Kat Hamilton is a west-coast singer, songwriter and performer.
Growing up in the Bay Area, the musician has hopped from city to city, leaving her mark in New York, Philadelphia, Boston, London, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Hamilton cleverly crafts an intimate blend of rock, pop, Americana and emo, establishing an entirely new genre.
Hamilton’s career has the trajectory of a chameleon; lending her talents to pop-punk, emo, r&b, hip-hop, pop and country. She is no stranger to reinventing herself. In 2017, Hamilton ended her five-year run as the front woman of popular east-coast pop punkers, Manic Pixi, before shifting her focus to her upcoming solo album. Hamilton confides, “I had just gotten out of a recovery center and these songs became my way of coping”.
Hence Recovery Songs was born, a nine-track album narrating resilience and depicting real life experiences of her struggle with addiction and overcoming trauma. The songstress reveals, “The music was inspired by being knocked down and getting back up. Going to the darkest places in yourself and in life and managing to make it through. I went through hell and found a way to be okay, but I like to think that this work can resonate with people who aren't in the recovery process. Anyone who's ever struggled could relate to this music”. Sonically the album uses non-organic sounds and textured instrumentation to cultivate a specific and authentic atmosphere.
Produced by Allee Futterer (The Astronots), engineered by Vira Biramji (Father John Misty), mixed by Ryan Gilligan (Kevin Garrett, Solange) and mastered by Joe La Porta, the album which was written in chronological order, takes listeners on a journey from start to finish. ‘Ohio’ showcases twangy country guitars and imaginative storytelling lyrics, showing off Hamilton’s impressive vocal range. ‘Empty Room’ features a steady building rhythm, determined guitars and passionate vocals. Whereas ‘Amnesia’ takes a softer, gentler approach, creating an emotion-fueled track and giving us an insight into the songwriter’s most intimate moments.
Weaving together the very best of spaghetti western music, alternative country and early 2000’s indie rock, with elements reminiscent of Death Cab for Cutie, Fleetwood Mac and Sheryl Crow, Hamilton has forged a sound unlike anything else. “I feel like emo and country have so much in common. They are both a few chords and a story. So even though they may seem like an unlikely fit, I see them as doing the same job”, she admits. Kat Hamilton has found success touring across the nation as well as placements in popular TV shows.
Similar to her own experience, Hamilton hopes that her music may be of solace to those in need, getting them through their pain when nothing else can. Recovery Songs is due for release 2020