WORDS EMILIE LOUIZIDES - PHOTOGRAPHY KATE KLEIN
With the impending release of Italian-born, UK-raised Kate Klein's debut EP, Love, War and other human inventions, the indie new wave/punk-pop singer-songwriter brings us a resilience anthem with her provocative alt-rock and dance fired single “In my mind we’re all insane.”
Living and making music back in London after developing her craft and creating a collection of highly-streamed tracks with industry heavyweights in NYC and LA, Kate artfully yet brashly confronts the stigma around mental health and urges us to embrace what makes us unique while simultaneously capturing the journey of wild, unpredictable mood swings that life puts us through.
No stranger to the trials and tribulations of the music industry, Kate's new single is a response to a bitter career disappointment amidst a cold, depressing London winter. After dedicating months of work to a project for a well-known publisher who was interested in using Kate's music for a film, the company U-turned, pulled the project and gave her only a single dollar for her efforts. The biting line “One dollar dream buried alive” is literal, not metaphorical, but the singer shows her determination to overcome the painful challenges with a fiery re-iteration of: “In my mind we’re getting better and better”.
Committed to rebuilding and looking forward to the future Kate shares, “Before the pandemic, I was part of an amazing musical community and playing clubs in Soho. I can’t wait to start doing festivals, going on tour and sharing both these old and new songs with everyone. My live vibe is a mix of high energy and me smoking a cigarette on the border of the stage and singing quiet, intimate music – a total roller coaster of extreme energy and extreme nostalgia, feeling all the highs and lows…because at the end of the day, we’re all insane, right?"
F Word: If you had to assign a temperature, a colour and a taste to this single, what would they be?
Kate Klein: It would definitely be a pack of strawberry Sour Patches...red and yellow!
FW: What was the biggest change you made to the single during the writing process?
KK: I remember freaking out for some time about the EQ in the guitars. The balance was so crucial that a slight change in EQ would literally shift the genre of the song. I’m a serial sound nerd, haha...
FW: What are you hoping people will take from this song?
KK: This song literally pulled me out of misery, and that’s what I hope people will take from it: IDGAF drops.
FW: What genre could you see yourself experimenting with for a future project?
KK: It’s more like ‘’what genre couldn’t I see myself experimenting with’’ and that would probably be Jazz. I love it, but I’m too restless and addicted to dopamine for it. I’m low key obsessed with country music.
FW: If you had to choose one component for a great album, what would it be?
KK: I’d say variety. A chart-topping single, a carefree single, an acoustic song, a sing-along anthem, a crying rage tune, and a mosh pit final song. If I can take the listener on a journey, I’m happy. I’d love my album to be a therapy session.
FW: Out of all the artists featured on F Word, who would you most like to collaborate with?
KK: Probably Laurel Smith.
FW: Go-to lunch on a studio/writing day?
KK: Noodle pot Bombai bad boy, spicy as hell!
FW: If you had to choose a new career completely outside of anything having to do with music, what would it be?
KK: I’d probably be saving animals in Africa and make TikTok vids while petting baby crocodiles.
FW: What’s bringing the most joy to your days lately?
KK: Writing books and producing music, plus my collection of plug-ins. Also CBD gummy bears :)
FW: What’s motivating you the most lately?
KK: The idea of seeing a project come to life, making the music video, and starting to see this little world becoming reality. The idea of making an impact in the world and getting someone out of the darkness, while I save myself at the same time.
FW: What advice do you have for yourself for tomorrow?
KK: Trust your intuition, don’t trust your emotions. Of course, I still don’t follow this advice.
FW: The world would be better without _______? The world would be worse without _______?
KK: The world would be better without money. The world would be worse without money.
FW: Do you believe in manifestation?
KK: Yeah, manifestation, the law of attraction, and the law of detachment are my mantras. The latest one helps me to stay grounded and not get too attached to anything. I have some degree of ADHD, and that sometimes causes me to obsess over things. It's good when you have to edit vocals, but it can be draining. "Detach, baby" is the new "Carpe Diem."
FW: What is your favourite F Word?
KK: Motherfu***r
