“Beyond The Blue” is the new single from Maryland singer/songwriter Natalie Otto. Billed as country and Americana in nature, “Beyond The Blue” as its title suggests goes beyond genres and designations. Otto’s honoring of her late sister, who died at a young age in a car accident. resembles a loving tribute and testament of moving forward. Otto’s deserving voice and sentimentality are just a few of the highlights to this remarkable song.
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/realnatalieotto/
The wife and mother and mother of three, Otto is originally from Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, a typical small town with two radio stations, one of which broadcasts country music. It’s the kind of place where as a kid, I’m sure Otto spent many days looking up at the clear, blue sky and dreaming. The hard working tone and the emotional drive is strong in “Beyond The Blue” and while it’s not entirely a happy song, there is joy. Otto’s loss of her sister, she said, led her down the path to use music as therapy. It’s evident in the lyrics that her sister was a special person. Like a lot of teenagers, she wanted to fit in. Otto continues that while her time on Earth was short, she believes her sister had a special inclination that she was just visiting. She made the most of what she could, and even more so, made her family and friends around her feel just as special.
The love pours out in the hopeful chorus, …up there beyond the blue. I was quick to imagine Otto looking up at the sky and thinking of her sister, just as easily as I imagined the quaint, acoustic guitar music and slight electric piano bed serving as a sort of blanket. A comforting nod, the acoustic guitar choice is exquisite. The tone is like a comforting arm on the shoulder. It’s like a moment when your parents or loved one doesn’t use any words, but their face alone comforts. That’s what the guitar does in “Beyond The Blue”. It’s mere presence is security. It’s precise melody is the perfect backdrop to Otto’s country-flavored vocals. But the place you are right now, sure has a better view, Otto sings, allowing the listener glean another bold image. Her songwriting reminds me of Bob Carlisle (“Butterfly Kisses”) and Craig Martin/Larry W. Johnson (“Don’t Take The Girl). It’s another exceptional feat to be compared to such legendary Nashville songwriters. She earns that comparison in each “Beyond The Blue” note and coveted lyric. Otto transports the listener and it’s as if time stops.
AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Blue-Natalie-Otto/dp/B083W4JTYL
I can imagine Otto to be a shy and reserved soul. “Beyond The Blue” is her ticket to freeing her soul, her soapbox. The closeness in age and friendship she shared with her sister is reflected in the tight cadence and lyrical composition. Again, the guitar bed is triumphant, allowing little to no room for valleys. She just nails the tone and this song pulls at the heartstrings. “Better” is not a funeral march; “Better” is a celebration of life.
Troy Johnston