Dublin based alt-pop artist Cat has released a stunning new single, “baby, blue” today and to coincide with this release we wanted to have a chat with the rising star and get all the T on her journey so far. Cat released her debut single ‘Slipping’ in March and is already a queer fave, this new release is a pop track with attitude that showcases a medley of wonderful vocal styles. We are fans!

Cat, how did you get into music – was there a particular moment or any artistic influences that inspired you? 

I have always had a massive love for music due to my parents’ influence. My Mother had myself and my siblings listening to artists like Van Morrison, Leonard Cohen and Mary Black from the time we were really small. Discovering MTV and then Gaga lead to my love for singing when I was younger but I never realised I could do music as a job until my teens. Being in choirs for most of my childhood played a big part in my choosing music as a potential college course but as soon as I began vocal lessons when I was 17, I really knew I wanted music to be my career. 

As a queer artist, has your queerness influenced the type of music you create? 

I think it subconsciously has, yeah. Gaga has been an icon to me since I can remember and I have always had a love for dance music but I never thought too much about it until I began to write songs myself. I was in a band for a long time, made up of mostly straight guys and I always struggled to make music I really loved with them. Not because they weren’t amazing players, they all were, but they didn’t fully understand my vibe and at the time, and either did I. When I started working with my now best friend and favourite (queer) producer, Viscose, it just clicked. I came out to him before anyone else soon after we began working together and we instantly started making the music I had always wanted to make. And now here we are! So I think, yes, it did influence my music. 

Tell us more about your goal to create a musical space where individuals have the freedom to express themselves however they want. 

Being able to express myself through music is so important to me. When I’m not feeling great, I throw on my headphones and blast music, or I write music. Music is for everyone. All-inclusive. It’s the drug you can’t overdose. Having been a music student and musician in Dublin for the last 5 years, I have experienced the snobbery that comes with it. I got a lot of stick for loving pop music in college. Which is ridiculous. My goal is to stand as an artist who is unapologetically authentic to themselves and to provide a safe place for anyone to just be stress-free, with no judgement. I want people to feel they can confide in my music or use it as inspiration, that there’s no right or wrong way of being themselves. Gaga was my saving grace and she gave me the confidence to be myself. If I can be that artist for someone else, I can say I have achieved my biggest goal. 

Has the lockdown affected your creativity or are there ways you’ve adapted? 

In a lot of ways, I think the lockdowns enhanced my drive and creative flow. I was able to dedicate a lot of time to think about what sort of music I wanted to make which I had never done before. I began writing more than I ever had and seeing a clearer vision in my head of what I really wanted to say in my music. 

Cat, what’s the story behind baby blue? Could you tell us more about this particular track? 

“baby, blue” is essentially about the typical break-up blues everyone goes through. I wanted to have a more tongue in cheek approach to it though and make it a sassy vibe. I love a bit of sass. It’s actually about the first girl I ever dated after coming out last year so it definitely holds a lot of sentiment for me but the light-hearted feel I gave it makes it so much easier to smile along to because it’s genuinely a really positive memory for me to look back on and I wanted to reflect that in the song. 

 

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What can people expect from Cat in the months ahead? 

A lot of new music. I have so much to give and to share. It’s just a matter of planning out every release and creating statement visuals and fashion moments. As far as I’m concerned I’m only getting started. And just WAIT until I can get back on a stage. I’m so excited to perform again. I’m here, I’m queer and I’m sticking around as Dublin’s baddest baldie for the foreseeable!

You can listen to Cat online here. Follow Cat on Instagram here.