Catty Pearson - Interview

  by Malcolm Carter

published: 4 / 2 / 2019

intro

London-based singer-songwriter Catty Pearson answers talks to Malcolm Carter about her her acclaimed debut EP ‘Time Tells Me’.

Although she has been making music for some time it wasn’t until the fading months of last year that London-based singer-songwriter Catty Pearson released her debut; a five-track self-penned EP which went under the title of ‘Time Tells Me’. Those last few months of 2018 saw Catty’s star rise quite quickly and considerably. Apart from the release of the EP, which was produced by the highly respected and talented Chris Kimsey, Catty appeared on the TV programme ‘Good Morning Britain’ singing a handful of Christmas carols which no doubt introduced a wider audience to this talented artist. But TV appearance or not it was obvious from the original songs on ‘Time Tells Me’ that it would only be a matter of time before Catty Pearson was appreciated for her music. Blessed with a crystal clear voice, perfectly suited to those carols, Catty is one of those vocalists who demands the listener's attention as soon as she begins to sing. Those vocals coupled with the fact that she is already well travelled and has the talent to colour her songs with lyrics that reflect that and her acute observations of the world make Catty’s music stand out from most of her contemporaries. While Catty will no doubt be classed as being part of the folk music genre there is much more to her recorded work than one field of music can contain. There are elements of jazz, blues and country scattered throughout the songs on ‘Time Tells Me’ which show great promise for the future; for now though there’s nothing to fault on her debut. Catty and producer Chris Kimsey have brought these songs to life with a band of musicians who are perfectly suited to Catty’s vision. It’s a busy time for Catty Pearson right now but thankfully she still found time to answer a few questions for us; we feel that we are going to hear a lot more from this talented artist this coming year. PB: When did you decide that you would pursue a career in music? You’ve been playing a while it appears. CP: I’ve been playing music forever but the moment I decided to make it a career was when I was working on a documentary out in Malaysia. We were filming with the Penan tribe who where some of the most amazing people I’ve ever met. I had a lot of time alone in Miri transcribing footage, so I bought a new guitar and my song-writing career began! PB: Why did it take some time for you to release your music? The ‘Time Tells Me’ EP is your debut release we understand. CP: I guess I never really felt ready. I’ve written loads of songs over the years but never felt they were good enough. I wanted to wait until I felt more ready in all aspects; my voice, song writing and just generally comfortable with making that leap. PB: Having Chris Kimsey as producer, especially for a debut, is impressive. How did that connection come about? CP: I was super lucky to meet Chris. I met him through artist and friend Mim Scala who knew Chris from the 70s. Mim heard me play, liked my sound, and sent Chris a recording on his phone! PB: You’ve travelled quite a bit, have the places you visited and experiences you had helped colour your music? CP: Definitely! It’s all about experiences. PB: In all your travels and the work you’ve accomplished during your time abroad which has given you the most satisfaction? CP: I do think living with the Penan tribe was definitely a moving one for me, in many ways, but seeing the way that they live and how they treat each other was really eye opening. I also spent some time working on a farm in Northern CA. I’d gone out with the intention of learning to live more sustainably but didn’t realise I’d be living in a tent mid winter! It was a testing time but a very grounding. In the future I’d like to live in the countryside and be more sustainable. PB: Are you touring the new EP? One of the things that sets you apart from other upcoming artists is that you’ve already played gigs outside the UK. Did they happen because you had contacts there already due to your travels? CP: I am.. I have a few gigs coming up in London but am planning on touring for the summer. Most of the gigs I get are word of mouth; living in other countries has definitely helped to get gigs out of the UK. PB: What inspires you to write? CP: At the moment I am really inspired by my generation. We have grown up in a time when social media is so prominent; the way that people see us through Instagram seems to be more important than who we really are. Lots of different experiences inspire me but I guess that’s the big one for now. PB: The five tracks on ‘Time Tells Me’ just leave the listener wanting more of the same. Are there plans for an album soon? CP: Thank you. I am planning on releasing a single at the end of February; it’s called ‘On Your Way’. I’m also working on an album.. PB: What would you consider to be the most difficult part of getting you music finally out there? CP: The most difficult part for me has been understanding the ‘music industry’. It’s changing so fast I find it hard to keep up. What really drives me is just making the music; I try to spend as less time as I can doing the admin. I also find it hard to say a song is finished. Sometimes I think you just have to them let go.. PB: There’s a lovely warm but earthy sound captured on the songs on the EP that is obviously partly due to the musicians you have backing you. How did you hook up with such talented players? CP: Thank you, I always aim for the sound to feel authentic and natural. Chris Kimsey surrounds himself with such talented musicians; he’s a great matchmaker and that’s how I connected with all the wonderful artists who played on my EP. PB: You performed on the TV programme ‘Good Morning Britain’ shortly before Christmas. That was an unexpected surprise. How did that come about? Was that your first TV performance and what was that experience like? CP: That came about as I was invited by the charity Bloodwise, to play at their Christmas carol service. Piers Morgan was one of the guests doing a reading. After the service, he asked if I’d like to come on the show. It happened so quickly, the next thing I knew I was on my way (at 4 a.m!) to the ITV HQ. It was my first time on live tv - I was pretty nervous! PB: Any musical plans for 2019? CP: I plan to put all my energy into writing my new album and am going to be doing a small tour. PB: Thank you.

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