WW: Hi KT, welcome to WildWritings.com! How are you?
KT: I’m a little mental at the moment! Making my new album,
just got back from a gig in Paris, getting used to being back in
London, I think it’s time to call my clinical psychologist friend…
WW: Tell us about your childhood.
KT: It was brilliant. I grew up in a totally sheltered town by
the sea, I had very little outside influence creatively; my
parents weren't into listening to music and we spent loads of
time outdoors, camping every summer, skiing every winter.
They always encouraged me to pursue anything I was
interested in, so I did a lot as a kid.
WW: When did you know you wanted to become a singer and
songwriter?
KT: I knew at 16. I was really into acting; I joined a local theatre group when I was eight & fell in love with performing. I loved the thrill of communicating with an audience - watching them enjoying watching me enjoy myself! But when I started writing songs at around 15, I realized I was going to get more out of performing my own stuff, and not playing somebody else.
WW: How did you first get signed to a record label?
KT: It took years for me to decide that the music industry was the right place for me to go looking for back up. I was very suspicious of it for a long time and remained independent from it. But I hit 26 and realized I was going to have to embrace the idea if I wanted a career. First of all, I looked for a publishing deal. That’s when you get signed for what you write, not as a performer necessarily. After that, I got a great manager – a guy I’d met when I was 19 after one of my gigs – and we stormed record company offices with a guitar and a couple of grins.
WW: Where do you draw inspiration from to write your songs?
KT: People, relationships, twists, behaviour, landscape, space, time, the universe, ants…
WW: How would you describe your music?
KT: Stomping, sensitive girl-blues.
WW: How did you feel when the runner-up on American Idol, Katharine McPhee, sang your song "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree?"
KT: I was really pleased she chose to sing a new song rather than something everybody knows. She’s done me a lot of favours that girl! It was mad watching it – I don’t have a TV so I downloaded it – and it’s a much bigger show than the British version. It was difficult to compute that she was singing my song, very surreal!
WW: What are your plans for the upcoming months?
KT: Recording for my second album, going to Japan for the first time to play at Fuji Rock which I’ve heard is an amazing festival, then I have a precious month off so I’m going to go traveling in Vietnam, drive around Britain in a camper van for a couple of weeks, be bridesmaid to my friend in Greece, then come back out to do a week tour of the states in September! Woohoo!
WW: Any plans of touring? What will the next single be?
KT: Can’t wait to get back on the road in the states. As for the single, you may suddenly find out…Go and see ‘Devil Wears Prada’ and you’ll DEFINITELY find out!
WW: Thanks KT! Best of luck to you.
KT: Cheers! Later gator x
