Natalie Bassingthwaighte has been a staple of the Aussie music scene since the early noughties and has even dipped her toes into acting for both the stage and the screen, making her a pretty nifty powerhouse of talent, we reckon. We recently caught up with Natalie to chat all about her career so far, as well as how she feels about being honoured at this year’s Mardi Gras celebrations.

Howdy Natalie! You’ve got experience working as an actress, musician, television presenter, fashion designer and so much more. What has been your favourite aspect of all of these careers? That’s like asking someone to pick their favourite child!  To be honest, I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to explore so many different genres and I recognise how lucky that is. I love playing a different character, whether on screen or on stage, so acting has allowed me to immerse myself in all sorts of roles.  

I thrive off a live audience; sharing the energy of a room is just magical, so musical theatre and my music have provided me with that opportunity. I also really love interacting with people on a truly holistic and human level so presenting gives me the chance to really connect.  I don’t know what my favourite is, I love all of it!

What inspired you to branch out into so many different careers? I grew up performing for my family, friends and anyone who would listen really! I have always just tried to explore opportunities as they present themselves and, thankfully, I’ve worked with some amazing directors and actors who’ve really allowed me to feel my way into different roles, genres and creative career paths.

Why do you love performing? I love the energy of the art, and it doesn’t matter which format it’s in, it’s just something I’ve always loved. I don’t think I have ever really wanted to do anything else.

You’ve mentioned before that you felt pressured to come out by media outlets. How did this affect you? For me, I felt it was so overwhelming that I had to say something before I felt like I was ready. No one should have to do that. I am an incredibly sensitive human but I felt so fragile, and I was still trying to navigate this all myself. The fear of judgment and the thought of potentially losing jobs or ambassadorships felt out of my control before I was ready. 

Talk to us about being a guest of honour at the 2024 Sydney Mardi Gras Johnnie Walker debutante ball. I was approached by the Johnnie Walker team about joining them at their first-ever Mardi Gras Debutante Ball, and I liked the idea of being able to make a debut as a new member of the LGBTQIA+ community, alongside other first-timers. There are so many reasons why some queer people are not able to attend Mardi Gras, so I think this is such a great way to celebrate them and make their first time special and memorable. I’m really excited to be part of it and get to perform surrounded by so many amazing diverse community members of all identities.

What are you most looking forward to at Mardi Gras? The Debutante Ball, of course!

What’s next on the horizon for you? I have a really busy start to the year actually, with lots of performances and interesting things coming up!

Do you want to go to Mardi Gras as a first-timer? Pop over here and share in 25 words or less why you want to go, and what has stopped you from attending previously. Good luck!