SIGNING a record deal, being asked to play on Jools Holland's show and getting your first single playlisted on Radio 1 is a good year by any up-and-coming artist's standards.

But if, like Natty, you're in your first year of live performances, then you might find yourself feeling more than a little smug.

But there's no sign of arrogance from the 24-year-old North Londoner - who plays Middlesbrough Music Live on Sunday as well as a series of summer dates including Glastonbury - he's simply taking it all in his stride.

The former sound engineer picked up a guitar when he was ten years old before ditching it to write hip-hop beats.

He's philosophical about his new-found success and says: "Stuff finds you when it's the right thing. You don't find stuff.

Things in life which are meant to happen to you just happen to you."

It's easy to see why he came to this conclusion. After mastering music production software Cubase in his bedroom, he managed to convince employers to give him a try.

Engineering for some of the biggest names in pop and indie - including Duran Duran, Razorlight and Queen - Natty once again picked up his guitar and began to write, taking inspiration from his own life.

"My main influences are probably the real situations in my everyday life. That is what I like to write about," he says.

He also attributes his musical style to his mixed-race heritage. Described by Jools Holland as "musically eclectic, lyrically catchy, and set to soundtrack the sizzling summer of 2008", Natty admits to being influenced by artists as diverse as Neil Young and Marvin Gaye.

His intelligent lyrics on issues have already led to involvement with Love Music Hate Racism, who featured his song, If Is, on a compilation given away with the NME last year.

"If my mum wasn't black and my dad wasn't white, I probably wouldn't have such a diverse background. I grew up in North London, where you get big houses next to estates and estates next to big houses. Probably any type of race or colour, you'll find it in North London.

"If you keep your eyes open you can be influenced by everything and anything around you."

* Natty also appears on Wednesday at The Cluny, Newcastle, 0191-230-4474 www.myspace.com/natty4d