With a laid back, vintage Laurel Canyon musical vibe and disarmingly honest lyrics, singer/songwriter Kate Mills is putting her real life story to song. “I used to be afraid to say that music was what I was meant to do. It seemed too lofty a hope” she confesses. The New York City-based artist spent years living in the shadows of her dreams, attending the prestigious University of Pennsylvania and working a safe job as a social worker, all the while writing songs. Today, Kate steps forward with assured artistry, releasing her debut full length album, “Each Bittersweet Drop”, due for release March 6th, 2020.
Her storytelling lyrics and emotional perspective are uniquely informed by her time in the social work field. “Many of the things I loved about social work are also why I love music,” she says. “In both, it’s about creating a space where it's okay to feel whatever we're feeling; a space for us to acknowledge and embrace our whole selves, even the parts that are challenging. Both create connection. With music, I feel like I can contribute more genuinely to that conversation.”
The first single off the album, “Honest Mistakes” is masterfully penned. Intimate and personal during the storytelling verses and expressively layered during choruses, the song grapples with feelings of regret and the concept that even good people will sometimes make bad choices. The anthemic track “Outrun The Night” echoes this theme. American Songwriter described the song as “especially promising – it’s a foot-stomping southern-rock number that sees Mills building up the courage to face her personal demons.”
As a performing artist, Kate has gigged around the country at venerated venues, house concerts, colleges, and festivals. Select highlights include Hotel Cafe in LA, Cutting Room in NYC, Montauk Music Festival, ASCAP’s “I Create Music” EXPO, Ladybug Festival, NJ Folk Festival, SouthEast Regional Folk Alliance, and Musikfest.
