Kathy is an emerging artist who’s been making a name for herself with her unique sound and heartfelt lyrics. With new music just released, we sat down to talk about her journey, inspirations, and the excitement of her upcoming releases. How did your journey into music begin? Was there a defining moment when you knew this was what you wanted to do?
I’ve always loved music. But while I studied piano from 4th to 11th grade, I did not like the classics and so my teacher just started giving me popular music and movie themes for my lessons. In retrospect, I wish he would have pushed me harder to learn from the masters. I started writing songs in high school, but didn’t really take it seriously (buying books on harmony and chord theory) until my late 20’s when I was trying to join the worship team at church. I did not get selected for it, but now I can look back at that time period and see how desperately I was seeking attention and validation. And, all of my efforts were being driven by a need for approval, but this only leads to burnout. The inner desire to create something out of nothing must be the main fuel for art. You do it because you love it, not because you want people to love you. You don’t chase after an audience; the audience will find you.
In 2020, after losing several friends to the pandemic, I decided that if I was ever going to “do” something with music, I needed a better game plan. And so I began investing in my dream by working with a songwriting coach, a producer, a voice teacher (in case I ever wanted to perform “live”) and joining Global Songwriters Connection, based out of Nashville. As a GSC member, I could attend workshops and publisher pitch events and learn about the “business” side of music. It’s a journey; everyone has their own path to follow, and your definition of success will change the longer you are on that path.
I remember the excitement of seeing my first single on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Music. That was two years ago, and now I have a whole album released. What’s next? Well, my “next” dream would probably be to get a sync-licensing deal for at least one of my songs so that I could keep funding more creative projects.
How would you describe your sound to someone who’s never heard your music before?
Eclectic. Unpredictable. Sassy. Fun. Energic. Emotional. Inspirational. Heartfelt. I am not trying to fit into a specific mold or genre, but instead, allow each song to decide what it wants to be. On “The Great Divide”, listeners will find the influences of 80’s rock, 60’s pop, jazz, 70’s ballad, dramatic (as from a musical), and even a song reminiscent of a “James Bond” movie theme (well, that’s what people keep telling me!)
What’s been the most exciting or surprising part of working on your new music?
The most exciting thing is still “Release Day” when you can finally see your project online. But next to that, I’d have to say that it is when listening to the full production of a song I’ve only heard before with piano and vocals. And if there is a guest musician, finding out what type of instrumental solo part they developed.
Are there any personal experiences or stories behind your upcoming songs that you can share with us?
Yes. I can share two of them. Both songs were performed by Vincent Byrne, my producer. The first is “Shelter Me”. As I am answering these questions, it’s only been a couple of days since the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene. This song had been inspired by an interview I saw online two years ago, after Ian made landfall in FL on 9/28 as a category 4 storm. I was watching a news reporter shove a microphone into a survivor’s face, saying “So tell me, what’s next? What are you going to do now? What’s your plan?” And the man, with his eyes glazed over and probably still in shock, replied softly, “I… have… lost… everything I have. I don’t know what I’m going to do… I have no plan…” And in that moment, I heard the first lines of the song in my head: “Where do I go? How do I start? What can I build when I’ve got nothing at all…?” I tried to capture his feelings of loss, but also the inner strength and personal resilience he would find as he began to rebuild his life. Would you believe that I actually planned (2 months ago) to start promoting the “Shelter Me” video on 9/29? And even though we ended up developing the storyline to follow more of a “shipwreck-castaway” theme, there are still hurricane references, so out of respect for the flood victims, I held back. I did not want to give the impression of trivializing a situation or trying to profit from tragedy. The video is still on my YouTube channel, but the timing just doesn’t seem right for promoting it. (I would happily donate any earnings from the song to relief efforts if it went viral, but I’m not seeking that kind of attention for myself.)
The other song, “Anyway” was written about a friend who lost his life from an unintentional overdose while battling addiction. It expresses the regret and sadness he had felt over the years about having disappointed his family, and how hard he was working at staying in recovery. The video, with its theme of soldiers at war, poignantly captures the struggles faced when fighting our inner demons. There is so much symbolism in the video, from the barbed wire fence in the opening frame to the scene with three men walking together along the railway. Life is often a lonely road filled with landmines, but having a couple of solid companions come alongside to help “keep us on the rails” makes daily burdens lighter. I plan to promote the video around Veterans Day but it’s also available to watch now. Perhaps it can encourage someone to keep fighting the good fight, because friends and loved ones really do want to see you gain the victory!
How do you stay grounded and connected to your creativity while navigating the industry as a new artist?
I keep reminding myself that it takes time to build a following, and I can’t compare my journey to anyone else’s. We are all uniquely gifted and at different stages of development and it’s not about “being better than someone else”. You just have to keep getting better than who you used to be. There are many highs and lows in the life of an artist. You have to be able to accept criticism without letting it destroy your motivation. And if you do achieve any type of measurable success, you can’t rest on that mountain for very long, because a lot of people still “on the climb” are ready to take your place. I’ve felt disappointed when things haven’t gone the way I expected, but in the same way that you learn about love by having your heart broken, you can’t give up and become a hermit. You have to keep putting yourself out there. The biggest challenge as a new or emerging artist is that no one knows who you are, so how are they going to find your music? Self-promotion is not easy for most of us, but in today’s social media-driven world, it is a requirement.
Kathy’s dedication to her craft and the personal nature of her music make her an artist to watch. With a new album out, we’re excited to hear more from this rising talent. Please share with us where we can find your latest release!
“The Great Divide,” a story of heartbreak, forgiveness and redemption, may be found on all digital streaming platforms (Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube, etc.)
Website – KathySabolMusic.com.
YouTube channel – @KathySabolMusic
Instagram – @KathySabolMusic