Interview with Katie Belle

Hello! It is Adam. Welcome back to bringing it backwards. A podcast where both legendary and rising artists tell their own personal stories of how they achieve stardom. On this episode, we had a chance to hang out with Katie Belle over zoom video. Katie was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, and she talks about how she got into music was interested in music and performing from a very early age. When she was in fifth grade, she was driving to the mall with her mom and brother. And one of those radio commercials came on about, you know, your kid want to be on Nickelodeon or whatever it is, call this number. So her brother calls the number. Her mom was like, ah, they're GNS for money. 4 (2m 7s): Her brother calls a number. They end up going to this audition and Katie gets through, she makes it through the, the judges. She ends up getting called back. She goes back, goes back for singing, ends up getting asked to go to New York, to meet with Capitol records. She gets to New York. They say they love her voice. They want to work with her. She skits into a, like a development deal with Capitol. They send her to Nashville to record two songs. She still has those two songs up. You can listen to them, which is awesome. Heard 11 from there, she goes back to Atlanta and vine is really popular. At this time. She's able to find her way onto a tour with other influencers, where they go to different elementary schools in middle schools and talk to kids about how they're bullied. 4 (2m 53s): She was bullied in middle school and they talk about bullying and being nice to each other. And she does for the next five years, from eighth grade, all through high school, she spends her time touring different elementary schools and middle schools. They perform a song. They talk to the kids, just super cool. She quote unquote ages out of that. And then she tries out for American idol. She tells us the story about getting the DM invitation to try out for idol. She goes through to producer rounds to produce arounds, makes it onto the judges round she gets in. So she ends up going to Hollywood week. We talk about American auto quite a bit, and how that opened the doors for her music career. 4 (3m 35s): Now she talked to us about the new music she's been working on recording in San Diego and all about her most recent song called. Now that I know you can watch the interview with Katie on her Facebook page and YouTube channel at bringing it backwards. It would be awesome if you subscribe to our channel like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and Tik TOK at bringing back pod. And if you're listening to this on Spotify, apple music, Google podcasts, it would be amazing if you follow us there as well and hook us up with a five-star review. 5 (4m 8s): We'd appreciate your support. If you follow and subscribe to our podcasts, wherever you listen to podcasts, 4 (4m 14s): We're bringing it backwards with Katie bell. Awesome. Well, this podcast is about you, your journey and music. And we'll talk about the new song you have out as well. Awesome. I did see, are you from Atlanta, Georgia originally? 6 (4m 30s): Yes, I am born and raised and I still live there actually. 4 (4m 35s): Oh, awesome. Tell me about that. 6 (4m 38s): So I grew up in a suburb of Atlanta. It's called Marietta, quite a large suburb. If you're familiar with the automatic, 4 (4m 48s): I'm new to like even, I guess I don't even know if it's, I guess it's more of the south now. I'm in Nashville, but I'm from California, San Diego. So, 6 (4m 56s): Oh my God. I was San Diego last week. That's crazy. Yeah, it's great. I went out on, I was there over Easter and me and my manager went on like a, like a dinner cruise and it was just like, 4 (5m 12s): Oh, was it on the Hornblower? Was it on any go around the bay? 6 (5m 16s): Yeah, I think it actually was the Hornblower, but I swear to God, we were the youngest ones in there by like Nobody was dancing. It was the most weird, like it was the weirdest thing. Honestly. 4 (5m 34s): That's funny. My, my wife and I went, I wasn't, it might've been, no, it wasn't wouldn't have been Easter. Maybe it was Valentine's day or something like a handful of years ago. And the same thing, I was like, gosh, should I book like this for like senior citizens? 6 (5m 51s): My manager was so excited. She's like, I've been on so many of these. Like, there's so much fun. We're going to get like so drunk and Drunk, but we were the only ones having that kind of a time. So 4 (6m 4s): They have like the champagne brunch or something like that on there. 6 (6m 7s): Yeah, for sure. Greeted greeted us with a glass of champagne and all of that. Yeah. 4 (6m 14s): I, I used to work for a radio station in San Diego and we used to do this event on that thing every year. It was a, it was a holiday party and there was to be a bit 6 (6m 26s): Fun. 4 (6m 27s): So it was cool. Like we, they rented the whole boat. 6 (6m 29s): Yeah. And you could bring like your friends were there. 