Despite one of her thousands of TikTok followers hunting down her Ikea dresser to matchup against her overshadowing bedroom door so they can guess her height (still roughly in the Short n’ Sweet five-something club), Kate Peytavin has grown immensely since the first time the public heard her vocals. Approximately eight years ago, her earliest video was uploaded onto YouTube.
The growth-spurting isn’t just literal, either. It’s in the crowd, the faces of those lining up to hear her sing. They’ve swapped from family migrated on street curbs to now the famous in passing like John Mayer. He’s just as much of a fan of Kate’s alternative pop, lyrics dripping off the spokesperson of the “Generation numb” club, as the teenager Googling “laced wigs.” Halloween is coming up. And what’s a better costume than singing along to ‘make u miss me’ while taking Polaroid test shots? We’re trying on a different girl’s aesthetic until we can revive our ex’s love for us again by taking on someone else’s spirit.
We spoke to Kate about the upcoming EP this track is on (even if it’s currently in the graveyard of no names), her first time putting on a live show in New York at the Soho House, and how wigs aren’t the only fashion piece worked into this era. We’ll hint: they belong on the vintage clothing rack.
Your story is unique in that most musicians aren’t as publicly personal from the get-go, but perhaps your most vulnerable video is the first time the world heard you sing, rewriting ‘7 Years’ by Lukas Graham for your dad. It’s wild to think that you were only eleven years old. You were so strong. How has stripping your walls down immediately, even if your music career wasn’t as advanced back then, helped strengthen your relationship with your audience?
When I was a little girl, I had no filter; if there was anything on my mind, I’d say it without caring what people might think. I believe that stems from the long history of health issues in my family and how confusing it all is for someone at age 11. I was seeking support from anyone willing to offer because I was taught to never bottle my emotions and to lean on the people around me. It only felt natural to let down my walls with my fans because that’s all I know. I’m forever grateful to have an audience that listens to what I have to say and gives me an outlet to share my feelings.
‘make u miss me’
In terms of new music, too, because you’ve already had the strength to go there, did it ease the nerves when it came to further writing sessions, working with such names as Amy Allen and Casey Smith and continuing to stay within that realm of vulnerability?
I always say that being a writer is like being a therapist. You have to have that gift of emotional intelligence and listening skills. Amy Allen and Casey Smith are incredible writers, so it was almost like the nerves completely vanished because they knew how to make me feel comfortable enough to open up.
We absolutely adore the lyric “crawl my way inside of your dreams” on ‘make u miss me’ because it centers around the concept of desperately tying yourself to the other person as the bare minimum has gotten to the point where you’re willing to accept reaching them even if it’s in a spiritual sense. How do dreams affect your relationships and, therefore, songwriting?
I have insanely vivid dreams and can remember most of them. That being said, I’ve had dreams about people I know being a complete assh*le and then waking up with a grudge. There’s the opposite end of the spectrum where I’ve caught feelings for someone just because of how they were in my dream, and I’m left with a crush that I need to get over. ‘make u miss me’ is a song about utter desperation over a boy. When writing it, I felt like being in one of this guy’s dreams was the only way to revive his feelings. I just wanted to be noticed by him, even if it wasn’t in this reality.
The music video plays with the notion of shapeshifting ourselves to please someone else, even if it hurts ourselves, for example, using a chopping knife to perfect winged eyeliner and wigs hung up on the wall like trophies. How extreme have you gone to impress someone?
I was once talking to a guy who lives by the beach in Malibu (which is over an hour away from me). In the hopes of “casually” running into him, I drove over to his favorite coffee shop near his place just to order a tea and read a book. The odds weren’t in my favor, and I never saw him.
Additionally, there’s a note on the board reading, “Generation numb. That’s what I’ve become” in block letters, which, of course, harks back to ‘i don’t feel anything.’ As a teenager in the social media age where feelings are practically everywhere, even within your songwriting to spilled over your TikTok, is it almost an over-sensitization?
I think over-sensitization is a great way to put it. We live in a world where getting a glimpse of 100 different people’s glorified lives in one sitting is the new normal, and for me, at least, it’s not. I’ve gotten used to processing so much media that it’s gotten hard to process my own real thoughts and feelings, and I think a lot of GenZ can relate to that.
Famous Signoffs And Debut New York Performances
We can’t mention ‘i don’t feel anything’ without propelling it back to John Mayer giving it a shoutout on his SiriusXM radio show Life with John Mayer. It says it in the name itself—have you grasped that musicians you’ve looked up to now have your songs as the soundtrack to their lives?
I honestly haven’t grasped it yet. I think I have imposter syndrome because I can’t fathom artists like John Mayer, whom I’ve grown up listening to and feeling inspired by, having those same admirable feelings toward me. I know it’s cliche, but younger me wouldn’t have believed it.
Your recent vlog focuses on your Soho House show, noting your first-ever live performance in New York. Cheekily, you steal the gaze from the camera from the get-go by mistaking the viewer for Vogue, referencing one of their infamous Getting Ready with Vogue. Have you thought about a particular segment, Hot Ones, or something of that nature that you most want to manifest into your life once your career ascends?
I grew up watching Vogue Beauty Secrets in the morning while I was getting ready and at night when I was winding down. They’re quite literally my comfort videos that I always find myself returning to any time I’m doing self-care. There’s something about watching beautiful women share their wisdom and talk about girlhood in these videos that feel so personal and comforting. If you know me, then you know it’s my dream to have my own little segment. Trust me, I’m prepared.
It was also National Hot Dog Day (New York being the ideal place to be) when you were filming it. So, in the name of being a food lover, what are your must-have toppings?
I love food, but I’m incredibly boring when it comes to toppings. My dream Hot Dog has nothing but a small drizzle of ketchup. Don’t hate me!!!
The Tiny Details Of An Upcoming EP
You’ve mentioned the wardrobe being a staple in telling the story of your upcoming EP. We love it when musicians pair fashion with their music. Can you give us any hints of how that might be fleshed out?
Even though I wasn’t born in the 90s, it’s my favorite time period to take inspiration from. The movies, clothing, music, hairstyles, makeup, and everything about it just resonate with me. One of my favorite 90s films, Girl, Interrupted, inspired my entire EP, not only the concepts but wardrobe too. I’ve fleshed out characters that you’ll notice appear as I release more music that is influenced by the main characters, Susanna Kaysen and Lisa Rowe. Leather jackets, chipped nail polish, heeled boots and loafers. I’m trying to tap into that 90’s coming-of-age angst.
Finally, polaroids are a big part of this new era, appearing not only on the cover artwork for the singles but also behind you at your Soho performance. What’s your favorite Polaroid that you’ve taken recently?
My most recent Polaroid taken is of my cat, Cornbread. He was looking directly at the camera serving face card. He’s my world, and I try to incorporate him into the creative side as much as possible. The Polaroid is framed, btw.
‘HELP!’ No, we don’t just mean because our love for Kate has become overflowing (How can it not when her Instagram is the epitome of the cool girl’s scrapbook? It’s all there, in the shots of her in a bathrobe chilling in a tub with luxurious clam detailings, captioned “hygienic and whatnot,” to bouncing on the bed in a reindeer onesie.) but it’s her latest single! We’re collecting them until we end up with the entire EP collection, and no one can slow us down. What’s your favorite track so far? Let us know on our social media, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT KATE PEYTAVIN:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE
