Interview: Folk + Blues Singer, Cat Clyde, Chats With Us on Life and Her New Music
Cat Clyde has made a name for herself with her unique and soulful music. With the vibes of Etta James to Lead Belly, songstress, Cat Clyde, has a mix of melodic melodies that everyone will love. Her first two albums, Ivory Castanets and Hunter Trance, have surpassed 30 million streams worldwide and she’s just getting started. She’s rocked a sold-out tour in Europe with Shakey Graves, performed with ZZ Ward, and that’s only the beginning. Her latest LP, Good Bones, releasing on June 19th, is all about simplicity. Good Bones also features a poetry book so listeners can get an intimate look inside Cat’s head. Read on and get to know the fusion of country, folk, and blues which is the sensation, Cat Clyde, with her exclusive interview below.
GLITTER: When did you start writing and making music?
CAT: I’ve been writing as long as I can remember, and I started getting into music when I was a teenager. I started playing guitar in high school and writing songs. and just sort of kept going from there.
GLITTER: Where did you grow up and how did it influence your love of music?
CAT: I grew up in Perth County, Ontario. Growing up in nature had a big impact on my music and still does. I had a couple of uncles that really played the guitar well, and my grandfather played the fiddle. I would visit my grandparents every summer and get to see my uncles play guitar and piano, as well as my grandfather’s fiddle. I think those experiences really connected me with more folk and blues music.
CAT: I grew up in Perth County, Ontario. Growing up in nature had a big impact on my music and still does. I had a couple of uncles that really played the guitar well, and my grandfather played the fiddle. I would visit my grandparents every summer and get to see my uncles play guitar and piano, as well as my grandfather’s fiddle. I think those experiences really connected me with more folk and blues music.
GLITTER: Where are you based now and what’s one favorite thing that you love about your location?
CAT: I’m living in Quebec right on the St.Lawrence River. I love it because I’m in the woods, I can be creative. I can have a big garden to grow my own food and I can jump in the river whenever I want!
CAT: I’m living in Quebec right on the St.Lawrence River. I love it because I’m in the woods, I can be creative. I can have a big garden to grow my own food and I can jump in the river whenever I want!
GLITTER: How would you describe your sound?
CAT: Folk, Country, Blues, Soul.
GLITTER: Who are your musical influences?
CAT: I am influenced musically by so many different artists in so many different ways. I feel that some of the most impactful to me have been primitive music and early blues music; artists like Led Belly, Blind Willie McTell, and Cab Calloway.
CAT: I am influenced musically by so many different artists in so many different ways. I feel that some of the most impactful to me have been primitive music and early blues music; artists like Led Belly, Blind Willie McTell, and Cab Calloway.
GLITTER: What is your songwriting process like?
CAT: I like to journal and write poems, and a lot of times those poems turn into songs. I like to write things down, thoughts, feelings, and experiences. I don’t have the best memory so it helps me process things and gets things out of me.
CAT: I like to journal and write poems, and a lot of times those poems turn into songs. I like to write things down, thoughts, feelings, and experiences. I don’t have the best memory so it helps me process things and gets things out of me.
GLITTER: What was the best part about releasing the acoustic version of “Mama Said?”
CAT: I’ve probably played this song live more than any other, and I’m really happy to have this version as a timestamp for all the times I’ve played it alone on stage. I really wanted to bring this song as well as my other favorites from my records out in their basic form as some of my absolute favorite recordings are just guitar and vocal.
CAT: I’ve probably played this song live more than any other, and I’m really happy to have this version as a timestamp for all the times I’ve played it alone on stage. I really wanted to bring this song as well as my other favorites from my records out in their basic form as some of my absolute favorite recordings are just guitar and vocal.
GLITTER: What can you tell us about your song “All the Black”?
CAT:I wrote this song when I was around 17. It felt like the first good song I had ever written. I played it a lot when I first wrote it, in coffee houses, and such but sort of tucked it away for a long while and decided to bring it back out for my second record. I’m so happy with the way the recording turned out and it makes me feel good to release it in its true simple form.
CAT:I wrote this song when I was around 17. It felt like the first good song I had ever written. I played it a lot when I first wrote it, in coffee houses, and such but sort of tucked it away for a long while and decided to bring it back out for my second record. I’m so happy with the way the recording turned out and it makes me feel good to release it in its true simple form.
GLITTER: What do you hope fans take away from your music after hearing it?
CAT: I hope they can relate, or connect in some way and it makes them feel like everything’s gonna be alright.
CAT: I hope they can relate, or connect in some way and it makes them feel like everything’s gonna be alright.
GLITTER: Can you tell us about the process of creating your acoustic LP, Good Bones?
CAT: I had a small recording space here at my house and some gear. I set up a really nice cozy spot, it was February and I had a space heater and a humidifier going. I tracked a few live, and a couple I experimented with just a little, but I played everything in a few takes and really wanted to keep it simple and open.
CAT: I had a small recording space here at my house and some gear. I set up a really nice cozy spot, it was February and I had a space heater and a humidifier going. I tracked a few live, and a couple I experimented with just a little, but I played everything in a few takes and really wanted to keep it simple and open.
GLITTER: What can you tell us about your new track, “Toaster”?
