Kate Peytavin is 18 years old and has an inner world as vast as her talent, of which we got to see a little more on February 2nd when her latest single ‘whole heart black’ was released.
Being a woman, young, and having a so far short career makes a music career even harder to push forward, and Peytavin knows this well. But as she stepped into Los Angeles and started composing, she knew there would be nothing to stop her. With the studio as her safe place, where she allows herself to open up and experiment with music, this woman seizes every opportunity that comes her way, even composing with other professionals over video calls.
‘whole heart black’ speaks of heartbreak, of knowing someone is hurting you but wanting them back in your life. Peytavin’s voice is super expressive, sweet, and deep, but at the same time, it seems like she’s about to explode and scream out of the anger she has inside because of the situation she’s going through. The melody, led by the drums, accompanies that feeling of anxiety perfectly, with much influence from bands like Paramore and artists like Suki Waterhouse. It sounds like the perfect soundtrack for an epic and dark teenage vampire movie. Everything, from the lyrics to the vocals, to the melody, even the visualizers, is overdramatic, but that is where the magic lies. The exposure of Kate Peytavin’s vulnerability is what makes people relate to her music, and allows listeners to imagine themselves in their situations and scenarios. I had the enormous pleasure of attending the press conference and discussing this topic with the artist, and she affirmed that the best advice she could give is to not care too much about what people think, because she was scared to open up at first, not knowing what people would think. But at the end of the day, that’s what makes a song good.
The composition process for Peytavin depends a lot on the song. She usually starts with the choruses and lets herself go from there. For her, it’s in the process that she realizes what she feels, and it helps her heal and feel through music. Even though her favorite part usually is the accidents from which they get good ideas, when it comes to finishing a song, she often feels trapped by imposter syndrome until she finally listens to the finished song and thinks, “Hey, this is really good.” This is one of the most remarkable things about the singer; she knows perfectly well what her place is, and knows she’s starting and learning every day, but it’s inspiring to see a young woman arrive confidently with her work in which she puts all her soul and say, “I do this, and it’s very good.” Not only does it make you feel related to her music and experiences, but suddenly she becomes a role model, with all her vulnerability that ultimately becomes a strength.
Kate Peytavin assures that all her songs are time capsules and that listening to them takes her back to the moments that inspired them, but her themes are so universal that they transport us all to our own experiences. ‘whole heart black’ is a song that leaves you wanting more from Kate Peytavin, and lucky us, her career has just taken off.
Written by: Beatriz Rose
Edited by: Marieke Weeda
