"Painting the sky like a canvas, stumbled my way back to where I came from," Limitless by Katie Pederson
Katie Pederson, a local Nashville musician, is sharing her with her fans this summer. Her latest release, "Limitless," is a ten-song album that incorporates a mix of country, pop, and indie music. The instrumentation goes above and beyond. The production on the tracks is crystal clear and clean. While Katie Pederson has her own sound, if we had to compare her to other artists for you to get a general idea, she would fall in line with Ingrid Andress and Sophia Scott. Lyrically, the songs tell a story from start to finish until we reach the last song, "Limitless." The piano is beautifully played and well-written.
A lot of Katie's songs are structured in a way for radio quality listening. Songs clocking in at 2:55-3:30 are perfect for streaming and submitting to radio stations. What's also important when submitting to stations is the quality of production, which as I discussed before, is already great. There are no unknown noises bleeding through and no sharp sound waves. One of the songs I recommend listening to first is Lake Louise. The string arrangement along with the piano makes it a great song to listen to when you need to be lifted up. There's something about the way the strings and piano mesh that bring the whole together.
Here's what Katie Pederson had to say about her career as a songwriter and as an artist:
Provide a brief of yourself as an artist, what has changed in the past year?
I have been singing ever since I can remember and was classically trained in voice and piano. Even though I have definitely branched away from the classical side of things these days, I’m so incredibly grateful for that foundation. I moved to Nashville about two and a half years ago, and it is by far the best decision I could have made for myself as an artist. It has been one of the most supportive communities I’ve ever been a part of, and has inspired me to dream bigger in a lot of different ways.
Where are you based out of?
I am from Ann Arbor, MI but I’m based out of Nashville, TN!
What are you planning on releasing this year?
I just released a full-length record, “Limitless!” It has been a long journey and I’m really excited to have it out into the world. Over the coming months, I’ll be releasing some acoustic live performances of some of the songs off of the record and releasing the acoustic versions on streaming platforms as well. I’m excited!
Have you been co-writing with other writers?
I have been! It’s been one of my favorite ways of meeting people since moving here, but it’s also been such a great way to expand out of my comfort zone and write in different styles and genres. I’ve written songs with artists ranging from electro-pop to old country western and everything in between, and it’s been a really great way to learn more about the craft of songwriting.
Where have you been playing live music and planning to play this upcoming month?
I just played some full-band release shows for the new record which was such a blast! I have also been playing locally at rounds around town, specifically at Cabana Taps and some at Copper Branch. I’m also very excited to be playing a showcase at Analog at the Hutton Hotel on May 7. One of my favorite venues in Michigan is called 20 Front Street, and they are hosting a showcase at Analog of some artists that have played there who now live in Nashville. It should be a really great evening!
What do you like most about your music career?
The people! I have met so many quality humans through doing music, it’s just one of the best things about this career. From writers to players to all the people who make the business side of things come to life (which is definitely not my forte), I feel so lucky to have so many amazing people in my corner. Making music is magic on its own, but to get to do it with some of my closest friends makes me feel like the luckiest person in the world.
Why did you choose a career in the music industry? What are your long term goals?
I suppose you could say that I’ve wanted to do this my whole life in some capacity. It has always scared me to branch out to lean on music wholly as my career, but I recently stepped away from a full-time career in another field to focus more fully on music because I realized it’s how I tap into joy. It’s been a long time coming, but I guess you could say that pursuing music makes me feel like I am living with purpose more than anything else. It helps me stay connected to myself and others, and that’s my main goal as an artist. My long-term goals are honestly to just keep creating - writing with everyone and anyone, performing with people as much as I can, and continue just creating a life that I want to be living. I just feel really grateful to be able to do this.
What is one song that would describe the soundtrack of your life?
The first thing that came to mind was “Once Upon Another Time,” by Sara Bareilles. For me, that song is about finding freedom and coming into your own, again and again. I just love it.