4 (6m 32s): Right, right. Yeah. So it was a fun time. I guess my point is going to be where, so they drive you out and everyone's partying and everything. And like we're on the radio. So everyone's talking about it's, you know, a thing that's happening in San Diego. So all the police know that this is happening and then you have to get off. Right. You get off the boat. And now you're like on the side of the road and they're just like Drunk people are going to head somewhere. Hopefully it's not to their car. So I was like, Right. It was just like an instant DUI for anyone that was driving home. 6 (7m 5s): You know, the little peddlers, like the bikers with the carriage. We were riding those. 4 (7m 11s): Oh, there you go. Safe traveling. That's awesome. Cool. That's rather you're in San Diego. Well, let's talk about you. So born and raised suburb outside of Atlanta, what was it like growing up there 6 (7m 23s): Very much how you would probably expect it quite Bible belt, but you know, so in a little bit of a cosmopolitan city, so I had like a good like affluent childhood, you know, growing up with other cultures and just all different types of kids. And, and that was really fun. But once I was in eighth grade, I started, I begged my mom to homeschool me. I should say I backed her. So I could travel for music. Childhood ended quite early. Yeah. I was, I was put to work by choice, but, but yeah, I, I started working when I was like in eighth grade 4 (8m 8s): As a singer or do, cause I know you model as well. 6 (8m 11s): Yeah. As a singer. And the modeling kind of came a little bit later as I got like a little bit older and kind of, I mean, in the most like proper way, like developed more, I guess, and you know, like color and like, you know, like grew into myself, but yeah, that was music when I was, you know. 4 (8m 33s): Okay. So how did you then, when did you get into music? 6 (8m 38s): I got into music at like as early as I can remember. I think I was, I know I was eight years old. The first time I ever like was on stage and like singing and that was for know like a school play, but sure enough, that was my first time, like with a solo song to perform on stage. And then, yeah, my first time ever in a recording studio is like 11 years old. 4 (9m 5s): Wow. Wow. Okay. Where are you in chorus or anything before that play? Is that how it started? 6 (9m 12s): I actually wasn't in chorus. Sorry. No, I had an alarm set for you and it's 4 (9m 20s): Yeah, 6 (9m 20s): I actually wasn't in chorus. I did not like the chorus teacher and I did not, I never really like got on with the thought of someone telling me what to do when it came to music. Like I was born stubborn. I already knew when I was like in middle school. I'm like, I don't want anybody telling me how to sink. And like, you know, like technique is one thing, but like choosing songs for me and like, I'm not really much of a musical theater, Broadway kind of store. So like, I like it. I appreciate it. I enjoy it, but that's not really like my niche. 6 (10m 1s): So it was, it's a lot of that kind of music in chorus anyways. Like I wanted to be singing Beyonce 4 (10m 7s): Pop songs. Right. 6 (10m 9s): So chorus was a note for me. 4 (10m 11s): Okay. And you were into the theater a bit, at least you were, I mean, you said, 6 (10m 17s): Yeah. The like every single year our school would do like a play. Right. So I want it to be a part of that because that was the only kind of arts really we had. And in my school, sports were a lot cooler, so I didn't have so many options when it came to, you know, being on stage. So that was the best I could get and I was not alone. 4 (10m 41s): Did you take voice lessons or anything or was it just all self-taught so when did you start? 6 (10m 47s): I started taking vocal lessons around when I was 10 years old. They got scouted by Capitol records at a talent competition. Yeah. That was a whole talent competition. 4 (11m 2s): So when did you join this talent competition? 6 (11m 5s): When I was like in fifth grade, I was like, 4 (11m 9s): And this new year, like how did you, okay, so how did you find the talent competition and then get involved in that? Or are you already obviously singing quite a bit, 6 (11m 17s): But yes, I already knew I had already been singing in school at this point and already knew that I was super interested in this. Of course I was so young. So like I was saying that I wanted it to be my career, but like I had no clue yet, but like, I was really, really interested in it. So like I knew I wanted to do more than just like do it at school. And it's funny. I was actually going to the mall one day with my mom and my brother. And one of those radio commercials came on, like, do you want to be in a TV show? Like on Disney channel? 