Katelyn Clampett is a singer-songwriter who began singing at two when she caught the ear of Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Brothers while singing in a grocery store. Her love of singing continued on through high school, eventually earning a Songwriting and Vocal Scholarship to Berklee College of Music. While there, she won several songwriting contests and received a faculty nomination to write with Paul Simon.
After graduating from Berklee, Katelyn auditioned for American Idol Season 9, making it to the Top 12. Following her time on Idol, she moved to L.A. where she joined Selena Gomez & The Scene Tour as a background singer. When she was on break from touring with Selena, Katelyn joined Nickelodeon star Victoria Justice and her band as a backup singer, keyboardist, and acoustic guitar. While on the road, she would make several trips to Nashville to write and produce. Some of her work can be heard as promotional work for large companies such as Bud Light, Pizza Hut, Dancing With The Stars and CBS Sports.
Since moving to Nashville in 2013, Katelyn has written and produced for other artists as well as spent time writing songs for her debut album, including her debut single The Trouble With The Truth, co-written with Barry Dean. She’s also shared the stage with Ariana Grande and Vince Gill, and opened for Dan + Shay, Love and Theft, and Kip Moore.
We recently caught up with Katelyn to get to know her musical journey, her recent singles and more.
CN: Could you tell our readers a little bit about yourself?
KC: I’m a country artist, songwriter and producer from North Carolina, currently living in Nashville, TN.
CN: You’ve been performing since the age of two, what was it about performing that had you hooked?
KC: I grew up as an introvert, and performing for me was never about “attention” necessarily, although putting a smile on grandpa’s face never hurt. 🙂 For me, it was mostly about being able to say something that I felt was important, specifically writing something that had a powerful message, that could maybe help someone or make the world a little brighter.
CN: Over your career you’ve served as a backup singer to some, produced with others, and shared the stage with some notable heavyweights. Which one of these accomplishments are you drawn to the most and why?
KC: I think they’re all equally valuable parts of my journey in learning the music industry. I was able to observe and participate in different capacities, and it allowed me to decide for myself what I liked and didn’t like, and create a career around that.
CN: Which producers have you worked with? Do you prefer to produce on your own?
KC: I do produce my own stuff. I’ve always done it, but it wasn’t really as accepted then as it is now. Nowadays the music industry is starting to pay attention to female producers a bit more, and I’m really proud to be a part of helping pave that lane any way I can.
CN: When producing tracks, you’ve stated that you like to create “out of the box” sounds. What has been your most unique sound?
KC: I’ve used my purse as percussion before. It had a strap that was very chain-like, so it had a cool, tambourine-esque sound to it. It’s so fun putting things like that in the track, knowing that people would never guess how it was made. I love capturing weird sounds.
CN: You’ve delved into both Country and Christian music – is there another genre that you’d like to dip your toes in?
KC: I’ve written so many different kinds of songs for different people. I’ve dabbled in pop, pop/r&b, singer/songwriter, Americana, etc.. Songs are like characters to me. It’s fun to play a different character sometimes.
CN: Now that you’ve released your single “Hang Up and Hang Out” and an upcoming single “Sorta Single” will be released in late July, might there be a future album release?
KC: Absolutely 😉
CN: With “Hang Up and Hang Out” you’ve stated that you’re a mental health advocate and that it’s important to “disconnect to reconnect.” Is this something you’ve found that was needed in yourself?
KC: 100000%. I’ve had to set some firm boundaries with my phone/social media usage. With the combination of doing that and spending time outdoors, it’s been really grounding for me; even something as simple as walking my dog every morning and not being glued to technology. There’ve been so many stressful and anxiety-inducing things happening in the world the last few years that I’ve had to be more assertive about instilling those boundaries and healthy habits. It’s done wonders for my body, brain and spirit, so I’m a big fan of anyone protecting their peace and peace of mind.
CN: With these releases, do you have any summer plans on touring? If so, where can fans find you?
KC: I’m scheduling shows for the fall/rest of the year, all around the US. So check out my tour schedule at www.KatelynClampett.com