Q: Psycho Therapy, like many of your songs, is written with honesty and vulnerability. Being truthful in your music is a very bold and brave move. What made you want to be an artist that is 100% honest with your listers?
CAT: For me, music is as personal as it gets. And I’ve learned that when I get personal, it gives someone else the permission and safety to do the same. Especially in this age of social media where we’re bombarded with a highlight reel at all times and everything is posed and staged, and I think people are craving authenticity more than ever to make them feel seen and connected. Music allows me to confront my own feelings and demons and address things I wouldn’t necessarily know how to share through a conversation. It allows me to go beyond the highlight reel and show people that we all have a story to tell, we’re all struggling with something. And because of how much music means to me, I never debated with myself whether I would decide to go all in when it came to being vulnerable, it just kind of naturally happened because music is where I feel most at home and in my element.
Q: You’ve mentioned that you’ve gone through traumatic events in your life that led you to writing music. How has your trauma influenced you the most?
CAT: I really believe that that trauma had to happen in order to push me in to music; it has allowed me to share my story in a way that I never had the opportunity to before. The first major event happened about a year ago following the breakup from a really toxic and dangerous person. When he was gone, one of first phone calls I made was to the studio. I decided that I now had the freedom to pursue music on my terms and I threw myself in to it with everything I had. I wanted to tell my story and writing was a way for me to cope with all of the feelings and situations that felt impossible to navigate. Since that day, music has become my life and it sometimes feels surreal to think of how much has happened in a short time. I was kind of forced in to the driver’s seat due to that trauma, but I think I was being led here all along.
Q: We saw you got the chance to be on the Kelly Clarkson show! What was that experience like for you?
CAT: It was so much fun! I have been a fan of Kelly’s since her first album and I remember singing her songs over and over again when I was younger (I still do that now!). She was so kind and down to earth whether the cameras were rolling or not, she made me feel like we could be friends. The timing of it was truly perfect because I was just about to release my first single and it was so awesome to be able to tell her what music means to me. It’s also pretty cool to be able to say that my breakup story made Kelly Clarkson drop her jaw.
Q: What is one of your most favorite moments in your musical journey so far?
CAT: Meeting Kelly was so amazing and being featured in Rolling Stone was such an honor. But I think overall it’s been watching my own progression as I release more and more songs. It’s so cool to be building my catalogue; I remember starting the process of determining a release plan and now I’m in the thick of it and have just learned so much. I used to dream about it and now I’m doing it, that sense of self-accomplishment feels good.
Q: What was filming the ‘Psycho Therapy’ music video like for you?
CAT: As I was filming it, I was in the middle of a particularly dark time. My ex had resurfaced and he was trying everything he could to silence me and get me to stop making music. So I tried to harness all of my sadness and anger in to the video, there wasn’t much acting involved. You’re really just watching me work through everything I’m singing about as it’s happening in real time. But in true poetic justice, by the time “Psycho Therapy” was released, he was forced to finally walk away and leave me in peace. I felt triumphant that through all of his attempts to muzzle me, I refused to be silenced and told the story that he didn’t want me to tell through a song and video that I am so proud of. Additionally, my videographer and photographer are so talented and they really captured what I was trying to get across. They made me feel seen and comfortable to explore and I couldn’t be happier with the finished product.
Q: If you could give advice to other artists trying to make it, what would advice would you give them?
CAT: Find your ‘why’ and hold fast to it; this business is difficult and it will test you every day. You have to keep circling back to your purpose and why you’re here because that is what will get you through the days when your dream feels impossible. Find people who lift you up and want to be on your team, and who aren’t just there to make a quick dollar or punch a clock. And most importantly, fall in love with the process; I have to remind myself of this multiple times a day. There will be many moments where you realize what you used to wish for is coming true, and it’s easy to just move on to the next thing and want more. Don’t get me wrong, being hungry for the next level is crucial, but keep appreciating and loving the process. The journey is the destination.
Interviewed by Kaitlyn Westerman
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