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Alumni Spotlight: Katya the Artist
Intro
In every job, there are clear indicators of success. For a lawyer, that might be winning your first court case. For a chef, preparing a gourmet meal. For a musician, there’s nothing quite like performing at Glastonbury, a dream that came true for UWL alumni Katya just last year.
Article body
Katya took a lifelong passion for music to Oxford University, where she studied a BA focusing on academic theory and classical music.
I’ve always been playing music. I learned classical piano from the age of three, then I did violin. But I wanted something more fun so I did guitar and started writing my own stuff.”
During her undergraduate, she started performing in various pubs and venues, but when she returned to London after graduating, she realised she didn’t really know anyone in the modern music world. This is what first attracted Katya to attend UWL for a Masters in Popular Music Performance, attracted to the course’s focus on developing modern popular music.
I met a lot of people focusing on modern performance. It was a cool way to experiment with different musicians. We started to do local gigs in London, and I learned how to take tracks I had worked on myself and bring them into a more produced space.”
At first, Katya was playing guitar and piano, mixing it with vocals and playing with a local band around London. However, there was always a yearning to experiment and create something new.
I took a long time to release any of my music. It didn’t feel like the vibe, and I wasn’t sure. So, I stopped playing with the band and taught myself slowly over time to produce.
I got really into the electronic music. It’s very eclectic, my stuff. People are always fixated on defining the sound, but I’m kind of just doing what I want."
Developing your own sound can be fulfilling, but it can be a solitary existence. Katya has learned that it’s essential to have people you trust around you who can offer genuine and helpful feedback, such as musician Andy Barlowe, with whom she worked on the co-pilot mentoring scheme.
I have nothing against collaboration, but from my experience when I’ve worked with producers, I wasn’t getting the sound I wanted. In the end I just wanted to try it myself and see if I could get somewhere that I’m happier with.”
For her, this sound includes exploring the intersection between technology and music.
There’s so much you can do with this software. You can play with the sounds in quite an interesting way, and technology can help create an original soundscape. It gives you a broader scope to create something more unusual than only using live instruments.”
It was only once she had found that sound that Katya decided she wanted to start getting herself out there by entering the festival circuit.
I just really wanted to play festivals. So, I wrote to the guy who runs the acoustic stage at Glastonbury. He replied saying he had no spaces available, then a week later he emailed to say he’d listened to the music and loved it. After that he gave me a legit spot, which is kind of crazy!
This was an unbelievable experience. It’s a big stage with all the infrastructure. It’s very professional, and I was like ‘hey this is legit.’”
Playing at Glastonbury was one of the few times when Katya got truly nervous going out on stage. But other festivals have proved just as rewarding. Henley Festival have awarded Katya the ‘Rising Star Award,’ which came with an iPad Pro and access to the festival’s PR team ahead of her performance there this morning.
Everything I do right now is completely alone, so it’s cool when you have anyone coming in and helping. There’s always so many balls in the air when you’re trying to manage yourself, so any help is good.”
Looking to the future, Katya is hoping to build up a team to help with promotion. This will also allow her to focus on developing an EP, which will be followed by a full album. This summer, Katya returns to Glastonbury, playing both the Greenpeace and Acoustic Stages, before embarking on a big UK support tour in the autumn.
Katya had this advice to offer to any aspiring musicians:
Meet as many people as possible. Be open to working with people. I didn’t know what I wanted with my own songs at that time. Try new things and be open to experimenting with sounds because this might lead you to unexpected results which you could grow to really like. Be aware of what is on your doorstep and take advantage of it.
Then apply for all the online festival applications you can. I was sceptical, but it can open doors for you.”
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