Singer-songwriter and actress Katie Boeck chatted about her new music, which includes her songs “Bittersweet” and “Over Again.”
‘Bittersweet’ single
Boeck just released her latest single “Bittersweet.” “It took several rounds of working through different lyrics, titles and melodies to find something that matched the complexity of emotion evoked in the chord progression,” she said.
“I wanted to articulate the bittersweet tension between longing for someone and letting them go,” she added.
‘Over Again’ single
On her single “Over Again,” she said, “It was the first song I wrote for this album. It became sort of the foundation for the whole record, both thematically and sonically. It’s the only song I wrote about my divorce and in writing it, I gave myself permission to move past the limiting belief that I’d somehow wasted my time or ruined my life. Instead of thinking about it as a ‘wrong’ path, I reframed it as a necessary detour that gave me views of really important scenery for the rest of my life.”
“Recording it was really effortless, which isn’t always the case for me. The vocal on the recording is pretty much my first take. I think with this song I just had been waiting so long to express myself that when the time came it all just sort of cascaded out in this really cathartic way,” she explained.
“Wisdom from seemingly negative experiences is just as valuable, if not more, than doing things ‘right.’ Failure is just a refusal to grow,” she added.
Music and songwriting
On her music and songwriting inspirations, she remarked, “Music is just my attempt to feel connected to the greater meaning of life. I probably have an unhealthy attachment between my ability to create and my self-worth, but more and more, as I detach from old expectations, I can just lean into the process and have grace for the parts of me that are still growing.”
“It’s become less about outside validation and more about accessing internal peace with the hope that whatever success I might have will be a byproduct of that. So I’m just compelled to write as a way of bringing meaning to my own experience,” she explained.
The digital age
On being an actress and musician in the digital age, now with streaming and technology being so prevalent, she said, “It’s definitely challenging navigating the constantly evolving landscape of technology from a business and marketing perspective, but I trust that as long as I keep showing up and doing the work, the right people will find my music.”
‘Spring Awakening’
In “Spring Awakening,” she shared the lead role of Wendla Bergmann in the Tony-nominated Broadway revival, which was a coming-of-age rock musical with music by Duncan Sheik.
“That was an incredibly special two years of my life,” she said. “I love the music and it was a real privilege to get to play and sing it. I grew a lot as a guitar player during that time. Our version was a very special one, (the Deaf West Broadway revival), so it was a really unique and important production and I was very proud to be a part of it.”
Plans for the Future
Regarding her future plans, she shared, “I plan to keep making records, collaborate with different producers, grow my audience and play more shows, I’m starting a podcast about motherhood and creativity and I’m really excited about that. I like to have a loose vision that still leaves a bit of room for the unimaginable.”
Success
On her definition of the word success, she said, “For me now it’s about just being able to be in pursuit of my mission. To be appreciative of the opportunity to be of service in some way.”
“When I focus on that, I’m able to just create without thinking too much about how I’ll be perceived. I’m less attached to conventional success, and more interested in the quality of work based on my own standards, and creating according to the natural rhythms of an inspired life,” she elaborated.
“Bittersweet” is available on Spotify by clicking here.
To learn more about singer and actress Katie Boeck, visit her official homepage, and follow her on Instagram.
