Tempo Talks: A Conversation with Kat
THE RELEASE
Emerging singer-songwriter KAT is recognized for her distinctive fusion of heartfelt, evocative narratives and pop-rock flair. Drawing inspiration from the formidable voices of blues and soul icons like Aretha Franklin and Etta James, KAT is driven by a passion for authentic, unfiltered singing and crafting songs that weave captivating tales. From sold-out headline performances in Camden to widespread acclaim in press and radio, KAT's career is gaining traction with every new release. As her debut EP 'Warrior Heart' approaches, KAT is ready to leave her imprint on the music scene.
KAT's most recent single, 'Rise', reveals a softer aspect of the artist, with her husky, soulful voice shining against a gentle piano and string accompaniment. The track conveys the strength of healing and its transformative impact on oneself and others. Motivated by her mother's unwavering faith in her during challenging times, KAT composed 'Rise' as a tribute to the resilience discovered in moments of adversity. The song serves as a reminder that, through the backing of our loved ones and the openness to discuss our hardships, we can find the fortitude to surmount life's obstacles and encourage those around us to follow suit.
THE INTERVIEW
What song or moment in time sparked your passion for music?
It's hard to pick the exact moment that was the catalyst for my passion for music. Music has always been a huge part of everyday life for as long as I can remember! As the youngest of five siblings, I was exposed to a multitude of genres, from Pop, Rock, Soul, Ska, RnB, and Hip-Hop—a real eclectic range of music from artists that weren't necessarily from my generation. Not to mention Greek music! Having Cypriot heritage, my parents always had London Greek Radio on in the background. I was in choirs and played violin in an orchestra from around 8 years old until my mid-teens. Some of my earliest music recollections were being obsessed with A-ha's "Take On Me", probably before I could even sing (I'm pretty sure Morten Harket was my first crush), and Lisa Loeb's "Stay" was one of the first singles I bought with my own pocket money. Growing up, I was super shy and initially found my performance path through acting in theatre. Singing auditions at that time terrified me, but I always loved to sing. I formed a girl band with friends in school, and once that disbanded, I started doing solo gigs. I entered a singing talent show at Alexandra Palace, singing Jennifer Rush's "Power of Love". It was the biggest crowd I'd ever sang in front of up until that point. I completely immersed myself in the emotion of that song and sang my heart out, never expecting to win but getting first place! Winning that contest was perhaps the first time I really thought, hey maybe I CAN do this!
If you had to create a Mount Rushmore of inspiration, what four individuals molded the artist you are today?
What a great question!
The voices of old-school blues and soul legends are what first made me want to sing, particularly Etta James. I fell in love with her tone, the raw honesty and emotion emanating through the songs she sang, the story-telling, and the unapologetic baring of her soul through her voice. She also brought a rocky edge to her sound. I wanted to sing with this kind of grit and authenticity. To write songs that had a story to tell and leave everything out there on the stage to create an irreplaceable moment of connection with the audience.
Mariah Carey has always been a great source of inspiration. At school, myself and a musician friend would sneak into the auditorium during our breaks, where there was a grand piano, and sing Mariah songs until the bell rang for class. Hearing her vocals on "Vision of Love" completely blew my mind. Mariah's awe-inspiring range and poetic style of songwriting, her ability to crossover genres and explore different sides of her artistry through remixes, as well as her ability to play an instrumental part in the recording process, is just phenomenal. Singing Mariah songs was an education in itself, but it also highlighted to me the importance of not putting yourself in a preconceived box that limits you (even if others try to take it upon themselves to impose this on you!).
I was lucky enough to be mentored one-on-one by the amazing opera singer and vocal coach Helena Shenel (who also taught Shirley Bassey and George Michael, among many others). Meeting Helena was hugely inspirational for me. I not only discovered my voice and vocal capabilities through her teachings, but her influence on a personal level was transformative; I became a more compassionate, intuitive, and confident person for simply having known her. Helena was a guiding force from early on in my music journey up until her passing in 2020 and is a dearly missed friend. She encouraged me to embrace my darker mezzo tone, which she lovingly attributed to my Cypriot heritage, and steered me to focus on discovering my own unique voice rather than imitating or trying to sound like anyone else. Both her vocal teachings and life lessons continue to guide and inspire me.
