EMQ’s With Kat

EMQ’s With Kat

Hi everyone! Welcome to another EMQs interview, this time with South African Multi-Instrumentalist, Kat. Huge thanks to her for taking part. 

For those yet unfamiliar with you, please share with more about you, what you play, the bands you play in, and overall, more about your history?

I am a multi-instrumentalist, looper, singer and performer. That sounds complicated but basically, I am a one-woman-band. I loop all the instruments and then put it together with beats and singing. 

What country and region are you from and what is the Alternative / Rock scene like there?

I am South African and was born here but I grew up in Hong Kong. Growing up there the whole Emo Rock scene was really big. Nowadays however with Covid there is no music scene anymore. It is really sad, but they shut down live music completely. It is such a shame because the scene was really eclectic, a mixed bag of all different people of different nationalities bringing their flavour to the music scene. 

Tell us about your latest release, and upcoming releases.

I recently released my Pop ballad, ‘Halloween’. A self-reflective sort of song about being lonely and hoping for a brighter future. We also created a music video for this and tried to get this message across through a love story. 

Who has been your greatest influences?

Vocally I am heavily influenced by the Blues guys, Freddie King, Buddy Guy, Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf are all people I listen to on a daily basis. However, I was listening to Guns ’n’ Roses since I was born, so they certainly left a mark on me. I am a very theatrical performer I was very influenced by musical theatre when I was a child as I grew up in the theatre. 

What first got you into music?

My parents got me into music. My mom got me involved in theatre from a young age, while my dad would teach me all the Guns ’n’ Roses lyrics while driving me around in the car. I have them to thank. 

If you could collaborate with a current band or musician who would it be?

I would love to collaborate with Avril Lavigne, the way she has been able to stay current and on top of her game is amazing. I also would love to collaborate with Samantha fish who is the queen of the cigar box guitar and also Kawehi who like myself is a looper and is the person I learnt how to do what I do from. 

If you could play any festival in the world, which would you choose and why?

Oh my goodness what a hard question! There are so many but certainly Reading and Leeds, it is such an iconic festival! 

What’s the weirdest gift you have ever received from a fan?

A toy stuffed cat in a basket and a bag of hamburger sweets (which he ran on stage to give me) LOL!

If you had one message for your fans, what would it be?

Be strong, Be Kind and never let them take you alive! 

If you could bring one rock star back from the dead, who would it be?

Freddie King.

What do you enjoy the most about being a musician? And what do you hate?

I love getting to share my experiences and emotions through music and then connecting to people through that. You can connect with so many people on such a deep level through music far faster than you can with a conversation. It’s real and raw and I love everything about music. I can’t explain it it’s just pure expression and I love it. 

What do I hate?… Rolling cables after a gig sucks……

If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?

Musicians undercutting each other. If we all stood by our standards and valued ourselves venues would pay us our worth, but some people accept peanuts lowering the bar for the rest of us. 

Name one of your all-time favourite albums?

“The Black Parade” – My Chemical Romance.

What’s best? Vinyl, Cassettes, CDs, or Downloads?

Vinyl!!!!! 

What’s the best gig that you have played to date?

I just played a gig at the Crusaders Sports Club in Durban KZN it was so much fun! Just a whole crowd of bikers singing and dancing to my music! It was an epic memory. 

If you weren’t a musician, what else would you be doing?

I’d be a full-time tarot reader.

Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?

Freddie King, Gerard Way, Axel Rose, Marylin Monroe and Elvis Presley. 

What’s next for you?

I have just finished my first ever tour so what’s next is recovery… but, we are going into the creative cave now to being creating content for my next single, a song called Tokyo. 

What Social Media / Website links do you use to get your music out to people?

All Links https://linktr.ee/kat_theperformer_music
Facebook @KatPowerHK
Instagram @kat_theperformer_music

Time for a very British question. As an alternative to the humble sandwich, is the correct name for a round piece of bread common in the UK either a Bap, a Barm (or Barm Cake), a Batch, a Bun, a Cob, a Muffin, a Roll or a Tea Cake?

Oh my goodness? A Roll? Not sure!

Thank you for your time. Is there anything else that you would like to add?

Thank you so much for this interview it was lots of fun!

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