INTERVIEW: Natasha Hamilton unveils new single Fantasy, opens up about creative freedom, the music industry and her vision for Morpho Records

Artist, songwriter, Morpho Records founder and former Atomic Kitten star Natasha Hamilton isn’t just stepping back into her power, she’s strutting into it, heels on, wind machine blasting, no apologies in sight! As part of one of the UK’s most defining pop groups of the 2000s, with three number 1 singles bagged and over 10 million records sold worldwide, her legacy is already firmly cemented.

Now though, Natasha is flipping the script and entering her full independent era, reintroducing herself to the world as a solo artist with her brand new single Fantasy, released today! Written by Natasha herself, Kyle Falconer and Andy Gannon, Fantasy isn't a continuation of the past, it's a bold redefinition of the present. This is an artist not returning, but advancing entirely on her own terms. I was super lucky enough to have the opportunity to yap with Tash about alllll of the above but also other stuff like The Celebrity Traitors, her upcoming EP Extraction, Girlbands Forever, her crush of the day (crucial information) and loads more so let's dive in head first!

DALEYPOP: First of all, happy release day! Your brand new single Fantasy is out TODAY! I personally want to say thank YOU for putting it out there because I love pop music with strong female vocals and you're giving everything and more and I personally really appreciate you sharing your talent.

NATASHA HAMILTON: Oh wow thank you so much! That honestly means the world. When you put music out there, you never really know how people are going to connect with it so hearing that it resonates with you is just incredible. You’ve just made my day!

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DALEYPOP: Naww, I hope so! For our readers who might be discovering you for the first time (lucky them), can you introduce yourself and share a bit about your musical journey and how you got to where you are today?

NATASHA HAMILTON: I’m Natasha Hamilton. A singer, songwriter and the founder of Morpho Records. Most people first came to know me through Atomic Kitten which was an incredible chapter of my life and gave me the chance to travel the world and connect with millions of people through music but music has always been the constant thread for me. Over the years I’ve grown not just as an artist, but as a writer, a woman and now as a label founder.

This new chapter feels very much about creative freedom and evolution.

My new music is coming from a much deeper, more personal place and I’m genuinely so proud of what I’m creating right now.

DALEYPOP: And rightly so! After watching the Girlbands Forever series on the BBC iPlayer, I didn't realise you were just 16 when you joined Atomic Kitten, that's wild! Did you always know you wanted to be a pop star from a really young age then?

NATASHA HAMILTON: I really did. From being very little I was always singing around the house or putting on little shows by for my family. Music just felt like the most natural way for me to express myself.

Joining Atomic Kitten at 16 was surreal.

@thenatashahamilton And what a ride it’s been ✨ #music #journey #singer #liverpool #throwback ♬ original sound - 𝒶𝓂𝒶𝒾 🌀☀️

At that age you’re still figuring out who you are, and suddenly you’re on stage all around the world. Looking back now, it was a huge learning curve. It shaped me in so many ways and it gave me a deep love and respect for the craft and the industry.

DALEYPOP: Who were the artists that shaped you growing up and who’s inspiring you the most right now?

NATASHA HAMILTON: Growing up I loved powerful female artists like Whitney (Houston) and Mariah (Carey) who had power, presence and emotion in their voices. I was also raised on a lot of 70's soul, funk and R&B. We always had LPs on from the likes of Quincy Jones, Earth, Wind & Fire, Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight and The Sound of Philadelphia. This was music that just took you away. Songs with stunning string and brass sections and delicious harmonies. These days I still love those same kind of singers like Leon Thomas, Sasha Keable, FKJ, RAYE, JADE, Sienna Spiro and Bruno Mars. I’m slightly obsessed with MEEK at the moment too.

DALEYPOP: We need to talk about your dreamy new single Fantasy (even though I’m still clinging to Edge Of Us like it’s my emotional support song). You’ve said Fantasy is for anyone stepping into their power, I love that. What inspired that vibe and what’s the concept behind the track?

NATASHA HAMILTON: I love that you're still clinging to Edge Of Us! Fantasy is about that moment when life feels slightly off balance and you have to decide how you’re going to respond to it and explores the idea of realignment, coming back to yourself when things feel uncertain or chaotic.

