KATiiE On Using Vulnerability In Songwriting And Meaning Behind Newest Project ‘Fallout’

A dynamic singer!

If you need another artist to join your favorite Spotify playlist, then may we suggest KATiiE. She’s an incredible vocalist, and her new EP ‘Fallout’ is the perfect representation of her impressive music skills, both in sound and in songwriting.

We had the absolute pleasure of speaking with KATiiE about the biggest turning point in her career, her favorite song from ‘Fallout’, and more!

When did you first realize that you wanted to pursue a career in music?

K: “I think I’ve always wanted to pursue a career in music. As a kid I definitely had phases where I explored other interests too, but music has felt like a pretty much inevitable path for me. Nothing else fulfills me the same way.”

Congratulations on ‘Fallout’! Can you walk us through the title’s meaning and how the project came to be?

K: “Thank you! It feels amazing to finally get to share it with the world. Fallout was inspired by the crash and burn of a two year situationship. I think some people don’t know how to end a relationship gracefully, they need it to be all or nothing. So that’s where the concept of “fallout” came from, the idea of utter destruction of the connection between two people that you can’t come back from. The ending shed a lot of light on relationships for me, and highlighted my tendency to stick around in toxic relationships, waiting for something to change at the expense of my self worth. The first song I wrote on the EP was “I Gotta” which really highlights that realization that loving someone is not enough for me. There needs to be mutual care and respect as well.”

We know that this may be hard, but if you had to choose a favorite track off of the EP, which one would it be and why?

K: “’I Gotta’ is my current favorite song. It feels like a core part of me and my values, and I connect to it emotionally every single time I hear it. It has been an empowering song for me to write, perform, and listen to, and I’ve gotten feedback from my friends, family, and listeners that it has also resonated deeply with them. It’s been incredibly meaningful to hear that kind of response from people!”

You impressively co-wrote every single song on ‘Fallout’. What is your songwriting process like?

K: “I am an observer and a daydreamer. As I go about my life and when I’m alone I notice the parallels in my life to the things that are going on around me. I write from a very personal place, all of my songs are written about my own experiences. My process usually starts by a melody or lyrics, then I might start producing the song a bit by building a draft in Ableton. For my EP Fallout, I started by rough drafting 3 out of 4 of the songs at home before bringing them to a producer.”

What is your best advice to fellow artists who may be hesitant to be vulnerable in their songwriting?

K: “Vulnerability doesn’t always come easily to me, but I do think it is a necessity in my songwriting and performing. To people who may be afraid to be vulnerable, I’d say fear can sometimes be a good thing and may indicate that you are entering new territory and experiencing growth as a person and an artist. It’s normal to be scared of that, but when you continue forward instead of shying away from that experience, I think that’s often when people begin to connect with your music in a deeper way. It’s an opportunity to voice feelings that others may also be experiencing, and help people feel less alone by knowing that we’re all dealing with the same or similar experiences as each other all the time in life.”

Looking back on the past eight years of developing your sound, how would you describe your evolution from then to now in terms of how you’ve grown both as an artist and as a person?

K: “When I started writing music, I was mainly a vocalist with some keys skills. My music had more of a folky influence to it and was mainly using acoustic instruments. 

I think the biggest turning point for me in the last 8 years of developing my sound was when I decided to take some courses in music production. When I write music I don’t just write lyrics and hear a melody, I often imagine a whole track and/or atmosphere behind the melody. Learning music production gave me the flexibility to create that atmosphere behind the song, which I think makes me feel like even if the production changes significantly when I bring the song to a producer, that it still contains my essence in some way. I feel way more connected to a song if I’m involved in the production. Learning music production also triggered my interest in synthesizers and electronic music which has deeply influenced my current sound.”

Make sure to stream KATiiE’s EP ‘Fallout’, available now on all music platforms!

Photo Credit: Noa Griffel

Je’Kayla Crawford– Founder and Director– Je’Kayla has been a journalist for years and decided to start a publication of her own, New Scene Magazine, back in October 2020. When not helping her team and working on their print issues, you can find her watching a movie on Netflix or baking using a viral TikTok recipe.