Be sure to check out all of Kate Stephenson’s music and videos by following the links provided.
Spotify:
YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEBim3ZaYoFkBS4pn9l5Rcw
When did you start singing?
“I was probably singing before I was walking. My sisters and I would walk around the house humming Disney themes, like the Little Mermaid and Sleeping Beauty. That pretty much was the beginning of many singing lessons, choirs, and performances to come.”
How did you become interested in singing?
“My parents both grew up in musical families and ended up pursuing music professionally. They met each other in the Naples Philharmonic Orchestra, my mom playing violin and my dad playing trumpet. When we were little, my siblings and I were strongly influenced by this. When we moved from Naples, Florida to Waukegan, Illinois, my two older sisters joined the church choir, and I was counting the days until I was old enough to join them. By doing this, I realized I had a huge passion for vocal performance, but I also learned that I would rather be composing what I was performing instead of singing songs written many, many years ago.”
Do you write a lot of your own music?
“I write 100% of my own music. My older sister Maddie and I used to be in a band together called Spinnaker, and whenever we could we would sit down and write songs together, and then record, produce and release them on various music sharing platforms, including iTunes and Spotify. This past year she left for college, and while we both still write together when we can, we have split paths and started to focus more on writing music independently. I’ve had to learn how to play piano sufficiently, as well as guitar, but despite this setback, I have written many new songs and plan to release an album soon made solely from independently composed, performed, and produced songs.”
You also make films, as well as directing and editing your own music videos. Tell us a little more about that.
“I have been into photography for as long as I can remember, but recently I have found a new passion in filmmaking. Because of this, I have ventured into the realm of making my own music videos. I’ve asked friends and family to act, used props found around my house, and taught myself (with help from the high school’s New Media class) how to edit using Final Cut Pro X. It’s definitely a process, however the end result is always something that I’m proud of, and excited to share with my friends, family, and peers.”
What are your future plans in pursuing your musical career?
“I am currently deciding whether to pursue filmmaking or songwriting as a major. I will always hold both dear to my heart, so no matter what I pick, I will continue to be pursue in the other. At this point, it’s hard to imagine one without the other. In the future I hope to continue to perform original compositions at small venues, and continue to enter my short films and videos into national competitions, as well as film festivals.”
