Kate Klim

Artist Information

Biography

***Selected, 2012 Falcon Ridge Emerging Artist***
***Finalist 2011 Telluride Troubadour Competition***
***Winner, 2010 Kerrville New Folk Competition***
***Winner, 2008 Mid-Atlantic Song Contest (Pop Category)***
***Finalist, 2007 Kerrville New Folk Competition***
***Finalist, 2006 Mountain Stage Newsong Competition***

Kate Klim was five years old when her family inherited a piano, 9 years old when she received her first lesson, and 11 years old when an unsuccessful audition for the film "Life with Mikey" caused her to rethink her career as a movie star. This was fortunate, because the singer/songwriter Club Passim has since called a "rising star" then turned to music.

Kate's songs have earned her recognition from the country's top songwriting contests. She won the 2010 Kerrville Folk Festival New Folk contest, and was recently selected as a Falcon Ridge Folk Festical Emerging artist. In 2011, she traveled to the Telluride Bluegrass Festival, where she had the opportunity to perform on the mainstage between two of music's biggest names: Steve Earle and Sarah MacLachlan.

With roots in Palatine, Illinois and Downingtown, Pennsylvania, Kate was raised on a steady diet of Carole King , Paul Simon, Billy Joel and John Lennon. Later on, her influences grew to include contemporary artists like Patty Griffin, Jonatha Brooke and Susan Werner.

Kate's musical success in her hometown led her to Berklee College of Music in Boston. It was here that Kate worked on her skills as a writer and performer, and became involved with the local music community that had produced icons like Bob Dylan years before, and Tracy Chapman and Patty Griffin in the recent past.

Her folk/pop style is making a name for her in the singer/songwriter scene. She can often be found on the stages of Club Passim, the Bluebird, Tupelo Music Hall and other notable listening rooms. Her show is a mix of strong pop melodies, humorous songs, and between-song banter that ranges from quirky to absurd. Recent accomplishments include opening slots for Shawn Colvin, Richard Shindell, Ollabelle and a performance at Philadelphia's Electric Factory as part of the Philly Music Awards.

She released her last album, Up and Down and Up Again, to a sold-out crowd at Boston's Club Passim. It was recorded with renowned producer Crit Harmon (Martin Sexton, Susan Werner, Lori McKenna). With her new album, released in 2011, Kate is excited to unveil her newest and best songs, as well as embrace her evolving indie-pop style.

With her audience rapidly expanding, and her music continuing to mature, Kate looks forward to a lifetime of music.

Instrumentation

Kate Klim - Piano, vocals (available solo or with band)

Discography

Kamikaze Love - 2011
Up and Down and Up Again - 2006
Heaven Help Me - 2002

Official Website

http://www.kateklim.com

Links

• Facebook
• Last.fm
• Twitter
• Kate's Official Website
• Neon Entertainment
• Kate at Neon Entertainment

Audio

• Kamikaze Love
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• Can't Wait
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• Even When It's Bad
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• A Chance
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• Nothing To Do With You
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Lyrics

• Kamikaze Love
• Can't Wait
• Even When It's Bad
• A Chance
• Ripple

Video

Kate

Photo Gallery

Press

• "Best Bet for Folk-Pop Stardom" [+ Show ]
  

  "Pianist-singer-songwriter Klim is an angel-voiced balladeer and a best bet for folk-pop stardom" -..."Pianist-singer-songwriter Klim is an angel-voiced balladeer and a best bet for folk-pop stardom"
  -January, 2007

• "The Next Carole King" [+ Show ]
  

  "Kate Klim might be the new Carole King. "There I said it. Not just because she writes and perfo..."Kate Klim might be the new Carole King.
  
  "There I said it. Not just because she writes and performs her songs on the piano, but because her songs show wisdom beyond their years, drawing on experiences from her personal life, but expanding those lessons to include a broader view on the meaning of relationships and people in our lives. They're not just about her, they're about all of us, and one has to wonder, how does this kind of insight come to someone so young? Carole Kings songs have been around or years. I'm betting Kates will be too."
  
  -Crit Harmon, Producer (Martin Sexton, Mary Gauthier, Lori McKenna)

• "Up and Down and Up Again" - Album Review [+ Show ]
  

  "Kate Klim has been striving for success all her life it seems. In her younger years, it was movie s..."Kate Klim has been striving for success all her life it seems. In her younger years, it was movie stardom she aspired towards, but an unfortunate audition for the forgettable Michael J. Fox comedy Life with Mikey at age 11 seemed to put the validity of Kate’s desires into question. Poor, young, downtrodden Kate Klim had to seriously rethink those dreams, and the result was a brutal realization that they may not be the best course of action.
  
