A Harmony Revolution
Nathaniel Paul and Jillian Speece are not just partners in life, they are partners in vision. Performing together as The Bergamot, the duo has redefined what American indie-folk can sound and feel like. Their crystalline harmonies and curiosity-driven songwriting have carried them from intimate stages to international festivals, always emphasizing what they can build together rather than alone.
A Breakout with Far Out
Their breakthrough came in 2022 with Far Out, released the night they opened for Barenaked Ladies – a band they had long admired. Not only did this mark their arrival as a commanding live act, the new record was hailed by indie music critic Mike Mineo as “One of the Top Albums of the Year,” The following year, their debut film State of the Unity was signed to Freestyle Digital Media and released in the U.S. and cemented The Bergamot as multidisciplinary storytellers, praised for its fusion of music, activism, and cinematic vision.
By 2024, that instinct for connection extended online when their YouTube short film Hurricane Helen: What Actually Happened in Asheville hit the #1 trending video worldwide for 48 hours, proving their rare ability to cut through culture across stage, screen, and digital platforms. That journey ignited the creative fire behind their 2025 album Give Love Away, a record rooted in empathy, hope, and collective resilience focused on inspiring families and the youth.
Give Love Away
Rooted in empathy and hope, Give Love Away embodies The Bergamot’s vision of connection, released now through AWAL. Recorded with the Notre Dame Children’s Choir and co-produced by Matt Wiggins (Glass Animals, Adele, Coldplay) alongside Nathaniel Paul, the record blends orchestral folk with expansive choral harmonies. The Bergamot worked with conductor Dr. Mark Doerries to capture breathtaking recordings inside the University of Notre Dame’s DeBartolo Performing Arts Center Leighton Concert Hall. The Notre Dame Children’s Choir’s soaring voices harmonizing with the duo transcend the songs into something deeply unifying, The Bergamot’s personal mission into a shared statement:
“This record is about daring to imagine a more hopeful tomorrow,” explains Paul. “It’s about choosing to be the warrior, not the victim, and moving toward a future we believe in.” Speece adds, “When the kids began singing with us, something otherworldly happened. Their voices reminded me why we make music to inspire and give hope to the youth.”
A Notre Dame Children’s Choir Collaboration
The idea of a children’s choir leading an Americana record borders on the unthinkable, but The Bergamot built their new album Give Love Away on exactly that risk. Sparked by a conversation with Dr. Mark Doerries of the University of Notre Dame, the duo leaned into the challenge and found unlikely inspiration in Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2.” The result is a record that stretches the boundaries of alt-folk, with its haunting centrepiece “Pray” written for the resonance of a full choir. The project will premiere on September 19th 2025 at Notre Dame’s Leighton Concert Hall, the very space it was dreamed of to fill.
What Lies Ahead
The Bergamot will join forces with the Notre Dame Children’s Choir to unveil their new album Give Love Away at the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center, at the University of Notre Dame. The premiere marks the beginning of their most ambitious chapter yet: a major headlining tour that will crescendo on Valentine’s Day 2026 with a landmark performance alongside a full symphonic orchestra. Marquee dates are already set, with more soon to be announced.
- 09.19.25 Notre Dame, IN – The DeBartolo
- 10.10.25 Phoenix, AZ – The Pemberton
- 11.28.25 South Bend, IN – The Morris Performing Arts Center
- 12.12.25 Traverse City, MI – The City Opera House
- 12.18.25 Charlotte, NC – The Carolina Theatre
- 02.14.26 South Bend, IN – The Morris Performing Arts Center (Valentine’s Collaboration with the South Bend Symphony Orchestra)
Give Love Away has also been submitted to the Grammy’s seeking to bridge the categories from Best Children’s Album to Best American Roots Performance. Few artists could inhabit that space, but The Bergamot do so with ease, shifting between the intimate and the cinematic without losing sight of their mission.
A Cultural InterventionAt its core, Give Love Away is more than an album. It is a cultural intervention for a fractured moment, rooted in the belief that music still has the power to unify. “Only love can heal the hate,” Paul reflects. From the triumphant lead single Beauty That We See to the title track and beyond, the message is clear: The Bergamot aren’t chasing daily trends – they’re shaping visions. Give Love Away is available everywhere now.