On the back of her European tour promoting her first EP, Kate recently recorded her 2nd. It’s called ‘Reborn’, recorded in Sydney with renowned bassist and producer David Symes (Missy Higgins, Sarah Blasko), Hamish Stuart (Marcia Hines, Jackie Orszaczky), Stu Hunter (Katie Noonan, Wes Carr) and Ben Edgar (Megan Washington, Missy Higgins).
Kate has just returned from a 7 week tour of regional and metropolitan QLD. Her tour took her to Toowoomba, Brisbane, The Gold Coast, The Sunshine Coast, Yeppoon, and then up to Cairns where she supported Lanie Lane and Mia Dyson. Then to top it all off, she headed to Sydney for a week of shows where she headlined a private party for the Ninemsn crew at the famed Ivy Bar.
Kate grew up in Central QLD with lots of wide-open spaces. When everything is quiet around you that’s the best time to make noise."I used to spend whole days in our old dairy shed singing as loudly as I liked rocking out in front of the cows! Funny!" She taught herself to play guitar and piano and recorded her first EP at the age of 18.
She has collaborated with some of the best musos from around the world. From one of Germany’s biggest names, Dieter Thomas Kuhn, to performing at the Jazz Open in Stuttgart alongside artists like Katie Melua, to working with producers like Jim Barr (Portishead).
Her successes include reaching #1 on Triple J unearthed with The Life Raft, supporting Matt Corby, and having men’s underwear thrown at her on stage in Germany.
Kate’s songs always have a story. Reborn - sounds like I’m talking about a lover but actually it’s a song about going home. Other songs on the EP talk of the big changes we all have to make from time to time and the fear we feel in taking the steps that we need to take.
Kate is uniquely imaginative and down to earth, very much ‘the girl next door’. You only need to see her self made video clips to know that. Her first clip (an intense stop motion production) cost her $20 to make and took her to #9 on Youtube’s ‘most discussed music video’ chart.
She has an obsession with languages too, so depending which country she is performing in, you’ll catch her chatting away in either English, French or German in between songs.
It’s all about the love of music for Kate. She’s a fan of any artist who makes her groove, or feel something. Her influences are diverse… from the Police to Paul Kelly to KT Tunstall, but she claims her spot in the music scene with energy, honesty and her own unique way of connecting with the audience.
Reborn - Released March 2012 through MGM. Available in music stores and online.
Listen online: soundcloud.com/kate-leahy