6 (11m 59s): Oh my God, mom like call them 4 (12m 1s): Calm down to the mall. 6 (12m 5s): I am listening to the radio right now. And like, I'm on my way. Like, I'm going to outcome, you know, little ten-year-old to me. Like, I don't know anything about anything. I had no clue. It wasn't that easy. Of course I know now, but yeah, my brother actually was the one who called for me and was like here, like my sister wants to audition and yeah. And I went to the practition and they like accepted me through the audition. So I was clear to compete. And basically what the competition was, was several categories of, you know, entertainment, whether it be like modeling, acting like TV, commercial, monologue, dance, singing, literally like all of the categories and you could sign up for right. 6 (12m 51s): You could sign up for whichever ones you wanted to shoot your shot at. Of course, if they like approved you, you know, you couldn't, if you were tone deaf, they weren't going to let you like enter the singing competition. Like Yeah, it was, 4 (13m 10s): We had to get through the first people. Right. You had to get through the gatekeepers that were like, okay, now you have 6 (13m 14s): Opportunity 4 (13m 16s): To sign this piece of paper, right on this piece of paper saying you want to come back to sing or whatever it may be. 6 (13m 22s): Right. And they bring in all of these agents from different agencies, management companies. I mean, yeah, just like literally anything you can imagine. And Capitol records was there. There's probably almost 200 agents at this event. And I only got three callbacks, which is, you know, not, not that good. 4 (13m 50s): That's three more, three people, at least we're interested. 6 (13m 54s): They say that all you need is one. Even on those three callbacks, there's only one person who really like followed up with me and that was Capitol records. Wow. Yeah. 4 (14m 6s): So they were what interested in doing like a development deal with you or 6 (14m 10s): Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Since I was so young and of course my mom was like, I was attached to her hip cause she had to Sign everything for me and be there and, and all of that. So she was traveling with me, they flew me and her up to New York, their New York offices, literally for a day, we had the first flight in, in the morning and like the last flight out at night, we didn't even like stay the night. And they basically were just like, yeah, we think you have so much talent for how young you are and it can only, you know, continue to be developed. Right. So we want to send you to Nashville and get you a writing session there. 6 (14m 51s): And you know, some studio time there and see what we can do for you. And I worked with Jamie O'Neal, who is a Grammy nominated country artists. And we're still very good friends. Her daughter's going off to college. And like, I was literally crying about it this morning. Her daughter was seven when I met her. And she's literally going to college now, which is, makes me feel so old. But anyways. Yeah. And 4 (15m 17s): He's like, what 11, when you went to do this. So yeah. 6 (15m 20s): <inaudible>, It's so weird though that she's like in college because she was a baby, but, but yeah, they sent me to Nashville and I worked with Jamie and we did two songs together and that kind of like the beginning of my professional. 4 (15m 40s): So it sounds like your family's pretty, obviously a big advocates of what you're doing and super supportive if they're willing to travel with you to New York and not only that take you to the Singh. Cause if I remember I hearing those things in the car, the radio isn't milling mom, blah, blah, blah. And she's like, that's just going to be some scam that you're gonna have to sign up for their school and they're going to fit you. And I'm like, okay, 6 (16m 4s): My brother was like, come on. Like, what's the worst that could happen if they ask us for money, we'll just say no. Right. It's 4 (16m 11s): You have to 6 (16m 12s): Give credit card number. 4 (16m 13s): So 6 (16m 15s): What's the worst thing that could happen. 4 (16m 17s): So they're brother or younger brother older. 6 (16m 19s): Older. Yeah. 4 (16m 22s): That's awesome. So he, okay, so then you ended up obviously advancing you, you get through now you're in Nashville, you write two songs in Nashville. What was that experience life? I mean, being that young and you're working with this huge artist. 