What inspired the name of the band? What are your influences and are they the same as when you started out?
My artist name is just my name (Katelyn Benton), and my influences range from artists like
Fiona Apple and Ben Folds to classical composers Chopin and Debussy, and many
musicians and composers in between
How do you approach songwriting?
While I do sometimes write lines or lyrics out of the blue and pull them out for songs later,
most often I write sitting at the piano, discovering the chord progressions, melody, and
groove first. These elements establish the feel of a song, which for me inspires the lyrics to
come.
How do you approach songwriting?
While I do sometimes write lines or lyrics out of the blue and pull them out for songs later,
most often I write sitting at the piano, discovering the chord progressions, melody, and
groove first. These elements establish the feel of a song, which for me inspires the lyrics to
come.
Why do you write the music that you do?
The music I write is usually pretty therapeutic to me in some way or another. I write a lot of
my lyrics based on my life experiences or the experiences of the people close to me, and if
it’s a difficult experience I’ll try to find a new way to frame it, or sometimes put a silver lining
into it. I wrote my song Crave when I was having a really hard time. I didn’t feel inspired or
motivated and was quite depressed and even a little hopeless, but deep down I know there
is always a way forward when things are hard, and so I wrote Crave from that place and it
was really healing for me. It helped me pull out of a dark place and go forward in my life with
a new attitude
How do you decide what songs to perform live?
This really depends on the venue. If I’m playing a more intimate setting, or I’m playing a solo
set, I tend to choose songs that really showcase musicality and lyrics. If I’m playing with a
full band in a larger room, I pick the songs that have a powerful punch – lots of energy, and
usually songs with a faster bpm.
How do you decide what songs to perform live?
This really depends on the venue. If I’m playing a more intimate setting, or I’m playing a solo
set, I tend to choose songs that really showcase musicality and lyrics. If I’m playing with a
full band in a larger room, I pick the songs that have a powerful punch – lots of energy, and
usually songs with a faster bpm.
What plans do you have for the future?
I have more music in the can that I’m looking forward to releasing soon, and I’m considering
putting out some solo piano music (covers of 90’s alt rock songs from bands like Radiohead,
Pearl Jam, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, etc.).