Every once in a while I hear an artist for the first time and I get a tingly sensation. I can immediately feel that they’re going to be big. That’s the sensation I had the first time I heard Katelyn Clampett sing. Chills crawled up my spine, and I knew I would be hooked to her music. The first time I heard her she was playing on a local news station with a good friend of mine a few years back, when they were home on break from pursuing their music dreams at Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA. I quickly found her page, and consequently, her , and from then on I was hooked. I kept up with her career through her social media feeds, downloaded (a song I still cannot stop playing) and patiently awaited a chance to download more of her music (she has an EP out on iTunes, too!).
Last summer, I noticed on my TwitterFeed that she had gone on tour as a backup singer for Selena Gomez, and that her music career was really starting to take off. When I reached out to Katelyn, and she agreed to talk to me, I was so excited and could not wait to share about her and her music with all you wonderful Sweet Lemon readers, so that you too can fall in love with her music!
Katelyn, who grew up in North Carolina, but currently lives and works in Los Angeles, CA, began writing music when she was eight years old. In addition to her busy schedule producing and writing music for other people, Katelyn is also currently working on her own music and touring with Victoria Justice. Despite her busy lifestyle, Katelyn found the time to sit down and talk to me on the phone, even after battling laryngitis all week! I could not have had more fun getting to chat with her, and hear all about what she had going on. Talk about the “Jane of All Trades,” Katelyn truly is. Here’s what she had to say:
You went to Berklee School of Music. What made you choose that school? Did you ever consider a traditional university or has it always been music for you?
When I was a Junior in high school I researched music colleges and universities online, and I was trying to find something that kind of fit what I was looking for. I googled that and Berklee came up, it was the first thing that came up. I applied for UNC Chapel Hill and Elon and some other ones, and they have great music programs, but I wanted more contemporary music. I wanted to do more of the songwriting and production and get my hands dirty on what goes on behind the scenes. I’m a lot nerdier than I look.
Who do you draw influences from musically? What kind of music did you grow up listening to?
I grew up listening to a lot of pop. I listened to Britney Spears, and N’Sync, and Backstreet Boys. I grew up with pop sensibilities engrained in my brain. I also grew up listening to Christian, which influenced me. I wasn’t allowed to listen to rap or heavy rock, so I didn’t have those influences. I didn’t grow up on the Beatles or anything like that, I wish I had, I really wish I had. I guess I’m influenced by a lot of things I wasn’t allowed to listen to growing up, like the Beatles and older rock bands, and a lot of contemporary stuff. I love Mumford & Sons. I love Grace Potter. I love a lot of that indie kind of folk, a little bit country, and then a lot of pop stuff. I have to listen to pop.
What is your favorite part of being a musician? Have you ever considered a different career?
The best part to me, at least the most gratifying part about being a musician is just knowing you have influence in what you put out for people to hear. Knowing that some story or song you write could touch somebody or potentially change their life, that’s the most gratifying part for me. If I were not a musician, I would either be a criminal investigator or I would be in advertisement, like coming up with slogans. Or a screenwriter, I would be a screenwriter, but that’s it.
What are you trying to project to fans?
When I was 16, my parents were going through a divorce. I would write songs on the piano and not realize my mom was listening. When I realized she was, I started to write these songs because I knew she was listening. I wanted to give her hope so I was writing these songs and tailoring them for her. Ever since then, I’ll get emails from people saying that a particular song has gotten them through a tough time. I wrote a song that is played in churches throughout America, I got an email from a guy that attends my church and his dad had just passed away and he said he listened to that song every day, and it helped him when he was going through it. That kind of validated what I do and why I do it.
As an avid Selena Gomez fan, I have to ask: what was it like being on tour with her?
It was awesome. We were on the road for a good year. We just all became a huge family and I actually just saw those guys the other day. It’s just great to be around a good group of people. She’s a sweetheart, she’s so sweet and funny and just good to hang out with, it was just a good experience.
Sweet Lemon Magazine is written for women in their 20s who enjoy a wide variety of things, what else do you like to do when you’re not pursuing a music career?
I have recently become obsessed with riding horses, I don’t know why. For my birthday a couple weeks ago, I don’t know if you’re familiar with Griffith Park, but I actually rode horses through the mountain at sunset, it was just crazy, so I have kind of taken a liking to riding horses recently. I like to work out, try to have a social life, because being a musician, I constantly have my headphones on and I’m in my room working.
Any advice for someone looking to pursue a career in music, or chasing their dreams in general?
I would just say, it sounds so cheesy, but be yourself. Know what you like and what you don’t like and stick to that. Don’t let people tell you that it should be one way or tell you that you should do something a certain way when you know inside your heart what it should look like and what it should be.
I can tell through various social media outlets that you have a strong following! What should your fans expect in the coming months?
I have two projects going on right now, one is my solo stuff, it’s a pop/country record, then the other is a country band with Selena’s backup band. We’re doing a record. All this within a year is going to come out.
Dying to hear more? Connect with Katelyn via , , , and her website. Happy Listening!
By:
Molly Wilkins
Great article!!!
Real College Student of Atlanta
Great interview — I like her!