Dylan has recently completed a tour with Ed Sheeran, performing in some of Europe’s largest stadiums, but the Latitude Festival has always been her spiritual home.
At the age of 10, she had her first performance there, improvising songs on a piano left in the forest for anyone to play.
“I was improvising when a mob suddenly appeared behind me,” she explains.
However, Latitude was also the site of a heartbreaking discovery that ultimately inspired her breakout EP, Purple.
Unfaithful boyfriend
A couple of years ago, she was standing in front of the main stage when a classmate came to her and said, “I’m so glad you dumped your lover.”
She hadn’t but was intrigued nonetheless.
“Oh, why?” she inquired.
“Because he’s cheated on you with like nine other women,” her pal responded.
This year, Dylan transformed this tragedy into a victory by playing songs about her boyfriend’s betrayal within meters of the location where she discovered his betrayal.
She admits thereafter, “I can’t lie, it felt great.”
Natasha Woods was born 22 years ago in the quiet Suffolk village of Bures; her parents chose Dylan for a boy.
On road vacations, her father introduced her to music by blasting classic rock like AC/DC, Aerosmith, and Guns N’ Roses in the family car.
She was so enamored with the music that dad purchased her a replica plywood guitar, which she painted pink and yellow and carried to the kitchen table for impromptu performances.
Dylan says, “I would stand there and shout “Hello, Wembley!”
By the time she was ten years old, she was spying on her brother’s guitar classes and slipping downstairs to practice scales.
“I learned it considerably faster than he did. And then he resigned “She chuckles.
Unattainable fantasy
She struggled academically in school until she was diagnosed with Irlen Syndrome, a neurological disorder that impaired her vision and made reading difficult.
She picked up piano and guitar by ear and rapidly began writing her songs, but a succession of professors discouraged her by telling her that music was an unattainable goal.
“It stunned me,” she says. “I got insecure and lackadaisical. I never desired to perform in front of an audience.”
A fortunate school transfer introduced her to Ben Weston, a teacher who saw potential in her “dark, dismal” ballads.
Grammy-winning record producer Will Hicks (Ed Sheeran, David Guetta, James Blunt) liked what he heard and scheduled Dylan for a recording session after receiving a CD of her music.
The result was the EP Purple, whose electro-pop songs matched the dramatic darkness of Billie Eilish and Lorde.
However, these tracks are completely different from the music she creates currently.
At Latitude, she leaps onstage with a guitar slung low around her hips and performs a series of spittle-flecked pop tunes, including Lovestruck and Girl Of Your Dreams, followed by a cover of Guns N’ Roses’ Paradise City.
“On my first two EPs, I experienced numerous identity difficulties,” she explains.
“I was attempting to sound like other people, which is ineffective.
“I’ve finally realized I’m a rock star trapped in a pop star’s body.
“I’ll enter the studio with the thought, “Let’s write some rock and roll!” Then, I compose a pop melody. It is my greatest calamity.”
A cynic would tell out that, emboldened by Olivia Rodrigo’s success, record labels are urging many pop singers to pick up a guitar and “go rock.”
However, Dylan has music in her DNA. In reality, Lovestruck, an upcoming single, was her attempt to write a song in the vein of Highway to Hell by AC/DC.
“This is what I enjoy most about my current writing style.
“I’ll use a really strong rock song as a guide, but the resulting song will be radically different, yet with a similar flavor.”
Bad boyfriends continue to serve as a source of inspiration. One of her most popular streaming songs is a scathing attack on an ex who thought too highly of himself, titled You’re Not Harry Styles.
She rants, “To you, I am an overly emotional, easily replaceable, overthinking blonde.”
“You believe you can perform better, but you’re no Harry Styles.”
Dylan chuckles, “What’s so hilarious about that song is that I wrote it on the day we broke up.”
“I knew my relationship was heading to an end, and I was furious and yearning for my power back.
“After writing the song, I returned home and we broke up.
“The juxtaposition is what I adore about this song.
“Constantly flattering him, but at the same time implying, “You can’t do better than me.”
This is the type of emotion I hope to convey in my future composition.
Principal tour
With his rigorous, nonstop touring schedule, Dylan has amassed a big fanbase for his upcoming albums.
She has toured this year with Bastille, Tate McRae, and Ed Sheeran, in addition to her headlining tour.
She has only returned to Suffolk twice in 2022 due to her intense workload.
After Latitude, Dylan intends to spend a single “day in the garden with my dad” before returning to work, as the toll of pursuing music full-time has gotten even greater.
It’s incredibly difficult to maintain relationships when your profession is your life’s passion,” she explains.
Recently, I’ve had a lot of problems with friends and other stuff.
Fortunately, Ed Sheeran, whose manager she shares, was available to provide timely guidance.
“He explained the five-person rule to me,” she says.
“You can count your closest pals on one hand, which is sufficient.
“Consequently, everything is a learning experience at the moment.
“I am learning how to amuse crowds, how to be myself on stage, how to function on zero sleep, and how to look out for myself as well.
“However, I am ecstatic; I cannot wait for people to hear my music.”
And if ambition can manifest achievement, Dylan will become a major celebrity.
“I viewed Wembley Stadium as a warm-up – I hope to headline my performance there one day,” she laughs, recognizing her arrogance.
You must be your own biggest fan, correct?
