Q&A: Katy Nathan on Songwriting, Identity, and Community
- Blake Stolarik
- 10 hours ago
- 4 min read
In today’s day and age, social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram are reshaping the way artists and listeners discover and connect with one another. With endless content being poured into our phones, the music world has become somewhat convoluted. But sometimes the algorithm can get it right.
Katy Nathan is a 22 year old singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist from Connecticut, but currently based in Nashville, Tennessee. Drawing inspiration from 70s bands and modern artists alike, she crafts whimsical, atmospheric folk music, while adding her own creative twist through layering in personal experiences or cutting out a piece of her capo to create new tunings. I discovered Katy late one evening as I was scrolling through TikTok in my college apartment with my roommate and was immediately struck by her lovely voice, beautiful songs, and unique style. Then, she was a senior business student in college and was posting about her passion for music and promoting her upcoming single “Torrential Downpour,” a song about losing her grandma and the emptiness left behind. The sheer honesty and feeling behind the song has stuck with me. Since then, she’s released another single, “Full Moon,” graduated college, and moved to Nashville, Tennessee to continue creating and pursue her career as a musician.
I recently had the opportunity to meet up with her for a walk and chat about some of her favorite experiences and aspirations as an artist.
Blake Noelle: What first inspired you to pursue music?
Katy Nathan: Music has always been a major part of my life. I grew up with a speech condition called Speech Delay, which hinders a child’s speech development early in life. I went to speech therapy for it as a toddler and I remember loathing it and crying incessantly about the fact that I did not want to be there. The way I was able to eventually learn how to talk, though, was through music, as singing uses a different part of the brain than speaking, and I’m that old cliche of “I could sing before I could talk.”
Music always felt like such an integral part of me because it’s always been with me.
BN: Were there any defining moments that made you realize music was your calling?
KN: When I was 18, I got invited to sing on a song co-written by Nuno Bettencourt of Extreme. The whole reason I got the opportunity was because of a video I posted to Facebook of me singing “I Wonder (Departure)” by ABBA, which got the attention of Gary Cherone of Extreme’s twin brother, Greg, who was enamored by my vocal performance. He told me I was going to be a star, and given his brother’s status in the music world, I think he’s a good judge for what my future may hold.
BN: What themes or emotions do you find yourself returning to in your music?
KN: Anything that feels overwhelming usually ends up becoming a song.
I feel very deeply, and songwriting is my outlet for letting those emotions out in a way that isn’t self destructive.
BN: Have you worked with any artists who significantly influenced your approach to music?
KN: So many. I have been graced with many very surreal experiences with musicians, but there are two musicians/bands that really pushed me in the direction of pursuing a music career myself: Joe Perry and The Toxhards. For many years, I basically facilitated Joe Perry’s fanbase and was the source for anyone who had questions about him. He saved my life in a very direct way as a teenager, and I have met him several times over the years. He’s the reason I picked up the guitar in the first place and I owe a lot of my aspirations to him. The Toxhards, though, made me feel as though this whole music thing was attainable. I’ve known these guys since 2023, and their music made me approach the way I wrote music in a way that made me proud of my own art for the first time in my life.
BN: If your music were an outfit what would it look like and why?
KN: My music would be a forest green bell sleeve top with floral embroidery and a matching skirt with a celestial chain belt plus rings adorning every finger with an equal amount of necklaces. My music is bold in a lot of ways. I grew up in a culture that didn’t like to approach anything head on and instead did everything passively, which is not how I operate whatsoever, so my music is a way to counteract the years of feeling small. The idea of being “too much” which used to be a huge source of insecurity for me is now one of the things I’m most proud of, hence why my music would be cloaked in such whimsical, eye-catching attire.
BN: What has been your favorite part of your move to Tennessee? What has been your biggest challenge? How do you anticipate this change in chapters of life to influence you or your work as an artist?
KN: Tennessee is way different than I could’ve ever expected. As a queer person, I was a little worried about the environment I'd be putting myself in, but I’ve felt so embraced by the community here in a way I couldn’t have anticipated.
The biggest challenge I have faced is just… structure. How do I operate outside of my job? What do I do with my extra time? I find myself bored a lot more than I used to, as I’m used to being on the go 24/7.