6 (16m 35s): Yeah. They did a great job of kind of dipping my toe in the water first and kind of easing me into things. Jamie couldn't have been a better artist to work with. She was like, so overwhelming because of how talented she is and just like her accolades, but she was like, she's a mom. So she was very like pace chant with me. And it was easy for her to work with me, I think, because she had, you know, a young daughter who was even younger than me at the time, obviously. So yeah. 6 (17m 15s): They were just, they treated me so well and they were so good to me. And it was a very big looking back on it. Like it's so crazy. Like it was such a big thing to ask of me, but yeah, they really, they really, I think did such a great job of pulling it off and making me feel comfortable and like only pushing me so hard and knowing like when I needed, you know, when we needed to call it a day and like in, in that kind of stuff. And I really, I really appreciate that. Cause then I look back and I think if I would've had a traumatizing, it's hard to say where I would be now. Yeah. If I would have had a really bad first studio experience, which I really don't even, that's not my favorite part to begin with. 6 (18m 3s): That's very tedious for me. I love to be like out on stage and you know, like out in the world, I don't like being like in the studio, like focusing so hard, so much pressure to get everything perfect. Even though of course it has to be done. But, but yeah, it's, it's really hard to say where I would be right now if that first initial session with Jamie didn't go as well as it did. It was a huge blessing 4 (18m 33s): Where your friends aware of what you were doing. I mean you're 11 years old. You're in like fifth grade and you're like, Hey, I'm going to Nashville to write some songs on Capitol. Like no big deal. 6 (18m 44s): They like what was going on, but I don't think they could like comprehend. Like they still can't. I always had a really hard time with like having friends honestly. And I think it is because of my work. I have like such a crazy schedule. Like one of my friends asked me just yesterday to hang out tomorrow and then last night I like booked a flight for this morning. So like I 4 (19m 13s): Have, 6 (19m 15s): I, I have a pretty crazy schedule. So I feel like some of my relationships suffer from that. And then also it is really hard to understand my lifestyle and all the things I do. And yeah, it's, it's a hard job. It's exhausting. And I really need specific people in my life to like contribute to my life instead of like draining me even more from what I'm already doing. 4 (19m 47s): So I can relate to that for sure. 6 (19m 49s): It's hard to find, to find good people to spend time with. Yeah. I have a few friends and like you really only need like one or two super solid people in your life and then everybody else, I'm not sure. Right. 4 (20m 3s): Right. 6 (20m 4s): Like nobody really has that many close friends. Right, 4 (20m 8s): Right, right. It's a, there's like a, I forgot. There's a saying about that. Like in high school you have, you know, 30 close friends and then as you get older, it just diminishes to like one or two. 6 (20m 19s): Yeah. But like, you can really like tell everything to, and like share all like your good and bad moments with so, 4 (20m 25s): Right, right. Right. Well 6 (20m 27s): Answer your question. And no, my friends had no clue what was going on. 4 (20m 34s): Well, you did that. And then whatever came of that deal, that it just kinda not work out the way that it 6 (20m 39s): Was all panned 4 (20m 40s): Out to be or, 6 (20m 41s): Well, it wasn't a label deal because I wasn't an artist. Yeah. You know, like I have no music. It was a, like you said earlier was a complete developmental deal. So they, they did their job with me and their, their goal with me was to place me with someone in Nashville and to release some music. And so that's what they did. 4 (21m 3s): Did you release those songs that you cut there? Oh, wow. That's awesome. Do you have them on somewhere? 6 (21m 8s): Yeah. And so listen to them. They're in, they're out there on the 4 (21m 12s): Internet. 6 (21m 14s): They are. Yeah. 4 (21m 16s): You ever listen back to your 11 year old self 6 (21m 19s): Who I am and up to me, if you're ever looking that those are the first 4 (21m 24s): I'm going to look for them. 6 (21m 25s): Yeah. 4 (21m 26s): That's awesome. 6 (21m 27s): And you just asked, do I ever listen to myself? 4 (21m 30s): No. Do you listen to those? Have you listened to those songs in awhile? Those old ones, 6 (21m 34s): Those specific ones? I don't think, well, I've listened to you. I am with probably within the last six months. 4 (21m 41s): Really? 6 (21m 42s): Yeah. 4 (21m 42s): That's cool to hear yourself at 11. Right. And see where you're at now. 6 (21m 47s): Yeah. I kind of think of it. It's like going back and looking through your old yearbook. It's like, wow. Look at how far we've come. 4 (21m 56s): Yeah. I like that. When you were in, you said an eighth grade is when you ended up doing homeschooling. So between fifth and eighth grade or you back in school and were you still pursuing music or like what were those years? Yeah. 6 (22m 9s): Yeah. I was raised in a private school, like a Lutheran church school. And then in fifth grade I begged my mom to let me go to Public school for middle school. So I was there for sixth and seventh and then I 4 (22m 29s): We're out, even though middle school was the worst years ever 6 (22m 34s): Because you 4 (22m 34s): Have a hard time in public school. Imagine 6 (22m 36s): I have, I don't think you could have had a harder time than my time. 4 (22m 41s): Ah, I'm so sorry. Like, I feel so bad for, for middle school kids. I'm like, that's the worst, those a little worse years 6 (22m 49s): I do too. And it makes me like so sad when I hear of people who have great school experiences. Cause I'm like, wow, like that existed hated my life every day I had to go to school. I'm glad that's how right. 