CAT: This is a song I’ve just sort of had in the back of a book for a while. I wrote it during my first year of college when I was spending a lot of time alone and smoking a lot of weed and cigarettes. It was a very anxious time for me, but I always found solace in simple things like the smell of the changing season.
CAT: This is a song I’ve just sort of had in the back of a book for a while. I wrote it during my first year of college when I was spending a lot of time alone and smoking a lot of weed and cigarettes. It was a very anxious time for me, but I always found solace in simple things like the smell of the changing season.
GLITTER: What was your first thought on hearing your first two albums Ivory Castanets and Hunter Trance, have amassed over 30 million streams worldwide?
CAT: Once it gets past 1,000 it’s pretty impossible to comprehend!
GLITTER: What was it like performing to a sold-out tour in Europe with Shakey Graves?
CAT: It was my first time in Europe. He and his whole crew were great people so it was a fantastic experience.
CAT: It was my first time in Europe. He and his whole crew were great people so it was a fantastic experience.
GLITTER: Do you have any cool memories you can share from your career?
CAT: Touring with Rodriguez was pretty incredible. Seeing him play every night was so special and his whole crew were really lovely people. He is such an incredible, true, soul, and it was an honor to share a stage with him.
CAT: Touring with Rodriguez was pretty incredible. Seeing him play every night was so special and his whole crew were really lovely people. He is such an incredible, true, soul, and it was an honor to share a stage with him.
GLITTER: With tours and concerts on hiatus, outside of your upcoming IG Live with Glitter, what live activations have you been doing?
CAT: I was doing a DJ/Drawing live set for a while, where I spun some records and made some drawings with people live on the stream. I think I may do that again at some point cause it was a lot of fun. I’ve also done a few live streams on my Instagram and Facebook and plan to do more of those as well!
CAT: I was doing a DJ/Drawing live set for a while, where I spun some records and made some drawings with people live on the stream. I think I may do that again at some point cause it was a lot of fun. I’ve also done a few live streams on my Instagram and Facebook and plan to do more of those as well!
GLITTER: What would be a dream collaboration for you?
CAT: Oh man, there are so many…If I had to choose one, at this moment I’d go with Bobbie Gentry.
CAT: Oh man, there are so many…If I had to choose one, at this moment I’d go with Bobbie Gentry.
GLITTER: Best advice you were ever given?
CAT: Let Go.
GLITTER: What advice do you have for others wanting to follow in your footsteps?
CAT: Cultivate your intuition.
GLITTER: How do you use your voice for change?
CAT: I try to write content that expresses my experience within the time we are in.
CAT: I try to write content that expresses my experience within the time we are in.
GLITTER: Glitter has a Celebrity #SelfLoveCampaign, and we want to know, what’s self-love mean to you?
CAT: Self-love means everything to me. When you love yourself, the world opens up to you and you embrace it.
GLITTER: What’s on your playlist right now?
CAT: “Midnight” – Ray Charles
GLITTER: What’s a day in the life like for you like on isolation?
CAT:
- Wake up at 8 am.
- Go for a walk to the mailbox.
- Walk to the dock.
- Meditate.
- Do emails.
- Make a delish breakfast.
- Try to get as much done on your list as you can.
- Spend a bit of time in the garden.
- Eat good food.
- Do more.
- Make delish dinner.
- Watch the sunset.
- Do more.
- Relax and wind down.
GLITTER: Favorite ways to find your Zen?
CAT: Wim Hoff, meditation
CAT: Wim Hoff, meditation
GLITTER: First place you’ll go when isolation ends?
CAT: Somewhere with sushi.
GLITTER: Sage or Palo Santo?
CAT: BOTH. I like sage for everyday cleansing of my house and just general good vibrations. I like Palo Santo for being in the van on tour, as well as burning a little on stage before a set.
CAT: BOTH. I like sage for everyday cleansing of my house and just general good vibrations. I like Palo Santo for being in the van on tour, as well as burning a little on stage before a set.
GLITTER: Kombucha or Green Drinks?
CAT: I really love kombucha.
CAT: I really love kombucha.
GLITTER: Any favorite fashion brands?
CAT: I really love thrift and vintage, but also like Doc Martens, and Blundstone. I have also recently ordered some bras and tops from Free People, which I really like.
CAT: I really love thrift and vintage, but also like Doc Martens, and Blundstone. I have also recently ordered some bras and tops from Free People, which I really like.
GLITTER: What’s your skincare ritual like? Any fav products?
CAT: I’ve been using the Ordinary brand and have been really loving it.
GLITTER: Any projects you can tell us about that you’re working on next?
CAT: I’m hoping to do something with Jeremie Albino very soon.
GLITTER: Name one thing fans might not know about you.
CAT: I’m a dog person.
GLITTER: Best social platform for fans to find you?
CAT: Instagram is probably my favorite, although it’s becoming quite dull and censored. I’m hoping something new will come along that’s similar to the old Instagram with no censoring, or showing you things that algorithms THINK you want to see.
CAT: Instagram is probably my favorite, although it’s becoming quite dull and censored. I’m hoping something new will come along that’s similar to the old Instagram with no censoring, or showing you things that algorithms THINK you want to see.
Award-Winning Publisher
