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We’re very excited to be speaking today with acclaimed folk singer/songwriter, poet, novelist, and visual artist Nathaniel Bellows; greetings and salutations Nathaniel and thanks for taking time from a busy schedule to wax philosophical with us and our ever-inquisitive readers here at Vents Magazine! Before we barrel down the proverbial Q&A music-lined rabbit hole, how is the back-half of 2025 finding you and yours?
Thanks so much for asking me to join you for this Q&A. As for the back-half of 2025… this year’s been a bit of a rollercoaster, to put it mildly. But, autumn is my favorite season — especially in NYC, where I live — so things have begun to feel a little calmer.
Major kudos and accolades on your stunner of a new EP The Moat which dropped on October 17 alongside your freshly-minted new single “True”! Starting at the tip-top, can you talk about what inspired one of the very best EP and single releases of the year?
Thank you for that. I wrote the six songs of The Moat as a kind of concept EP that asks the question: What is a moat? Is it a structure of protection and autonomy? Or a device of hiding and alienation? In the wake of the pandemic’s worst years, I found myself wrestling with these notions and ideas — exploring them musically felt like the best way to confront and uncover the truth behind them.
Of the six phenomenal tracks on the new The Moat EP, what made “True” the perfect choice to see release as a single with the EP? Do you feel that it tonally represents The Moat?
Yes. “True” was in fact the first song I wrote in this group of six. It’s a song about dividing your identity — the soul, the heart, the voice — to discover the contours of one’s own truth, even in the face of estrangement or punishment. Sonically, it’s a little meandering and variable; the melody is both gritty and delicate. To me, “True,” lives at the center of The Moat, as it is both candid and opaque, vulnerable and empowered.
You produced The Moat EP alongside the rightly lauded Michael Hammond! What was it like collaborating with Michael on this new release?
I’ve worked with Michael on a few different projects — past songs of mine and on Unremembered, an orchestral song cycle I wrote with composer Sarah Kirkland Snider. So, I knew Michael had a nuanced, deeply informed musical sensibility alongside some deft engineering chops. He’s also one of the nicest, calmest, and competent people I’ve ever worked with. He communicated beautifully with all the players when we recorded at Figure 8 Recording, and he brought great ideas, all while remaining deeply respectful to the source material. As a musician, he contributed beautiful electric guitar and sound design to the song “Night in Day” — and he spontaneously added his own field recording of a beach in Maine that we both have a connection to, which is typical of who he is: thoughtful and skillful, thinking beyond the task at hand to bring about something unexpected.
“Your Fault”is a particular favorite of ours off The Moat! What’s the VH1-Behind the Music origin story on this gem of a ditty?
Thank you. I like that the title suggests possible accusation or injury. But the song is ultimately about forgiveness — forgiving oneself for the past injustices, treatment, and trespasses others have subjected us to. The core of the song is about converting blame into self-knowledge and wisdom, which, in the end, is a source of freedom.
In your humble opinion, what differentiates The Moat from the Distinguished Competition on the 2025 music scene?
The Moat is a good example of what I attempt to do in my music — it’s lyrically ambitious, delivered with an unusual, distinctive voice, with an unconventional guitar-playing style. The songs are interior and deliberate and highly crafted. They take their time and don’t necessarily instantly cohere. What distinguishes the EP from what’s out there now is how the songs shy away from formula and don’t concern themselves with easy, obvious gratification. I wrote the record to unfold and expand over multiple listens and, in a time and culture when attention spans are notoriously short… I think that might be considered an unusual approach.
What does your touring/performing dance card look like in the wake of the October 17 release of the new EP and single?
It’s often hard for me to schedule shows — not to mention an actual tour — because I have a job that requires me to travel quite a bit, and I’m always juggling my other artistic work (specifically: novel writing). But, I’m looking forward to playing this material live, so I’m trying to set up a NYC-based show hopefully for the winter or after the new year.
Is it too soon to inquire what your 2026 music plans look like? Might a full-fledged LP release be waiting in the wings?
It takes me a long time to write a song — weeks usually, sometimes months. I’m not the kind of songwriter that writes lyrics on the page and then transposes them to the guitar. I tend to write the music/melody first and slowly discover/evolve the language as I go. It’s really only at the end of the process — when all the lyrics feel locked into place — that I really understand what I’ve been trying to explore. All of which is to say: I don’t have a full LP planned at the present time. Though I do have one new song that’s about 85% finished. So… stay tuned for that one!
Who are some of the people both in and out of the world of music who have inspired your own professional pathway?
A few inspirations… Music: Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Joanna Newsom. Literature: James Agee, Emily Dickinson, William Maxwell, Penelope Fitzgerald, Gerard Manley Hopkins. Visual Art: Joan Mitchell, Mark Tansey, Joseph Cornell, Vivian Maier, Leonardo Da Vinci.
At the end of the day, what do you hope listeners walk away with after giving many-a-spin to your out-of-this-world new single “True,” as well as your drop-the-mic new EP The Moat?
Thank you again for asking me to participate in this Q&A — and for your thoughtful and complementary questions. I hope listeners focus in on the theme of the project — the contradictory notion of a moat — and take time to see how these themes resonate both in the individual songs, but also in their sequencing and arrangement. I particularly hope listeners take the time to appreciate the excellent players (Michael Coleman (piano, organ); Ian Davis (bass); Kid Millions (drums); and Michael Hammond (electronics)) who helped me bring these pieces to life in ways I never could have achieved on my own. Also, I created a series of lyric videos for the project
, as a way for listeners to engage with The Moat content and concept in a dynamic, visual way. So, I hope they take a moment to experience this music in that form, too.
EP stream: https://lnk.to/ELM73o
