By: Afton Lynn

Kill My Coquette’s lead singer, Natalie Denise Sperl, sits down with us to talk about their new their song EP coming out on January 20th. Written and arranged by Natalie, the 5-song EP was recorded at Evelyn Martin Recordings in Los
Angeles with producer Danny McGough (Tom Waits, Social Distortion).  Natalie is not only the front lady of Kill My Coquette but she’s also appeared on television shows like “How I Met Your Mother,” “Two and a Half Men” and “CSI: Miami.” Sperl confesses that music is her dream above all else.

Thank you for chatting with us Natalie. It’s great to be able to talk with you.

Howdy! Thanks for having me. My hairless cat is actually sitting on my laptop right now. He wants my attention.

You are the vocalist and guitarist of the LA-based band Kill My Coquette.  Who’s the aforementioned “coquette?”

No! If I told you who the Coquette is I’d not only have to kill you, I’d have to stuff your head in my freezer and I don’t feel like getting up right now.

How did the band come together?

I formed the band from local Los Angeles musicians. There is a HUGE pool of super duper talent here. I met some amazing musicians. After a few line up changes, I found the band. I’m lucky.

What does “Kill My Coquette” mean?

Coquette is French for “flirt.” Is he the Coquette? Am I?

Kill My Coquette’s debut EP is due out on January 20th.  Is there a theme to the EP? What are the songs about?

The five tracks on the EP are all different. I didn’t consciously make a themed album. I wanted to write about whatever I wanted to write about, so the songs vary from one another. There’s a little pop, a little punk, a little blues and a little rock. A good time for everyone!   Seriously though I tend to write about what I know: Hollywood, love, loss, struggle, beauty, hope, highs, lows and in-betweens.

What is your favorite song on the EP, and why?

I love “Post Teenage Angst.” It’s my punker dunker song inspired by “Blitzkrieg Bop” by The Ramones and “Baba O’Riley” by The Who.

Do you write your own lyrics?

Yes. All of them.

Where do the lyrics come from –  true life events or made up events, or something else entirely?

Most of the lyrics come from my own true life events. Pronouns can be switched to suit the song. I’d like to experiment with more storytelling on my next songs, from someone else’s point of view perhaps, although I think it makes more of an impact if I’m writing from the heart. My heart. I’ll try other ways in my new songs. I’ll let you know how it goes.

Please tell us your story, from starting out as a model and actress to now doing music.  

I grew up in a small town in Minnesota. I went to Catholic School and hung out in the art room mostly before I was doing school plays. Always feeling restless, I knew I wanted to get out of that town very early on. I would hang out in Minneapolis on the weekends and see concerts with my friends. I started modeling and moved to LA for a really short time when I got my first acting job. Then I moved to London doing runway for some of the top designers at the time. I modeled for years in Paris and Milan as well before moving back to Los Angeles. “Operation Movie Star” was in full effect. I was an audition machine. I worked my ass off and eventually landed parts on top television shows, starred in cult films, indie films, sci-fi films, horror movies, etc. I was doing it. I had made it, but I was getting bored of all the time waiting around on film sets and all the down time between jobs, so I decided I’m going to write and play music. Start a band and sing/play what I want. Keep going. Keep expressing. I HAVE TO.

You have said that “with music, you are in control of the creativity and the vision behind it, but with acting and modeling you are not.” What is it about music that drives you, that acting and modeling does not offer?

As I said, I can say whatever I want in my music. The time to fully express yourself is in a song. If you don’t think it’s poignant or brutally honest you shouldn’t be singing about it. With acting, it’s someone else’s words. Someone else’s costume. A director’s vision. With music, I’m the director. In between acting jobs I can play local clubs with my band. It’s perfect.

How would you describe Kill My Coquette’s music to someone who has never heard it?   

Hmmm…tough question.  I would say the band has shades of Hole with touches of The NewYork Dolls with a little Joan Jett mixed with some Social D.

What message are you sending out?

Take a chance. Better to have loved and lost then never to have loved at all. This ain’t no dress rehearsal. Go for it.

If you couldn’t be a singer, actor or model, what else would you like to do?

I think professional poker player or working as a handler for race horses. I love that culture. I love animals.

What are your hobbies?

Horse races, poker, yoga and general debauchery.

What is a snack or drink you can’t live without?

Sunflower seeds are my dirty secret.

Any final comments?

Always look both ways. And play with your cats more. Thanks so much, and check out killmycoquette.com for the latest news and show dates!