4 (23m 11s): Sure. Sure. So in eighth grade you are still singing or like what, like as far as you leave the school, You went on tour. Okay. So tell me about where is the music journey going? Okay. 6 (23m 25s): I have, okay. So eighth grade, this isn't, we're now in the Dawn of social media, Instagram has just come out. Vine is like popping off if you remember. 4 (23m 37s): Oh, I do. Gosh, I'm old. You're in eighth grade at that time. 6 (23m 40s): Yeah. 4 (23m 41s): Okay. 6 (23m 44s): So me and my mom get together and she was my manager for a long time and she's still like my advisor. I like to say, like I always ask for her. Well, I can't say always, but I asked for her opinion a lot. And regardless whether I ask for it, she's going to give it to me anyways. But that's a different story, but yeah, we were kind of like conversing one day, like how are we going to get me out there? And this is the Dawn of social media, right? So we're like, what is this tool? People are starting to like, get famous on Instagram. What can we do with this? 6 (24m 24s): So she did some researching and this was also during the time, what was it called? Oh my God, what was it called? It was this like tour of all of these vine boys. And they were Talking 4 (24m 41s): About, I do. I can't remember what it's called to not 6 (24m 43s): Remember the name of 4 (24m 44s): It. Exactly what you're talking about. 6 (24m 47s): Okay. So you do know. Okay. So we'll, we'll probably think of the name in a second, but it, it was also the era of all of that. So my mom was basically looking for a tour like that to put me on 4 (25m 0s): 'cause it was like an influencer tour type thing. Right? Like the people that were big on those apps. Yeah. 6 (25m 5s): I think, yeah. And it was like, I thought it was better than, than it is now because people were actually showing up to these shows to like, see you in person, you know, like these fans, like, we're so obsessed with getting to see these internet people like in person during this time. So it was just like a huge moment to really like extort social media. So my mom found this kind of like B list tour of probably like five or six other solo artists around my age. We were all literally kids with parental supervision. 6 (25m 48s): Of course We were traveling basically city to city, state to state like school to school. And we are going to middle and elementary schools. And we were speaking to these kids about our personal bullying experiences, which I thought was super cool. Yeah. It was like an anti-bullying tour. So we were like, we are giving them advice and speaking to them on like a super personal level. And then afterwards we were giving them a whole performance. Like we had a fog machine, we had lights, like all this stuff and we were singing, you know, like the hits at the time. So they were all songs that the kids knew. It, it was an incredible experience. 6 (26m 28s): And I did that for four years. Well really? I guess five, because it was eighth grade all the way till my senior year of high school. 4 (26m 38s): So you were just on the road, constantly doing that. That's cool. How many schools do you think you went to and did you go to the same school? Like after, like after a tour 6 (26m 49s): And the five years that I was on that school, we probably did a thousand schools. Like how? Wow. 4 (26m 55s): But you didn't like, like one year you do like, you'd go around the whole country to different through, through different schools and districts 6 (27m 3s): Regionally. 4 (27m 4s): Gotcha. But still that's awesome. There's so many schools and so many kids you can impact. 6 (27m 9s): So we definitely go everywhere, but we had a lot of them. Yeah. It was crazy. We were doing two shows a day. I was like 15. 4 (27m 21s): Oh my 6 (27m 22s): God. You're playing shows on the weekends. And we were all like hotel hopping. And when we had that, we were carrying all of our merchant stuff and it, it seems like another life now. But, 4 (27m 36s): But did you have like your own stuff? Like Katie bell t-shirts or was it like a collective? Oh wow. 6 (27m 44s): Yeah. All that stuff. 4 (27m 45s): That's awesome. 6 (27m 46s): Pens and pencils. Cause you know, they're in school, like use my pin. 4 (27m 52s): Will you like stay in school? Even though I dropped out. Just kidding. 6 (27m 60s): I was just saying, don't be mean to your friends. You deck. 4 (28m 7s): Wow. So you did that all the way through high school then. So that was like your music thing. You're doing that performing. 