To get back to you isn’t just about another person, it’s about reconnecting with who you are and choosing strength in that moment.

It sits in this beautiful space between tension and release and that’s something we’ve leaned into with the visuals and the choreography as well. The movement in the video reflects that push and pull and the idea of energy shifting until everything finds its centre again.

DALEYPOP: Well it's honestly a bop and the video is a masterpiece! You're super slept on in my opinion and I loveee that you’ve been giving us strong visuals from your singles artwork to your official music videos too. Even though the big budget MTV-era video isn’t the only way to promote music anymore, as a gay millennial I still live for them! My partner, my friends, and I literally have music video nights. I swear it’s a universal gay experience….I just live for a music video though.

NATASHA HAMILTON: Honestly, I still love a great music video too.

Visual storytelling has always been such a powerful way to extend the world of a song.

Back in the Atomic Kitten days it was pretty much the three of us looking hot and singing the track which was fun, but very much of its time. With this project the visuals are much more intentional. They’re there to communicate the emotional journey of the music. The choreography in Fantasy plays a big role in that. The dancers represent movement, resistance and eventually alignment. Being an independent artist now means I get to explore things on a deeper level creatively, which I absolutely love.

I’m also really interested in challenging what people expect a pop star to be.

Just because I was in a band years ago and now have a family doesn’t mean I stop evolving. If anything, it’s the opposite. There are so many more dimensions to explore as an artist and as a woman stepping into her power.

DALEYPOP: I’m the same, visual storytelling can completely shift how a song lands, right?! Sometimes I can't fully feel a track until I’ve seen the world built around it in a music video which is such a strange but magical thing, I think so anyway. With that in mind, what do you hope people experience the very first time they hear Fantasy?

NATASHA HAMILTON: Fantasy sits in that moment where life feels slightly off balance and you have to decide whether you’re going to fall apart or break through. The song is really about coming back to yourself, realigning when things feel uncertain. If someone listens to it and it gives them that little spark of strength or clarity, then that means everything to me. Music has this amazing ability to remind you of who you are when you momentarily forget.

DALEYPOP: So true. I'd love to ask you about another gorgeous track of yours (and music video too yay) that you released back in January. Numb is still on repeat at Scene HQ!

NATASHA HAMLTON: Numb was definitely a very emotional song to record. It came from a really honest place. There are moments in life where you feel disconnected or overwhelmed and writing that song was a way of processing those feelings. In the studio it was quite cathartic actually.

Sometimes putting those emotions into music is the healthiest way to move through them. I think that’s why people have connected with it. It’s vulnerable, but it’s also about resilience.

DALEYPOP: The video is giving me The Traitors vibes for some reason?!

NATASHA HAMILTON: We really didn't realise the video would be out around the same time as The Traitors but it definitely was giving those vibes!

DALEYPOP: Oh my god, speaking of The Traitors, I need to ask this immediately. Would you ever do The Celebrity Traitors? Because I can 100% picture you in the castle in a cloak serving drama and mind games.

NATASHA HAMLTON: Honestly, I think it would be brilliant fun. I’ve got a pretty solid poker face, so I reckon I could hold my own but it would also be incredibly stressful too.

DALEYPOP: Oh it would, stressful fun though! And speaking of exciting things, huuuuge congratulations on launching your own independent label. That’s such a power move. Can you tell our readers a bit about Morpho Records and how you came up with the name?

NATASHA HAMILTON: THANK YOU! Launching Morpho Records has been a really meaningful step for me.

After more than twenty years in the music industry, I’ve experienced both sides as an artist inside the system and now as someone building something new.

Morpho came from a desire to create a space where artists are genuinely supported in developing their voice, their confidence and their identity. At this stage in my career, creative control is incredibly important. It allows me to make music that feels authentic and intentional, but it also gives me the opportunity to help shape a creative environment for other artists too.

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Morpho isn’t just about releasing records, it’s about nurturing talent and building something that invests in artists for the long term. Oh and the name itself comes from the Menelaus blue morpho butterfly, native to South America and one of the largest, most striking butterflies in the world. Butterflies symbolise transformation: that journey from a humble beginning into the most vibrant, fully realised version of yourself. That idea of growth and evolution really spoke to me, which is why the label became Morpho Records.

