Joy Kate Will Always Be a Self-Made Artist
When it comes to music, singer-songwriter Joy Kate has always wanted to learn as much as possible. Right now, she is studying at New York University to learn more about her craft, specifically production and mastering.
With multiple songs and an EP, she has organically gained tens of thousands of Spotify followers and over 631,000 streams. Showbiz Cheat Sheet recently interviewed Joy Kate over email to discuss her new music video for her song “Puppet.”
Joy Kate’s start in music
Showbiz Cheat Sheet: Is there anything in particular that made you want to pursue a career in music?
Joy Kate: I have been singing since I was six years old, and music has always been something that brought me comfort. When I was 12, I won a contest to write a song and sing it in a recording studio, and I immediately started writing inspirational songs to try to impact my peers around me. Songwriting became my safe place and outlet, and instead of writing in a diary, I wrote songs to find comfort. I knew after writing my first song that I would forever want to use my voice to try to spread positive messages and influence others.
Showbiz Cheat Sheet: During your gap year, what was it like balancing your music career with acting? Since then, has acting influenced your music career in any way?
Joy Kate: During my gap year I split my time between Nashville, LA, and New York, and it was one of the best years in terms of finding myself musically and experimenting and auditioning in the acting world. I’ve always been passionate about acting, and it has been so fun incorporating acting into my music videos especially recently. When creating these videos such as the “Puppet” music video, I get to fully express myself creatively and make my songs come to life. I hope I get to play around with this even more in the future.
She has always been a self-made artist
Showbiz Cheat Sheet: Some artists never feel the need to try their hand at songwriting or music production. What do you think drives you to want to master as much of your musical craft as possible?
Joy Kate: I have always wanted to learn as much as possible and be able to do everything in my power to have longevity in my music career. I think, for me, it is important to learn all of these skills so I am able to better articulate my vision to other people and therefore end up with a more authentic project that I’m extremely proud to share. I’ll always be looking to learn more.
Showbiz Cheat Sheet: Do you find it is easier to write songs about your own experiences or about situations with other people?
Joy Kate: I’ve always used songwriting as a tool to express myself, so a lot of my songs are very personal and put me in a vulnerable place. Writing for myself has always come naturally, but recently I have been experimenting with writing for other people and helping them tell their stories. There is something so special about both.
Joy Kate on the ‘Puppet’ music video
Showbiz Cheat Sheet: “Puppet” is about breaking out of a toxic relationship. What inspired you to write the song? And what message do you hope listeners take away from it?
Joy Kate: This song was about a personal relationship I experienced. The writing session was extremely emotional because I was writing this song as a goodbye to that person. I hope this song lets my listeners in a similar situation know they’re not alone and gives them strength to move on.
Showbiz Cheat Sheet: When coming up with the music video’s concept, what did you want the “Puppet” music video to reflect?
Joy Kate: I wanted “Puppet” to reflect the manipulations and push and pull I felt while in this toxic relationship. I also wanted the video to show how this relationship affected me when I was young and innocent. That younger innocent version ultimately ends up pulling me back to myself at the end of the video.
Showbiz Cheat Sheet: What was your experience like filming the “Puppet” music video?
Joy Kate: My experience filming “Puppet” was great! The video shoot lasted one full day, but there were rehearsals leading up to the shoot months in advance. Taylor Rx was also a huge part in making this video happen as we worked on the treatment and concept together for over a year. I was so excited to finally be able to show my dancing in a video, and I hope to continue incorporating that into my videos as well.
Her plans for 2020
Showbiz Cheat Sheet: You’ve gained an impressive number of Spotify streams with your songs. Was this type of success one of your goals? If not, what is your goal with music?
Joy Kate: I am so thankful for everyone who has streamed my music. It definitely feels amazing to know people resonate with my personal highs and lows. My goal with my music is to reach and touch as many people as possible and continue doing what I love forever.
Showbiz Cheat Sheet: What are your plans for the rest of 2020?
Joy Kate: For the rest of 2020, I plan to continue my education at NYU Clive Davis Institute for Recorded Music and continue writing on a very special EP that I have in the works.
