A Chat with Katherine Nagy (08.10.24)
With a reputation for honest, original, authentic and genuine music, singer-songwriter Katherine Nagy resonates with audiences and meets a need for pure, raw sincerity. Her songs have been featured on Netflix and Amazon Prime, while she presents confident performances at art and music festivals across the USA. We speak with Nagy about her Irish cultural influence, new album Sweetlove, uniqueness and much more.
OSR: Cliché but how did you become involved in music? What drew you to the music industry and pursuing a career in it?
Nagy: I have always loved music, I grew up singing in choirs and playing piano/flute. I studied classical voice in college and performed in musical theater and opera. After graduation, I started working at a consulting firm in downtown Chicago. There was not much time for music during this part of my life, but I got my first guitar when I was 23 and started writing my first songs. It was not until 10+ years later, that I started to pursue my dream of being a songwriter. During the summer of 2016, I went to a lot of concerts – Ray LaMontange, The Chicks, David Gray, Ben Folds and more – and at each one, I kept thinking I want to do what they get to do. So finally, I decided to just follow my heart and go for it.
OSR: I read that you were raised in Ireland and then moved to the USA. How do these diverse cultures influence your music? Also, what do you feel you have learned from embracing the separate cultures?
Nagy: I love going back to Ireland – I try to make it there once a year so I can visit with my family and smell the Irish sea air. It is a very art-centered country and I find it very inspiring. I grew up listening to a lot of Irish music, so my vocal style, melodies and chord choices can definitely sound Celtic at times. I also spent time living in Puerto Rico and Spain listening to Merengue and Flamenco music. I can’t wait to create music influenced by these cultures too. I love the idea of blending all these cultural influences into my music – as I feel like that reflects who I am as a person.
OSR: You have just released your album Sweetlove as, sort of, a tribute to the challenges and beauty of marriage and motherhood. Do you feel this progression in life is evident in your sound? Can we hear the difference in life through the sounds of tracks on the album… or is it mainly a single style celebrating this point in your life?
Nagy: My sound is definitely still evolving and that is very exciting to me. I wrote this specific album over a 3 year period and my sound evolved a lot during that time. I have a few songs influenced by country, bluegrass, soul and pop on this album – I just love blending different styles.
OSR: What do you hope people take from Sweetlove?
Nagy: I grew a lot creating this album – personally and musically. The songs cover a lot of my human experiences with love, faith, joy and sadness. My hope is that these songs help my listeners travel through these emotions in their own lives.
OSR: What were the most exciting thing and least exciting things about creating Sweetlove?
Nagy: The most exciting part is feeling a sense of growth as a person, a musician and a writer. I feel more confident with each studio session. I am learning how to communicate, how to use my voice and becoming more confident in myself. The least exciting part is the moments of uncertainty and doubt – but that is just part of the process.
OSR: What does music mean to you?
Nagy: Music helps me celebrate the joyful moments in life and helps me process and get through the harder times. I can always count on music to sit with me.
OSR: What do you think makes you unique as an artist?
Nagy: I am a stay-at-home wife/mom with a big heart and a dream of writing songs. I am starting out a little later than most artists, but feel like I have a lot of life experience that allows me to have an interesting perspective on life.
OSR: If you were to introduce a new listener to your music, which song would you recommend (and it doesn’t have to be a track from Sweetlove)?
Nagy: ‘Carry On’. This is a song that helps me get through hard times so that I can make it back to the joyful moments in life. We all go through pain, but I want everyone to be able to return to joy.
OSR: What can we expect from you in the future?
Nagy: I have already started writing for my 3rd album. I am really excited about it so far.
OSR: Do you have any advice for new musicians?
Nagy: Stay the course. Stick with it. Do your own thing and don’t try to be anyone else – stay true to you.
OSR: Do you have a message for our readers?
Nagy: Thank you so much for supporting our music. We could not do this without you!
Many thanks to Katherine Nagy for speaking with us! For more from Katherine Nagy, check out her official website, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and Spotify.
