Not long ago, I discovered Catlea. The Cincinnati-based singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist blew me away with their most recent single ‘Crumbling‘. I then dived a little deeper into their discography, and discovered an artist whose music I found deeply resonant and profound.
Keen to learn more about their artistry, I was over the moon when the gifted musician agreed to an interview! Chatting with us about starting piano lessons at just five years old, who they turn to sonically for inspiration, and what they believe music’s role in society to be, please give a warm welcome to our friend Catlea!
Welcome aboard Catlea! I’m super excited to re-introduce you to our ever-expanding audience! Before we get into the nitty-gritty, could you tell us about your musical journey?
Aye, Captain! I basically always knew I wanted to be a musician. I started taking singing lessons when I was 2, piano lessons when I was 5, and my brother taught me guitar when I was about 8. I’ve been releasing music for about 5 years now, starting with my single ‘Breathe Away’ when I was 18, most recently with ‘Crumbling,’ and I’m very excited to share the rest of my album ‘Language Barrier’ soon as well!
I’m a little ashamed to admit that my introduction to your music only came via your most recent single ‘Crumbling’, but it’s a tune that I’ve fallen deeply in love with. What do you want our readers to know about your latest track?
There’s no shame in that at all! I’m so happy to hear you love the song! ‘Crumbling’ is probably my favourite song I’ve released so far. It starts out with a slow, sad piano ballad about the confusion and pain that comes with heartbreak, but then it turns into an upbeat pop song about acknowledging that it isn’t your fault when a partner places unfair expectations on you and even if everything is falling apart right now, the dust will settle and you can get back up again.
Last year’s single ‘Like Me’ has over 810,000 plays on Spotify. How on earth does it feel to know that so many people are listening to and resonating with your music?
Honestly? I have no idea how to even fathom that number. I’m so grateful for the reception ‘Like Me’ received. To write a song about how alone and isolated I felt and to realize that hundreds of thousands of people not only understood but also felt what I felt has truly shifted and healed something in my soul. That song was the most vulnerable I had ever been, so to have such a large amount of people relate to it in some way or another is more meaningful to me than words can describe.
Who would you put down as some of your biggest musical influences and who would you ultimately credit for helping shape and mould your overall sound?
I’d say the main ones are PVRIS, Kalandra, and Twenty One Pilots. As for helping me create my overall sound though, the credit can go to no one else than the musicians I’m closest to in my daily life. My team in Barcelona and my guitarist back home are the reasons I’m able to do what I do. I wouldn’t be half as proud of my music if we didn’t create it together.
What aspects of being a musician do you cherish most? And on the flip side, what would you say have been some of the biggest challenges you’ve encountered?
I love almost everything about being a musician. The writing, recording, performing, meeting new people, travelling, all of it. As for the challenges, the main thing I’ve struggled with has been not relying on external validation, but I’ve worked hard to be confident in my own abilities regardless of whether the feedback I receive is praise or criticism.
What, to you, is music’s role in society?
We all feel a little bit alone sometimes. We all wonder if anyone else feels the way we do, or if anyone could ever understand us. But the truth is, when you’re singing with a full crowd of people at a concert, at some point all of those people listened to that song for the first time and resonated with it for one reason or another just like you did. To me, music is proof that we can connect with each other through our differences, rather than in spite of them.
OK, Catlea – desert island time! You’re allowed to grab 3 albums before being stranded on an island. Which do you go with?
Oh not again, this is the third time this week! I really need a less mutiny-prone crew.
In the meantime at least I have ‘Sempiternal’ – Bring Me the Horizon, ‘Wish You Were Here’ – Pink Floyd, and ‘Evergreen’ – PVRIS. I would’ve packed ‘A Treatment’ – Antematter but a coconut crab stole that one from me on the last island. I can’t blame the guy though, it’s good music.
Thanks so much for taking the time to chat with us Catlea! It’s been a treat getting to know you better! Do you have a release date in mind for ‘Language Barrier’? And, I guess in a broader sense, what do you hope for in your musical future?
Thank you so much for having me! It’s been great talking to you! ‘Language Barrier’ releases on January 17, 2025, and I have another single from the album coming out in October. As for the future, my main goal is to be the person on that stage when you’re singing with the crowd, connecting with all those strangers for a moment in time.
