Featured Junior/Teen Artist ~ November 2006

Kat Wyand

Listen to Kat's Song Clip ~ My Twin Sister

Bio

Kat Wyand is a folk singer, songwriter, musician, composer and arranger from the wooded town of East Lyme, Connecticut. Her interest in music and composing has been present all her life, but it wasn’t until she was 11 years old and was introduced to the Beatles’ music that she decided to concentrate on it full time. She started playing the guitar and taught herself from a folk guitar book her mother owned while at the same time discovering her abilities as a songwriter.

Kat’s light, breaking voice has been compared to artists such as Joan Baez and Suzanne Vega. She does fingerstyle guitar work and loves performing. “I’m OBSESSED with performing!” she says. She agrees to take the stage at any hour of the day after any amount of rehearsal. In addition, she is a recording artist and is in the process of recording and producing her first CD, Paper Crane.

Kat is a member of several performance groups and music organizations, including the Local United Network to Combat Hunger (LUNCH) and the LUNCH Ensemble, directed by National Independent Artist Bill Pere to encourage young people to use their musical talents to help society. She is also part of the Connecticut Songwriters Association, the all-girls’ a cappella group Sweet Harmony, and the Second Step Players, a performing group for adults with mental illnesses. Kat runs her own club at school called Songs for Service and encourages her peers to write
songs that reflect current issues and communicate important messages.

Hear demos of some of Kat Wyand's original songs at http://www.myspace.com/katwyand .

Interview

How old were you when you started writing songs and how many years have you been writing and performing?

When I was 11, my mom helped me start playing the guitar, and I seriously started writing songs at that time, too. My first performance was three months later at church. I've been writing and performing for five and a half years now.

Who were your major influences with your music?

I don't think I would be where I am today if it weren't for the Beatles! They inspired me to realize how awesome it is to make music and to become a singer/songwriter. I've also been influenced by many folk artists.

How would you describe your music?

I call it "pure folk music for the spirit".

How many CD projects have you finished and are you working on or have any future project in the works?

I'm working on my first CD project right now, called "Paper Crane". It will include all original songs. The title song is based on the story of Sadako Sasaki, a story which has always been an inspiration to me.

What special honors or awards have you received over the years in your music career?

I haven't recieved any awards yet. Maybe I will when I get better.

What is your favorite venue to perform live and why?

I enjoy performing in small venues, such as Union Baptist Church in Mystic, at my own church, and in coffeehouses at school because my friends there are very supportive. But more than anything I love singing with the campers every summer at a beautiful place called Camp Wightman. We perform on a makeshift indoor stage by the edge of a lake. I like it because I have great memories of being one of those campers once and because it's just a wonderful place to help out and make music together with others.

What music organizations are you affiliated with?

Besides Indiegrrl, I'm a member of the Local United Network to Combat Hunger (LUNCH) and the Connecticut Songwriters Association. I also founded my own organization called Songs for Service, which I hope will encourage students to use their musical talents to help the community.

When you are writing songs do you pull from personal experiences?

Not much, because I don't think anyone would understand them. I barely do myself! Instead, I base my songs on other peoples' experiences and on pictures I see that I can imagine stories about.

Do you write songs pulling from headlining news or events that are around you? If so how easy or hard is it to create songs expressing what you feel about these topics?

I try to write in the style of Harry Chapin, who often used his songs to communicate messages about hunger and other social issues. For my upcoming CD I'm writing a few songs to educate people about Asperger's syndrome, a disorder I have that is very hard to diagnose. Songs with social messages are easier to write when they're about issues I've seen affect people in real life.

What does it mean to be "Indie" to you?

It means you've decided that it's more important that your music is good, and that it's something you can be proud of, than it is that your songs appeal to the head of a major label that produces Top 40 hits.

Do you own your own record label or publishing company or plan to do that in the future?

I don't yet, but I hope to.

What advice can you give to someone who is just starting to market themselves in the Indie music market?

Don't expect that you'll get much attention at first, but if music is really what you want to do, keep trying, no matter what. Someone will listen. Remember, too, that there will always be someone who doesn't like your sound, and that's okay. Just play for the audience you want to reach.

How involved are you with your recording projects?

I work on them impulsively. It feels like the most enjoyable and important work I have right now!

What all instruments do you play?

I perform on folk guitar, trombone, and sometimes acoustic bass. At home I noodle around with other instruments - flutes, keyboards, banjo, ukuleles, even a didgeridoo. I like to learn about all the different sounds and how they are produced.

What are your main goals for 2007 and in your music career as a whole?

I want to finish "Paper Crane". I also would like to learn to be a better performer. In college I want to study music and science and learn how they're related.

What does Indiegrrl mean to you?

It's a place to get help and support from other indie artists who have experience to share.

Is there anyone you would like to thank that has helped you along in your career or in the music industry as a whole?

I want to thank my family, friends, and teachers for their support, Bill and Kay Pere for helping me learn how to write and sing songs I can be proud of, the Connecticut Songwriters Association, God, and my feline friend Tiffin, who died when I was ten but encouraged my dreams all the way.