DALEYPOP: How do you juggle being a wife, a mum and a public figure all at the same time? Are you secretly superwoman? (Shout out to my Uncle David for this question).

NATASHA HAMILTON: Lots and lots of coffee! Like most working mums, you just learn to juggle and prioritise what matters most. My family keeps me grounded. They’re the centre of my world. Having that balance actually makes me a better artist and a better business woman because it keeps everything in perspective.

DALEYPOP: I hope you don’t mind me asking this on behalf of all the Kittens (myself included), do you still keep in touch with any of the girls from Atomic Kitten?

NATASHA HAMILTON: Of course! We shared such a unique experience together and those memories will always be special.

Myself, Liz and Jen have a WhatsApp group and often catch up over FaceTime.

Life moves on and everyone has their own paths now, but there’s definitely a lot of history and respect there. I’m always hopeful that we will do something again in the future!

DALEYPOP: Has stepping out with your own solo music shifted the way you approach vulnerability in your songwriting do you think?

NATASHA HAMILTON: Definitely. When you release music under your own name there’s nowhere to hide and that can actually be quite freeing. It allows you to be more honest and more reflective in the writing.

DALEYPOP: Silly question I reckon but, how has the reaction from fans been so far?

NATASHA HAMLTON: The response has been really beautiful. The messages people send about how the songs make them feel are always the most meaningful part for me. What’s surprised me is how many people relate to the themes of transformation and rediscovering yourself. It seems to resonate with people at many different stages of life.

DALEYPOP: What does the support from the LGBTQ+ community mean to you and does it influence the music you create at all?

NATASHA HAMILTON: The support from the LGBTQ+ community has always meant so much to me. With this new project especially, I really feel like they get it. They appreciate the creativity behind it and the way I’m pushing myself further into my artistry than ever before.

There’s such an incredible sense of warmth, creativity and loyalty in the LGBTQ+ community and I’ve always felt genuinely embraced by it.

Music should be a space where everyone feels free to be themselves and I’m grateful for that connection.

DALEYPOP: Please tell us there’s an album or EP on the way?

NATASHA HAMLTON: Yes! My debut EP Extraction is due this summer. June 19th cannot come soon enough.

Extraction a project that really captures transformation, growth, and stepping into a new creative chapter and it’s taken everything out of me in the best possible way. There were moments of doubt, moments of real expansion, and so many late nights where I poured absolutely everything I had into the music. Blood, sweat, tears, and a whole lot of heart. For the first time in a long while, I let myself fully dive back into the creative process. Every lyric, every melody, every visual comes from a place of complete honesty. I wanted to make something that reflects exactly where I am now, not who I used to be, and I can genuinely say I’ve never been prouder of a body of work.

DALEYPOP: I always love asking this because the answers are never the same, what was the last thing you Googled?

NATASHA HAMLTON: I Googled where my son was in Vietnam. He’s off an a travel adventure and I like to know where about in the world he is.

DALEYPOP: Oh wow, so jel! Who’s your crush of the day?

NATASHA HAMLTON: Obviously I’m very happily married but…if I had to pick a crush....it would be David Beckham.

DALEYPOP: Ooooh! Last question now I promise, do you have any shows or gigs coming up this year that our readers can pop in their diaries?! I’m manifesting a Natasha Hamilton moment at Brighton Pride and/or Mighty Hoopla by the way, just saying.

NATASHA HAMILTON: I’ve really enjoyed answering your questions! I've got a really busy spring and summer ahead with shows across the UK and a few in Europe as well. At the moment I’m performing a mix of the Atomic Kitten heritage shows alongside introducing some of my new music which has been a really interesting balance. It’s a different musical landscape now but I actually love being able to bring those worlds together and perform both the songs people grew up with and the new chapter of my music. I’ve also got lots of ideas for dedicated solo Natasha shows in the future, which I’m really excited about as the EP comes out and people start to connect with the new material. Performing to crowds at Brighton Pride or Mighty Hoopla would be incredible!