Exclusive Interview with 'KAT' | Illustrate Magazine

On September 30, 2022, Pop-Rock powerhouse and Singer-Songwriter KAT released her newest single, “Liar Liar,” fusing elements from several different genres with dark, soulful vocals that express raw emotion. Kat brings her own brand of soulful pop with a rock edge. with Bishop Briggs, Sia, Jeff Buckley, Prince, Tina Turner, and Aretha Franklin among its musical influences.
Kat’s desire to sing was initially sparked by the voices of early blues and soul greats like Aretha Franklin and Etta James. She said, “I loved their tone, the raw honesty and emotion of the songs they sang, the story-telling, the baring of their soul through their voices – I knew I wanted to sing with this kind of authenticity and write songs that had a story to tell.”

Kat is a true songwriter; she creates music that comes from the heart and is inspired by both her positive and negative life experiences. When going through the worst of breakups or difficult times, “Liar Liar” serves as a reminder of one’s self-worth: “the best revenge is moving on.” Check out the song and the exclusive interview below:

1. Can you tell us a bit about where you come from and how it all got started?

KAT: I’m a London born Cypriot and have lived my whole life in this wonderful capital of the UK, while still feeling deeply connected to my motherland Cyprus. I’ve been involved in music (and performing in general), ever since I can remember. I started off being supremely shy growing up – and it was a way to express myself and shed those inhibitions more easily. Choirs, theatre and spending most of my school breaks singing favourite pop songs of the time, with my friends (and band members). Once I hit my teens, I realised performing was what I wanted to spend every day doing and it led to me writing my own songs and doing small gigs locally. My mum persuaded me to enter a singing competition at a big festival in Alexandra Palace, which I ended up winning – that’s when I started thinking maybe I can actually do this as a career!

2. Did you have any formal training or are you self-taught?

KAT: I had a few teachers at school, and took performing arts classes, but it wasn’t until I met and was lucky enough to be mentored one-on-one by the amazing singer and vocal coach Helena Shenel (who also taught Shirley Bassey, George Michael amongst many others) – that things really changed for me; not only as a singer – discovering my voice and vocal capabilities but also as a person – Helena was a guiding force from early on in my music journey up until her passing in 2020 and is a dearly missed friend. Both her vocal teachings and life lessons continue to steer and inspire me.

I also studied and achieved my BA (Hons) in Commercial Music at the University of Westminster which had a predominate focus on songwriting and performing.

3. Who were your first and strongest musical influences and why the name ‘KAT’?

KAT: It was the voices of old school soul legends like Aretha Franklin and Etta James that first made me want to sing. I loved their tone, the raw honesty and emotion of the songs they sang, the storytelling, the baring of their soul through their voices. I knew I wanted to sing with this kind of authenticity and write songs that had a story to tell.

KAT is an abbreviation of my full name Ekaterina, it’s always been my nickname, so it made sense to use it.

4. What do you feel are the key elements in your music that should resonate with listeners, and how would you personally describe your sound?

KAT: You’ll find dark soulful vocals, lyrics that exude deep vulnerability, usually inspired by real experiences, guitar driven rifts and songs that I hope ultimately empower.

I describe my music as soulful pop with a rock edge – I think it encapsulates my sound well and gives a clue to the vocal textures and vibe you’ll discover in my music. I like to think of my songs as uplifting but with a rocky rawness to them.

5. For most artists, originality is first preceded by a phase of learning and, often, emulating others. What was this like for you? How would you describe your own development as an artist and music maker, and the transition towards your own style, which is known as ROCK?

KAT:

The youngest of 5 siblings, I was brought up amongst almost every genre. My sisters loved Ska, Soul, Jazz and 80s while my brothers were more into rock and hip-hop, all the while my parents had London Greek Radio on all day while they worked (funnily enough I now host 3 shows a week at this very station!). I credit this exposure for planting the seeds for my love of music and appreciation of all styles and feel it had a big impact on my development as a vocalist as well as the evolution of my songs. My vocal coach had roots in Opera so I even sang a few Arias. I also had a particular affinity and love for big, emotive soaring female voices from soul legends like Aretha, Ella and Etta, to pop Queens Whitney and Mariah and then Christina Aguilera. I loved the emotion and rawness that emanated through every note, and it is something that is very important for me to express in my own music; an authentic voice and storyteller. I would sing along to these artists all day and night. They were my first teachers. When I started lessons with Helena the emphasis was on finding out the intricacies of my own voice and discovering how I would sing a certain phrase or rift rather than trying to emulate another singer. I’m so grateful for that guidance! Also, writing my own songs played a huge part in discovering my own sound – leading with emotion or narrative and not necessarily feeling binded by a genre. The rock sound to my music evolved naturally through my songwriting and during the process of creating music.

6. What’s your view on the role and function of music as political, cultural, spiritual, and/or social vehicles – and do you try to affront any of these themes in your work, or are you purely interested in music as an expression of technical artistry, personal narrative, and entertainment?

KAT:

The beauty of music is that both these ‘types’ of songs serve a very significant purpose whether it be to express an important message or provide joy – they are equally as important. For me I love writing both kinds, and it very much depends on the individual song or project I’m working on.

At the moment my songs tend to have a mission. ‘Violet Eyes’ is a song I wrote about domestic abuse. I was inspired and incredibly moved after reading a survivors account. In this instance, I hope it can play a part in raising awareness of a social issue that is still extremely prevalent in our society. My upcoming EP ‘Warrior Heart’ also had a very specific intention – to champion vulnerability as a strength and how our scars and wounds can be beautifully powerful and transformative in their own way.

7. Do you feel that your music is giving you back just as much fulfilment as the amount of work you are putting into it or are you expecting something more, or different in the future?

KAT:

As an independent artist there is so much you need to do alongside creating music to drive your career forward which can feel less fulfilling, but once I’m on stage performing my own songs, I feel a purpose and joy like no other. I want to do more of that!

8. Could you describe your creative processes? How do you usually start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song? Do you usually start with a tune, a beat, or a narrative in your head? And do you collaborate with others in this process?

KAT:

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 journalling have all provided inspiration in the past. I might start with some basic chords, more often than not the vocal melody will come first without lyrics. I’ll sing some non-sensical 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’ll work with a musician, usually a guitarist, to build on what I’ve created, or collaborate with my producer to bring my ideas to life, if it’s for a recording.

9. What has been the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure in your life or music career so far?

KAT:

My upcoming debut EP ‘Warrior Heart’ is a very personal one – 4 out of the 5 tracks where written and created at an extremely challenging time in my life. Experiencing heartbreak, loss, disillusionment. Writing the EP was incredibly healing and started a journey of rediscovery of myself – a return to me, if you like, both on a personal level as well as an artist. Many of the tracks started from journalling and evolved into the songs they are today. The first single release ‘Liar Liar’, was everything I wanted but couldn’t say at the time; the break-up anthem I needed after getting my heart broken, along with the realisation that I was better off without him. My heart just needed to catch up. In your face and unapologetic. It’s now one of my favourite songs to perform live!

10. On the contrary, what would you consider a successful, proud or significant point in your life or music career so far?

KAT:

Taking a deeply traumatic experience and creating a collection of songs that champions vulnerability as a strength is something I look back on now and feel very proud. I hope the songs on the EP once released, will resonate and help anyone who finds themselves in similar situations to embrace and recognise their own ‘Warrior Heart’.