{"id":66494,"date":"2020-11-29T07:07:25","date_gmt":"2020-11-29T07:07:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/?p=66494"},"modified":"2020-11-29T07:07:25","modified_gmt":"2020-11-29T07:07:25","slug":"rising-star-katie-kittermaster-releases-every-breath-you-take-and-answers-a-few-questions-for-essentially-pop","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/2020\/11\/rising-star-katie-kittermaster-releases-every-breath-you-take-and-answers-a-few-questions-for-essentially-pop\/","title":{"rendered":"Rising Star Katie Kittermaster Releases \u2018 Every Breath You Take\u2019 And Answers A Few Questions For Essentially Pop"},"content":{"rendered":"

Katie Kittermaster is a singer songwriter from Kent who has recently been making real waves. This year would have been a very busy one with live dates a plenty in her own right and as a supporting act for some substantiated names in the industry. She toured with a recent interviewee of mine, Lucy Spraggan, and is about to release her new single, a cover of the classic \u2018Every Breath You Take\u2019. I was lucky enough to be able to ask her a few questions about what she\u2019s been up to, the single and the sumptuous backdrop of the video to accompany it. Katie\u2019s version of the song comes from a different place to the original and works beautifully.\u00a0<\/strong><\/h4>\n

EP: Katie, it\u2019s been a busy lockdown for you hasn\u2019t it if your social media output is anything to go by. You\u2019ve worked really hard at staying in touch with your growing fan base haven\u2019t you? How difficult has that been or have you enjoyed the challenges lockdown has brought?<\/strong><\/p>\n

KK: Lockdown has been challenging for everyone in our industry and I have tried to remain as active as possible during this time. During the initial lockdown, I started a series of ‘Covid cover challenges’ which was fun on a couple of levels; working with other artists that I admire but also exploring different covers and styles and hopefully creating content that my fans have enjoyed.<\/p>\n

When I was touring pre-Covid, I rarely had time to collaborate with other artists so this has been a major positive for me. I have done a lot of virtual writing sessions which I think has helped me develop as a writer too. I have done a number of livestream performances on my social media platforms and other pages which has helped keep my fans engaged as well as introduce other people to my music. I have tried to mix it up to provide variety to what I post on social media, rather than just posting for postings sake. Thankfully, I have been really busy with new music, writing, collaborating and recording, that I have had some interesting things to post.<\/p>\n

Sadly, like many, I have been booked for live gigs that have then been postponed but I have a few things lined up in the next few months and I am just hoping that they can go ahead. I was meant to be traveling to Germany last month for a TV spot but due to Covid travel restrictions, this had to be cancelled; just one of the many challenges we are all facing – I am just hopeful that these amazing opportunities don’t disappear!<\/p>\n

In summary, Lockdown has been positive in some ways – it’s given me time to reassess where I am with my music, to plan the upcoming releases, to write better songs and to collaborate with some amazing people.<\/p>\n

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EP: Your recent self penned music has been gaining critical acclaim and your songwriting seems to be getting more complex, showing greater understanding of your voice and appeal. Do you feel like you\u2019re finding your voice?<\/strong><\/p>\n

KK: My debut EP, ‘Coming Home at Dawn’ was written almost 100% by me; some of the tracks being written when I was 15 and still at school. With no formal training, looking back, these tracks were simple but I am still proud of them. But, having said that, I do feel that my writing is becoming stronger and more complex, which I think in-turn is widening its appeal. I 100% feel I am finding my voice and my sound; working with other producers and writers is definitely helping this process and I am really excited about the new music that is coming. I think I have written my favourite track so far; a track called \u2018Lukewarm Lover\u2019 which will release early in 2021.<\/p>\n

EP: Your new single is a cover of a classic song originally by The Police. Most people are unaware of its origins. Sting said the song is \u201cvery, very sinister and ugly and people have misinterpreted it as being a gentle little love song when it\u2019s quite the opposite\u201d. Apparently it\u2019s about obsession and jealousy, despite being the band\u2019s most successful song. How did you approach it emotionally?<\/strong><\/p>\n

KK: I approached this song from another angle to be honest. My Dad, who is a teacher in China, has been stuck there since February this year. He will not make it home for Christmas and it is unlikely we will see him until June. We have been keeping in touch daily through FaceTime and Skype and basically through our phones. This connection has been our life-line with him for over 9 months. This song is about watching him through the lens of the phone. I am sure that there are many people in this situation right now, and many others who are experiencing worse separations, so it felt like a song that many could resonate with.<\/p>\n

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EP: You filmed it locally in Kent. How was the process of making a single and a video in these times of social distance?<\/strong><\/p>\n

KK: We were lucky that a friend offered her amazing greenhouse to film the video in. We sourced all the props from local suppliers who also donated them, along with a friend and pianist, Grant Sav, who allowed us to use his piano shell. The videographer was somebody we had never met before who offered his time to us as he resonated with the story-line, having lost his father when he was young. The shoot was a ‘home-made’ affair with everyone mucking in, getting dirty and very, very cold!!!!! Due to restrictions, we all had to work several metres apart and only 4 people were on set! It was a real team effort.<\/p>\n

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\"Katie