Sydney-based indie singer, Katie Reid's newest single, '6 Feet Under', explores the brighter moments of a post-breakup world by embracing hope amongst the wreckage.
Katie is no stranger to the scene, having built a resume that includes providing backing vocals for Guy Sebastian, Christine Anu and Drapht. Since then, she's woven strong ties with other Australian bands, performing on the tours of Joan & the Giants and Little Quirks.Her 2023 single 'Healing' also scored first place in The Great Southern Song Competition, where judges included Aussie legends Steve Kilbey (The Church) and Mark Gable (The Choirboys).
'6 Feet Under' is Katie's first new music of 2024 (and the follow-up to 'Healing'); written during and in the aftermath of a tumultuous breakup, the song features her angelic, fragile, yet impassioned vocals that are both dreamy and bittersweet. There's a fierceness in her vulnerability, Katie reaching near-falsetto levels at certain points, the empathy evident in her voice.
The song bursts to life with a pop-rock melody that's akin to a warm embrace, the sonic energy flowing freely, a lively piano linking with a joyful lead guitar and a snappy yet melodic rhythm section that sparkles.
"This person throughout the relationship didn't treat me with compassion or kindness, therefore I held on to a lot of shame for loving them," shares Katie. "I began writing the verses in the last few weeks of our relationship, trying to make sense of my conflicted feelings.
"It felt as though they exited the relationship unscathed and that really irked me as I was in a lot of pain. . . I really pushed myself to be more vulnerable in my songwriting, I was in a lot of pain, but I wanted to make something hopeful and uplifting. . . I created this song to try and rid myself of the anger and shame I was feeling."
Ahead of the song's release tomorrow (24 October), today scenestr is delighted to premiere '6 Feet Under'. Enjoy.
"I was so lucky to work with Jack Nigro from Sonora Studies on this song," adds Katie. "We played all of the instruments on the track together and had an absolute ball making it – I hope that comes across when people listen to it!"
As her songwriting evolves, Katie was particularly inspired by all the fierce women songwriters currently dominating the indie scene.
"My writing is heavily influenced by all the incredible women who rule indie pop, specifically Maggie Rogers, Holly Humberstone, and MUNA. With '6 Feet Under', I wanted to pay homage to their use of warm guitar chords, catchy drum beats and intricate yet memorable melodies."
Katie Reid plays Butcher's Brew Bar (Sydney) on 1 November.