6 (28m 14s): I wasn't making a whole lot of music then I was really just like, 4 (28m 18s): But that's so cool. That's yeah. To perform and then do that. Whoa. So when do you, like, after that's done, when do you, what, what's the next thing you, you start to do? Was it write songs? 6 (28m 29s): Yeah. I've started to get more into the studio and I did that transition from country to pop 2018. And that was like a year and a half or so after I graduated high school and was done with the tour. Cause I was kind of like too old to be on it. At that point I was like over 18. So I started when I was young and fresh, I stayed on it as long as I could and I got too old, but yeah. 6 (29m 10s): Then I went into the studio, started recording music and then end of 2018, I've filmed American idol. 4 (29m 18s): Okay. 6 (29m 19s): That was my next. 4 (29m 21s): Yeah. So tell me about American idol. Was that something that you ended up having to stand in line and audition for? Because I've heard, I've talked to a lot of people who have been on that show. Some stories are, yeah, they kind of like gave me the pass and like I got to go to the judges or I, yeah, man, I had to stand in line like, you know, Katie Turner and David Cook or two people that actually that I've talked to that actually had to stand within the whole line. So I don't know. But then there's other, You had, well, David Cook. Yeah. 6 (29m 51s): Yeah. That's crazy. 4 (29m 53s): He didn't even want to do it. He was standing in line with his brother. 6 (29m 57s): I didn't either. 4 (29m 58s): He was standing in line waiting with his brother because his brother wanted to do it. And then he ended up just being like, well, I've been waiting for like all day. I might as well just, you know, do it also. And then he ended up was the one that obviously went through and then he wins the whole thing. 6 (30m 17s): Meanwhile, 4 (30m 17s): His brother's like working like a kiosk at the mall. No, I don't know what his brother does, but like, But that's crazy. Right. So you did you wait in line and did that whole, Okay, so you got the past. 6 (30m 32s): I had the opportunity to audition for American idol for years, obviously. I mean, anyone can do it technically. Right. Everyone was always like, do it, do it, do it. And then I got so tired of people telling me that I needed the show to make something of myself that I was like, I don't ever want to go on American idol. I'm so sick and tired of people telling me like, Ooh, have you gone on a singing show? Like, that's just like, it was the most annoying thing for me to hear for the longest time. 4 (31m 6s): Oh, you're a singer. Have you tried out for American idol before? 6 (31m 11s): How have you ever heard of American idol? No, I've never heard of it. Like, 4 (31m 15s): No I'm on, I'm like 18. I've never heard of this show. 6 (31m 19s): Yeah. So it really like turned me off for a long time. And then 2018 comes around and I get a DM on Instagram, be like, Hey, this is a representative of American idol. And like, how would you feel about auditioning? And I actually think I sent him back something kind of like bitchy. I think I responded and was like, ha ha like get out of my ideas. Like, don't be sending me things like this. Like pretending like you're American idol. Like what's your email? Like, I'll send you an email. I'm like, okay, like here's my email. And sure enough, it was really like 4 (31m 57s): I'm producer from American idol. Wow. 6 (32m 0s): I think sassy with him, like giving him attitude about sliding into my DMS. Like 4 (32m 6s): They probably get that all the time. I would think they probably were just used to it. 6 (32m 10s): He had no profile picture. It was like user 1, 1, 5, 2 7, like Right. 4 (32m 17s): Oh, that's super fake. 6 (32m 19s): Well, but it wasn't, he was just being super discreet, I guess. 4 (32m 23s): Wow. That's interesting. I wonder how many, like how many people that have been reached out to that way that are just like 6 (32m 31s): NOLA and that I like keep in touch with from idol. Not that I know, But yeah. 4 (32m 39s): I, okay. So this person, see, you actually read it and then you respond and say, okay. 6 (32m 45s): Yeah. And then he sends me this like official email, like an official <inaudible> tation invitation Invitation. Sorry. 4 (32m 56s): No, no. 6 (32m 57s): Had a moment there. And, and yeah, they were doing a, like the first rounds before celebrity judges. They were doing an audition in Atlanta and I went to it because I'm like, why not? I guess. And then I made it through and I'm like, oh shit. Like, I guess I have to do this. And I got, which, I mean, I did want to do it. Like, 4 (33m 24s): I 6 (33m 24s): Don't want to pretend like, oh, I guess I have to do this right. 4 (33m 29s): Audition to what their producers or something. 6 (33m 31s): Yes. I did an audition with producers and then I did another audition with producers, same night, two different rooms. Like I went from one room and then they're like passed me on to the other room. And then they're like, come to Louisville, Kentucky to do a celebrity audition, which was the panel. And that was like, where I would get my golden ticket. Right. 