Music Review- Katie Drives-Maniac
German Singer/ songwriter Katie Drives released her debut single "Maniac" on April 9th. The singer discovered her passion for music early on while singing covers and working behind the scenes in the music industry. Katie decided to go into the studio during last year's lockdown with producer Ole Kuhlmann to record her first set of materials. Her sound is described as 2000s pop-rock influenced by acts such as Avril Lavigne, Paramore, and Pvris.
"Maniac" is a guitar-driven track about how past experiences still affect you today. The opening synthesizers reflect a stark contrast to Drive's impassioned vocals. which soar over an edgy guitar sound. The singer's classical background help shape her voice and tone here. as her raw emotions are truly explored. You can listen to the track below.
Katie Drives hopes to release her debut EP "Fake Smiles" this August
MUSIC INTERVIEW-KATIE DRIVES
Hello, could you introduce yourself to the readers?
Hey, thank you so much for having me! I am Katie Drives, a pop-rock singer, and I just started this new solo project.
How would you describe your sound?
My aim is to write catchy pop-a-like songs in the dress of rock. Not very hard, but just like it was common in the 2000s when the mainstream was still filled with electric guitars and organic drums. So I think the genre "pop-rock" describes it pretty well.
Where about are you from?
I am from the North of
Germany. I grew up in the countryside, studied in a city called Paderborn and
soon I am going to move to Berlin where I also lived already for one year.
Who would you describe as the biggest influences on your music?
First of all, Paramore because that’s my all-time favorite band. Hayley Williams is such an incredible singer! Basically, all the great female solo artists that included rock elements in their early days are an inspiration such as Pink, Katy Perry, Kelly Clarkson, Alanis Morissette and,of course, Avril Lavigne. I love her so much. Furthermore,female-fronted bands like Pvris, Tonight Alive, or Against the Current are influences. Another thing is that a few mainstream artists like Machine Gun Kelly, Maggie Lindemann, Halsey, and Miley Cyrus start integrating more rock elements again. I really like that and it inspires me to find a good mixture of nostalgic and modern sounds.
You have just released your debut track “Maniac” today,
could you tell me a bit about it?
Yes, I’m so excited
about that release as it’s my first original song ever! It’s the most
aggressive and powerful song of the ones that are about to be published this
year. Pvris was the main inspiration for the sound here and I wrote the lyrics
together with a friend who has more experience in writing. "Maniac" is about how
your own past still affects your actions and feelings today and can sometimes
drive you crazy even if it has nothing to do with your current life anymore. I
think everybody has a few things that shaped them and are hard to let go of, so
it’s a relatable point of view I guess, and hope.
I understand you worked with Berlin-based producer Ole
Kuhlmann, what was it like to do so, and what impact has he had on your music?
I don’t live in Berlin
right now so at first, we started off digital by exchanging references and
demos. I visited him once for finalizing the instrumentals and then twice for
recording the vocals. I think it was really good teamwork and will become
even more flexible and easy when we live in the same city. He played almost all
instruments, did the arrangements lead by my descriptions, and did the mixing
and mastering, so of course, he has a major impact on what the songs sound like
now.
I read you worked behind the scenes in the music industry,
before recording your first tracks last year. Could you tell me a bit more, and
how has that helped shape your own mindset writing and recording your own
songs?
I studied “popular
music and media” and did internships at MTV Germany and the Label Sony Music. Also, I help other friends that make music, now they also help me, we support each
other and grow with each other. I wouldn’t know all those people I work
together with and would have missed lots of artists and bands that inspire me
today. My life is all about music so of course, that shapes my own music as
well.
Do you feel it helps to have that experience in the industry
going into music?
It helps a lot! My
music business background helps a lot on how to release and promote my music.
Even just knowing what goes on in the music industry, how it is structured, how
it works is so important. Without that knowledge, everything I do would be way
less professional. Also, it is fun to apply the skills in practice to an own
project.
I read you were brought up on Neo-Classical music, do you
feel this has helped shape your sound. And why did you decide to take another
direction with your current sound?
Not just Neo
Classical, Classical music in general. My father is a huge fan of classical music
so it sounded through our house every day since I was born and we went to lots
of concerts and to the opera together. I learned to play the classical piano
when I was six and started singing in choirs when I was seven. I wouldn’t say
it shaped my sound, maybe one song of the upcoming EP as it is a piano ballad.
It’s an interesting question because maybe without the classical background
popular music would not have become something so special to me. For me, it was
always normal to listen to classical music, but pop music was extraordinary.
But in the end, modern times influenced my taste in music more than my
parents did. Anyways we share a passion for music, just different genres.
What are your hopes and aspirations going forward in the
music industry?
Wow! hard to define as
I just started. But I am pretty happy with how it started and I hope I can build up
a team, release music regularly, and start playing live soon. I see the
development that rock sounds get more popular again, maybe that’s a good chance
for me and I catch the right time. I just hope I won’t lose the fun in making
music and it goes on and grows constantly, let’s see where it takes me.
And finally, what is next for Katie Drives?
The second single will be released in June. It’s more chilled and gives major 2000s vibes. And then in August, there will be my debut EP. It’s all finished so in my head I already went further and very soon I start working on new music.
Words conducted and written by Anselm Anderson
Katie drives online:
Website: https://katiedrives.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katiedrives/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@katiedrives
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katiedrivesmusic/
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