July 14, 2017

Songs That Made Me – The Daily Mercury 

SONGS That Made Me brought together some of Australia’s finest singers to discover and nurture local female talent in regional Queensland.

A concert in Mackay Thursday night, one of several in regional Queensland, featured high-profile performers Deborah Conway, Clare Bowditch and Hannah Macklin on stage alongside Mackay region singers as they shared stories of their influences and artistic journeys, and the landmark songs that have sound-tracked their lives.
The concert also featured an all-female rhythm section, Queensland choir Cheep Trill, and regional Queensland musicians Megan Sarmardin, Kristin Berardi and Hayley Marsten.

The concert was part of the broader Queensland Music Festival’s Songs That Made Me program, which involved a unique mentorship and performance experience for a selected group of emerging female singer-songwriters from Mackay, Mount Isa and Gladstone.

Designed to empower and support female singer-songwriters, the program involved mentorship from Conway, Bowditch and Macklin along with Katie Noonan and Leigh Carriage.

Jessikah Baillie, Emma-Kate Stampton, Jamesley Gourlay and Karla Brechin were finalists chosen to perform at the MECC in the Songs That Made Me performance.

January, 2016

Kate Heart’s Interview with 101.9 CoastFm

Nov 16, 2015

Spotlight On: Kate Heart – MusicIsMyMuse.com 

Brisbane folk-pop songstress Kate Heart is winning hearts with her soulful blend of optimistic rhythms and inspirational lyrics. Kate’s debut EP Kate Heart, which was released last month, has been embraced by fans, and gained industry recognition with not one, not two, but THREE songs making the National Song-writing Awards Top 30.

Beginning her love affair with music at the age of five, Kate says it was her school choir experiences and solo Eisteddfod performances that really prepared her for a career in music.

“Those experiences taught me that in the music industry, often a lot of doors close before they open,” she said.

After graduating from the Queensland Conservatorium of Music she took some time out and worked as a pilates teacher, until a random encounter brought her back to her first love.

“I heard a woman singing opera in the mall and I felt like it was a sign from the heavens to start making music and singing again. So I quit my full-time job and got back into it.”

The result of her return, is a cathartic and uplifting record that documents the beauty and trials of life. Described as a ‘labour of love,’ Kate says her motivation to finish her debut EP increased when she found out she was pregnant with her first child.

“I felt so motivated to make my goal of releasing my first EP a reality, as I was struck by the fact I was about to become a mother, which meant teaching another human how to fulfil their hopes and dreams. I just felt I couldn’t do that successfully if I wasn’t fulfilling my own!”

So she found producer James North and dove headfirst into production at 27 weeks pregnant, a process she says was completely exhausting but rewarding. Now her hard work is paying off, with her music spreading hope and making people smile. In particular, her song Big Love has been a hit with fans, encouraging them to embrace positivity when life gets challenging.

“At the EP launch everyone was singing along to Big Love it was really cool. I love performing live, it’s definitely my favourite part of the whole process!”

As the year draws to a close, Kate says she has plans to release a single and music video, with a tour in her hometown Mackay and a few other cool things also on the cards for early next year.

“I have a lot of plans – it’s going to be exciting and busy times ahead!”

If you are yet to experience the delight that is Kate Heart, head over to her Facebook and listen to her EP for a dose of pure inspiration!

Nov 03, 2015

Kate Heart @ The Milk Factory – Review by Dane Curtis Scenstr.com.au 

Filled with anticipation and enthusiasm, the crowd packed in tightly at The Milk Factory (17 October) to hear the crescendo to months of campaigning by talented songstress, Kate Heart.

An alluring Kate navigated through her EP, presenting the crowd with a tight, polished set that enchanted the balmy, packed room. Palpable optimism and soulful wonder exudes from Kate’s inspirational, euphonious lyrics, engaging with the audience and sharing their pre-natal and everyday life origins.

The crowd was as diverse as it was responsive to Kate’s crooning crescendos of the pre-released single, ‘Big Love’, along with a welcomed, yet stripped-back cover of Delerium’s ‘Silence’; a tip of the cap to the performers love for electronica had punters singing along.

Finishing the set with ‘You Make Me Happy’, the crowd responded with rapturous acclamation… the whole room agreed – we all love Kate Heart.

Oct 19, 2015

‘Kate Heart’ EP Review by Kate Gibney, Society of Sound

When reading this review, imagine my face as the heart eyes emoji, as Kate Heart’s sweet 5 tracks are filled with flowers and rainbows. With its official release on last Friday 16th at the Milk Factory, the self-titled EP is a lovely take on modern pop-folk. All the tambourine, all the time.

While I’m a big fan of pop-folk and awesome songstresses like Regina Spektor and Missy Higgins, I do feel the classic ‘pop folk’ instrumentation and familiar chord progressions limit the range of sounds this EP can offer. Each song has a similar, breezy vibe, which gives consistency but sometimes fails to push boundaries and get funky with the genre.

Produced by the esteemed James North and featuring Steve Pope on drums, each song utilises Kate’s strong voice and simple, relatable lyrics. The first track, This Life, sets the tone for the album: an ode to happiness and optimism. This may be in part due to Kate’s pregnant state while recording, which has obviously inspired the hopeful lyrics throughout. I particularly like Make Me Happy’s groove and syncopation, as well as Big Love’s catchy melody, which could be a great TV show theme. With tense pauses and driving rhythms, Stand Up and Raise Me Up both display stirring and motivating lyrics with deeper social messages.

If you’re looking for a sweet, light EP to go with your picnics in the park, look no further than the charming Kate Heart.

October 04, 2015

Kate Heart – EP Promo Interview and live performance ‘This Life’ on 4ZZZ

July 04, 2015

‘Big Love’ by Kate Heart – Single Review by Anna Levy, Society of Sound

Kate Heart is new to the music scene, but is already making waves with her refreshing folk-pop sounds and heartfelt lyrics.  Aiming to “inspire divine thoughts and kind hearts”, Big Love is an ode to old-fashioned songwriting, relying on full acoustic guitar, rolling drums, and simple lyricism. Simple and relatable, it’s an intriguing start to Kate‘s music career, with vocals reminiscent of Joni Mitchell in passion and natural range.

That said, the production could do with a little experimentation, only to avoid venturing into the all-too-hallowed halls of folk-pop. The sincerity of the verse is lost in the chorus, which relies a little too much on contrived pop layering and synths, and the guitar solo of the bridge wanders once again into cliche territory. Kate‘s voice shines most in moments of simplicity, when it’s just her, guitar chords, and drum. I can’t help but imagine that she would find herself in something like Laura Marling‘s sound: modern, nuanced, but simple and lyrically dense.  It’s an exciting start for Big Love and big things from Kate Heart.