Released across all platforms yesterday, Katie’s latest single explores all different feelings in a relationship. Read our conversation here.
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself? Where are you from and where did music start for you?
I am based in Kent now but have previously lived in Chichester as well as Dubai. My dad is a teacher so we moved to Dubai for a few years as he was working out there. Music started at a young age. I did my first solo performance at the school nativity play aged 4 (which was a total surprise to my parents!). I had sporadic singing lessons in junior school but am mainly self taught. I am dyslexic so sight reading and theory is a bit of a no-no for me. I have persevered with the guitar and piano and play by ear. I often accompany myself on stage playing the guitar but it’s definitely out of my comfort zone.
If you were to sum yourself up in three words, what would you say?
Passionate, laid-back and determined
You released today your latest single Lukewarm Lover. What does this song mean to you?
Lukewarm Lover is a track about a relationship that has gone stale. It’s reached its potential and done its time. Normally I write about personal experiences – it’s a cathartic way of dealing with how I am feeling. But Lukewarm Lover isn’t about a relationship that I have experienced. I wrote it with an artist who is based near me in Kent. Bizarrely we met a few years before, at a gig we were both performing at in London and then when I was supporting Boyzlife at a theatre in Hastings last year, Fonx was there. We reconnected and wrote this track together; I am looking forward to more collaborations with him later this year. Lukewarm Lover is certainly a move on from some of my previous, more acoustic tracks.
How does this compare to your previous release, The Problem?
Lukewarm Lover is certainly a move on from some of my previous, more acoustic tracks. My bio states that ‘I don’t write happy songs’ and my debut EP was certainly very ballard based. Lukewarm Lover has a more dance/pop feel to it and could almost be mistaken for a happy tune!
Do you have any help with the writing, recording or producing process?
‘Coming Home at Dawn’ which was released when I was 18 was almost 100% self penned. T-Shirt, for example was written when I was 15. I am still proud of those tracks but I know that my writing has moved on and matured in the last couple of years. In recent months, I have worked with some great writers and producers who have helped develop and experiment with my sound and ideas. I want to continue to be open-minded about the direction that I take my music in the future; you never know, I might even write a happy song!
Where do you look to find inspiration for your music?
I draw from personal experiences the majority of the time; certainly in the early days of my writing. More recently, I have also been drawing on experiences from those that I have been writing with.
Before the world of live music shutdown, did you get to play many gigs?
Before lockdown and the advent of COVID, I was touring with Boyzlife. It was a 35 date UK tour so I was gutted that Canterbury ended up being our final show. I had toured with them previously and was happy to be invited back for their sell-out tour. Playing to packed audiences and engaging with fans was a huge learning curve for me. I love to play live. I have also toured with Lucy Spraggan in the Uk and Europe and have opened for Ronan Keating, Jools Holland and Olly Murs. Even during this pandemic, I was lucky to support the Kaiser Chiefs, Scouting for Girls and Rick Astley for some socially-distanced events – it was quite odd performing to a field full of cars!!!!
What are some of your favourite stories from these shows?
I signed my first boob!!! I had a hilarious encounter with a fan after a gig who made a bold request..funny none the less. Meeting fans overall has to be up there. Hearing the crowd singing your songs along with you – you can’t beat that! Brian and Keith were super supportive and during my first tour with them, they used to invite me on stage with them to sing a song together.
What about something you are not missing from being on the road?
I loved touring in general but it was quite tiring and at times isolating. Everything the general public see on socials portrays a ‘dream life’ but in reality going to bed alone after a late show was at times lonely, especially as the majority of my friends were out partying at University. Eating healthily is quite a challenge on tour. You tend to eat late, and spend a ton of cash on deliveroo! Touring is also really expensive. Hotel bills, wages to my guitarist (who is amazing and 100% worth it), petrol……so there is a pressure to sell merch every night to ensure you can cover your bills. Luckily my merch sold well and helped me fund touring.
What advice would you give to those looking to get into the world of music?
It’s hard work. There is no set path/easy fix. There is a lot of luck involved. But the key is good music. So, keep writing, keep learning, collaborate with as many people as you can and hopefully you’ll find success.
Where can we find out more about you?
I have a website: www.katiekittermaster.com. I am also on Instagram as @katiekittermsater, Tik Tok as @Ktkittermaster and Facebook and Twitter as @kkittermaster
Anything else you would like to tell us?
I have a new members platform where you can have access to exclusive content – early demos, competitions, news and more. https://katiekittermaster.fangage.com
I would like to thank Katie for taking the time to answer my questions and wish her the best of luck with her new music, and hopefully I’ll be able to catch her on the road one day!
TrueStyleMusic 