to the best of my ability, but there was no way of predicting the virality of some of these videos. My collaborations with Vulfpeck and The Fearless Flyers and Brittany Howard certainly made me more visible, and I think some of the people who were interested in that music have followed me into some of the other things I’ve done as a bandleader.
Having worked with some legendary artists over the years, are there any lessons that have stuck with you from those experiences?
One thing I’ve seen in successful artists/bandleaders is consistency. The best bandleaders I’ve worked with are always making new music and genuinely in love with the process of making music. And generally speaking, they have a consistent artistic practice of music creation.
Do you already have ideas for what’s next?
More than anything I’m just really excited about bringing this music to life on stage, and watch it unfold night after night. I’ve got a few other projects in the works for 2026 as well; a couple of records that I’m composing for and a new collaboration project that I’m very excited about. Overall, I'm feeling really inspired.
Available Formats: CD, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
