FOR Katrina Roshan, music is like cleansing of the soul. The singer, known professionally as Kat, describes her songwriting as a cathartic process that helps her express emotions so that they are not kept inside.
“My music has mostly come from my personal experiences,” she revealed.
“I like to believe that they are also common experiences that listeners can relate to and connect with.”
Currently residing in Malaysia, the 18-year-old artiste is due to return to the United States to complete her final year of high school at the Idyllwilds Arts Academy next month. “I am doing a rigorous dual-curriculum that balances arts and academics. It allows me to hone my craft in songwriting and study at the same time, which I really enjoy,” she added.
Since her debut early last year, Kat has been learning the ropes of the music industry and just recently released her first EP, My Demons. It is a product of her visceral reflection during the national lockdown last year.
What is your songwriting process like?
There isn’t a fixed method in creating a song, it just happens without me realising it. And I don’t have a fixed timetable either, where I sit down and decide to start writing.
But generally, it starts by playing simple chords on the guitar or piano, then adding lyrics and melody to form the structure of a song. Other than that, it’s normally a spontaneous process.
How would you describe your ‘sound’?
I don’t have a fixed sound and I like experimenting with music genres, basically whatever takes my fancy at the time. However, my recent EP My Demons could best be described as pop with a slight country flair, possibly influenced by Taylor Swift.
I have professionally recorded 10 songs to date with one in Malay, one in Mandarin and eight original songs written by me in English. One of these is an EDM track called Last Summer and I am about to start working on two new EDM tracks with a producer in Los Angeles.
What was it like putting My Demons together?
Putting it together in the span of 16 months was really challenging because of the various lockdowns, and we would go to the studio at any possible chance we had to get it done.
The five tracks on the EP tell a tale of personal emotions and life experiences reflected upon during the pandemic. Each track has distinguishing energy, from the sharp lyrics in Burn and My Demons to the sweeter emotions in Hourglass, Lullaby and Dreamer.
What was the most exciting moment in your musical journey?
Even though the last 16 months have been manic, I’ve had many exciting and memorable moments, from releasing my debut single You and my first radio appearance on Hitz. My next two song projects with a dance producer in Los Angeles, which we are in the process of agreeing on, will be new landmarks in my musical journey.
Are there any other upcoming projects?
My next release Oasis is inspired by a book I read called The Alchemist by Paolo Coelho. It will be very different from anything I have written so far. Although finished, we decided to ramp it up further so we got it arranged for a 40-piece string orchestra to record it in Budapest. I am very proud of this track, which is nearly completed, and I can’t wait for its release.
Have these difficult times affected you in any way?
Not many people can say that they launched their musical careers at precisely the same time the pandemic hit.
I have been really busy bouncing music around the world to different producers and then going to the studios whenever possible. On top of that, online schooling with the time zone difference was particularly stressful, as were all the assignments that needed completing. Immersing myself in music provides me with an outlet away from stress and fatigue.