4 (33m 56s): Oh 6 (33m 58s): Yeah. So I made it through and I'm like, well, I can't like not go. I have to like try through two rounds already, like off the camera. So yeah. I just kept shooting my shot and I made it through a few rounds and it ended up being like, honestly, one of the best thing that's ever happened to me, I could not be more happy, like proud of myself that I, I did that. 4 (34m 24s): Yeah. That's I launched the video of you, like going like the, obviously when you got chosen through like, it's just really cool to kind of see that like you just coming out and her being like Katie and you're like, yeah, I spell it. Like, just like, it's so cool to see those moments. And I'm sure for you to watch back and be like, it was probably just a blur until you see it on camera and you're like, oh wow. 6 (34m 45s): Yeah, we blacked out. And then I see it on TV and I'm like, oh, I forgot. I talk about that. 4 (34m 54s): Yeah. That's a rad though. And then when you, so once that you get through that, like what is like, you know, you were on it, you get to a certain point. And how does that like open the doors for you in your career or does it, 6 (35m 10s): It definitely does, but you have to work it, especially when you get kicked off kind of early. Like I did, I stayed on long enough to like get my Instagram verification and I had a really good audition tape. So I think that worked in my favor and I mean, I know other contestants that were on it, several rounds past me and they didn't get any TV time at all. Really. I got really blessed to be on TV so much because I truly got like my 15 minutes of fame out of the only like 15 minutes I truly had on. 6 (35m 49s): And then that 4 (35m 50s): Kind of your time, 6 (35m 52s): I could not have worked out more perfectly because we get no say in what footage they use and they absolutely, I wasn't too upset with, you know, how they portrayed 4 (36m 5s): Me. Pretty good light for sure. Hey, 6 (36m 8s): Did, they did, could have been worse, could have been better, but I'm, I'm happy. I'm happy. I, I, I made it out, you know, unharmed, but, but yeah, it really opened the doors just, you know, on a promotional side. So many people like learned about who I am just like my name and all of that. So that was amazing. I've gotten several modeling jobs and other music gigs because of, you know, my time on idol and with modeling jobs, it's more so just like the exposure, like, oh, I saw you on American idol and you're really pretty like, come do this, you know, that kind of thing, but yeah, it's just opened the gates and then, you know, I've gotten to collaborate with more artists because of it, you know, like other artists that have been on the show or in a similar situation as me have reached out to me to, you know, work together or like at least just build a relationship is colleagues and stuff like that. 6 (37m 9s): So yeah, it's been, I think it, it couldn't have gone better unless, you know, I would have made it maybe a little bit farther, but it's hard to say, you know, everything happens for a reason. I'm, I'm really happy with how everything ended up. So 4 (37m 25s): Yeah, I've, I've had people on this show that hadn't made it very far either in their, like, it was the best thing that ever happened to me. Cause I didn't get tied into any sort of deal or any contract with them and you know, I got to do what I wanted to do and it was, yeah. So 6 (37m 40s): Well learning experience. It was like, it was great for the whole exposure and like business side. But for me personally, like as a human and then me as an artist, I just learned so much that you honestly can't be taught unless you like, are there in real life. You know what I mean? It's not something you can read in a book. It's something you 4 (38m 8s): Your experience. Exactly. 6 (38m 10s): Yeah. Just so much life experience in the matter of like a month, it was it's crazy life flashed before my eyes. You have no idea. 4 (38m 21s): So when you're off the show and are you writing music as like right back in the studio, we try to really songs to kind of, and is it like you got to build on that momentum, right? 6 (38m 31s): Yeah. Yeah. And I mean, the momentum with idol is kind of dying down cause that was, you know, almost four years ago now. But yeah, I keep the momentum up just by being active on social media and by doing interviews and my trip to San Diego the other week last week actually Was an entire writing and recording session. So that whole trip was just me writing and recording. 4 (39m 1s): Where you in LA most of the time, are you in San Diego? San 6 (39m 4s): Diego. Yeah. Yeah. My team relocated out of LA once COVID hit. Yeah. Had a house in both places and ended up selling the one in LA and just like saying, and he lives in Lamesa. 