Undoubtedly, one of the biggest influences that has helped mould me into the artist I am today has to be my Mum. She is my toughest critic but also my most devoted cheerleader! She has always believed in me and continuously encourages me to strive to achieve my dreams, however big they may seem, through hard work and passion. I attribute my strength, independence, and driven nature to her. She intuitively found Helena for me as my mentor and helped me choose the song "The Power of Love" to sing at that first talent show. All these years later, she will still call me up with the latest music jem of knowledge that she's discovered and is just as enthusiastic when I tell her about my latest song or gig news as she was when I first started out.
Aside from my personal Mount Rushmore! There are a few additional artists that have to get a special mention: Tina Turner, Prince, Christina Aguilera, and Jeff Buckley have all, in one way or another, hugely influenced my music journey.
How does your creative process work from the moment you develop the idea to the completion of the record?
My creative process tends to vary! An idea may spark from a personal experience or something I’ve seen, read, or heard. Movies, art, plays, articles, or my own journaling have all provided inspiration in the past. I might start with some basic chords, but more often than not, the vocal melody will come first without lyrics. I’ll sing some nonsensical words to hone a melody and record that. When I have something solid, I’ll scribble down any lyric inspiration that arises from listening to the melody or from my initial narrative ideas and continue building on it, amending and tweaking it until a structure starts to form. Once I have all the main components and a clear idea of my vision, I work with a musician, usually a guitarist, to build on what I've created, or I collaborate with my producer to bring my ideas to life if it’s for a recording.
As for this release, who is the producer and what about the production moved you?
The chemistry with your producer is so important, not only when it comes to creating something special in the studio but also finding a fellow creative who really understands your vision and intention behind your song as well as cultivating a safe space to explore and trial ideas until you find that sweet spot and definitive version. For "Rise", and in fact all the tracks from my upcoming EP "Warrior Heart", I worked with UK producer CeePee. I feel he really helped capture the vulnerability as well as the fighting spirit that I wanted the song to emanate. "Rise" starts very minimally with acoustic guitar, piano, and a singular vocal and gradually builds with strings and layered backing into the evolving anthemic final chorus of "And We Will Rise Again!" It gave me goosebumps when I recorded it in the studio, and it still does when I perform it live.
When it comes to the songwriting on this record, what is the message you want to get across to your listeners?
"Rise" is about the evolution of healing and how powerful it can be, not only for yourself but for others too. In a moment of despair, someone reaching out and holding space for you, letting you know you are not alone, can be what gives you the strength to keep going. In turn, that can lead to kinder self-talk and your own rousing self-belief that yes, you can get through it. And from there, sharing your struggles and the obstacles you faced and ultimately surmounted can help others who are now where you were believe that they can get through the challenges they are facing. This specifically manifested itself lyrically through the evolving chorus and changing point of view, from "you" to "I," "we," and back to "you will rise again."
On a deeper level, I wrote "Rise" during an extremely challenging time in my life: going through a traumatic break-up and life suddenly completely changing and uncertain; acknowledging emotional abuse that I had experienced but had never realised was going on at the time; and feeling so vulnerable and overwhelmed—literally, "the white flag at my fingertips." I had always been the person who would say, "I'm fine," even when my world was crumbling. Writing "Rise" was not only my admission that I was struggling but also my self-created affirmation that I would overcome this dark period of my life. I have to credit my Mum for the inspiration behind the uplifting spirit of "Rise." Her wise words and belief in me at a time when I was at my most vulnerable made all the difference. I'd also started exploring the law of attraction and the power of thoughts creating your reality around this time and really leaned into this. Thankfully, it worked, and I'm so grateful to be at a very different place in my life now in every sense!
With "Rise" officially released, to hear it resonating in the way I'd hoped is amazing! Ultimately, the message I hope that transcends is that vulnerability is our superpower; it's a strength, not a weakness, and everything is temporary, even the worst of times. I'd like it to bring hope to anyone who needs it.
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