4 (39m 20s): Oh, I know. I do. I know. Lamesa very well. This is the studio. Yeah. I mean, not far out of San Diego. So is that where the studio is that you worked at and everything? 6 (39m 32s): Yeah. 4 (39m 32s): Oh, amazing. Very cool. 6 (39m 36s): They're a great team. My producer just scan works with Jason Maraz and Bernie Toppan and amazing background vocalists her name's Rebecca Jade. She just recorded with me on some of the songs that I was recording out there last week. So super excited for, for some more releases this year. 4 (39m 59s): Amazing. Are you doing live shows yet or? Okay, 6 (40m 4s): Thank God. 4 (40m 5s): Tell me about those. 6 (40m 6s): I am. I have some setup for the Atlanta area in may and June, and I want to continue to add, but you know, we're slowly getting back into things and doing a lot of private events right now. Like I get booked to do a lot of weddings, so yeah, I'm doing, I do those almost every single weekend in like the Southeast region. So I am performing live, but I'm not singing original music. It's 4 (40m 36s): Like, yeah, that must be Right. And those are probably what like three hours, four hour sets they have to do for man. Yeah. 6 (40m 46s): Rob for three hours, but they feed us, they feed us and they Will give me a few glasses of wine. So I can't complain 4 (40m 55s): That doesn't hurt and I don't have to 6 (40m 56s): Drive. So 4 (40m 57s): There you go. There you go. Well, so you've been recording in San Diego, what LA a week ago or whatever it was like song you just released now that I know it's the newest song, was that, do you record all your songs in San Diego or just that those newer ones, 6 (41m 12s): These newer ones have been recorded in San Diego? All of my older ones were recorded in Nashville. I still work out of Knoxville and I also work with some people in LA as well. The releases have been from my team in San Diego, but it's a mix, you know, depends on what I'm feeling. And you know, sometimes we write songs and we don't like them enough to release them. So They'll all get released, but that's the process. 4 (41m 44s): Well, what, tell me about now that I know, is that from San Diego or is it Nashville? LA 6 (41m 49s): San Diego song. 4 (41m 50s): Okay. I think I could hear the San Diego in there. 6 (41m 53s): Yeah, right. It was actually written from France actually. 4 (41m 58s): Wow. 6 (41m 59s): Yeah. His name is John Castile and he is so good. He signed with universal. I'm pretty sure. I want to say universal over in France. He's like, so fricking good. So yeah, he helped write now that I know he's a, co-writer on it along with Michael and Nancy Notter who write a lot with Jason Maraz and then a girl named Hailey Morrissey. Yeah. She's amazing. And yeah, this song is basically written over, you know, a relationship has kind of taken its course and I really love it because the theme, like the whole movie theme of it is just like so fun to me and I love Tarantino movies. 6 (42m 42s): So I thought that was such a cool little, like a name drop in there, tearing team. These and I really am a huge fan of Dua Lipa right now in this kind of like new age disco dance kind of sound and heard that a little bit. And now that I know, and then music that I was recording last week has a lot more of that. But yeah, that's, that's another reason why I really, really love the song because just the music of it is what I'm vibing with right now and just makes me want to dance. So 4 (43m 17s): Amazing. Amazing. Well, I appreciate you doing this, Katie. Thank you so much. I know you've had a crazy schedule and I got a plane earlier. No, no, no, no, no. I mean, we got off the plane and you're like, yeah, I'll do it. I'm like, oh man. Okay. 6 (43m 31s): I need to do it. I'm used to it by now. As long as it's cool with you all the 4 (43m 37s): No, it's all good. It's all good again. I appreciate it. I have one more question. I want to know if you have any advice for aspiring artists. 6 (43m 47s): I always do. It's like, which advice do I want to give? What am I feeling? God, all of it. We would be on here for a long time. I feel like my best advice. Okay. This is, I'm going to give a piece of advice that I feel like I've really learned in the past, like week trust your gut. As an artist, there will be people who know more than you who have been in this industry longer than you, who are more successful than you, who are making more money than you. But if it doesn't feel right, then it probably isn't. You know, and I feel that mostly with me personally, when it comes to releasing and recording music, just because an amazing songwriter wrote it or just because the label thinks it's a good idea. 6 (44m 40s): If you're not feeling it, then like don't do it. You have to trust yourself and be your biggest fan above and before anybody else. Because at the end of the day, like this is your life and you have to, you know, be at peace with all the decisions that have been made.