  No matter. Kate may have given up on those marquee idol dreams at that tender age, but lucky for her (and the WERS audience at large), she turned to music to achieve the success she has always wanted. The title of her new album—her first professionally produced, self-released unit of work—seems to reflect this sense of resilience in Kate: Up and Down and Up Again.
  
  The fact that the album is beautifully produced and soulfully performed by Ms. Klim is worth noting—Kate’s piano in particular sounds like its singing its own vocal line—but it’s essentially beside the point. What is more important is the fact that these 11 songs certainly represent something to the artist, and they most definitely represent something to the people who hear them. Kate’s easy-going combination of modern folk and soulful pop has been turning heads for the past several years. Phrases like “new face”, “rising star”, and even the title “Best of Boston” have been thrown around since Kate decided to pour her heart out on record instead of film.
  
  She was surrounded by music all her life: At the age of five (virtual light years before that aforementioned audition), Kate’s family got a piano, and she began receiving lessons soon after. Her family relocated a few times, from the Midwest to the East Coast, Kate relying all the while on a steady diet of Carole King, Paul Simon, and later on, contemporaries like Patty Griffin, Jonatha Brooke, and Sarah Maclachlan.
  
  This reliance on music certainly paid off for Kate. Up and Down and Up Again contains the heartfelt, infectious melodies reminiscent of Kate’s predecessors, combined with the artist’s own story. Her voice, vulnerable but strong in its conviction, combines with the soft melodies created by her spare backing band. It culminates into a primal, earnest cry for the basic resilience of the human spirit. And it’s catchier than anything you’re liable to hear anywhere else. Kate Klim has found the success she has strived for since childhood, and now only in her mid-20’s, she still has plenty more to offer."
  
  -WERS 88.9FM, Boston
  

• "A Poignant Songstress..." [+ Show ]
  

  "A poignant songstress hinged on the synergy of Klim's vocals and piano. No doubt a true pianist... "A poignant songstress hinged on the synergy of Klim's vocals and piano. No doubt a true pianist, Klim imbues a quiet, soulful radiance that is steadfast in her chilling soprano and tight arrangement. And just when Klim cajoles listeners with her crippling fragility, she is able to shatter it, sweep the pieces under her piano bench, and crown it with a rascally wink."
  
  Aaron Jenkins - The Mercury (Pottsville, PA)
  

• Heaven Help Me, Review [+ Show ]
  

  ARTIST: KATE KLIM SONG: HEAVEN HELP ME GENRE: POP / FOLK SIMILAR: JANN ARDEN What can I say...ARTIST: KATE KLIM
  SONG: HEAVEN HELP ME
  GENRE: POP / FOLK
  SIMILAR: JANN ARDEN
  
  What can I say, as a keyboard player, I’m a sucker for a good pianist.
  
  Kate Klim has a winning sound here. “Heaven Help Me” has all of my favorite things – a catchy hook line, intelligent lyrics, solid musicianship, great production and a female vocalist that’s “easy on the ears”.
  
  I love the piano intro (on a baby grand, no less!), and the whispery vocal. Perfectly complementary back up vocals. Great drummer. Nice balance with the acoustic guitar and the piano – not always easy to achieve. The only minor criticism I have of this recording is at 5 minutes and 6 seconds (with the fade) it’s a bit long. But, heck, it’s a “good” kind of long.
  
  Hey Kate, “Heaven” did help you. You have been blessed with a lot of talent.
  
  

• Featured Artist, April 2004 [+ Show ]
  

  Vol. 2 Issue 15 | April 12, 2004 FEATURED ARTIST: Kate Klim Bio: A musical inheritance and ...Vol. 2 Issue 15 | April 12, 2004
  
  
  FEATURED ARTIST: Kate Klim
  
  Bio:
  A musical inheritance and a Michael J. Fox movie inspired Kate Klim to become a professional singer/songwriter.
  
  Klim was five years old when her family came into possession of a piano. She started taking lessons on the instrument four years later, but didn't really consider music as anything other than a hobby. Klim wanted to become a famous movie star. But that goal changed after an unsuccessful audition for the film, "Life with Mikey."
  
  Klim attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston, and honed her skills as a performer. Her song, "Heaven Help Me," which she penned for a songwriting master class, was featured on the 2003 "Best of Boston" singer-songwriter compilation CD.
  
  Influenced by musicians like Carole King, Paul Simon, Billy Joel, John Lennon, Patty Griffin and Jonatha Brooke, Klim developed her own folk/pop style. She released her debut album this year, which has received airplay on WERS and WMFO in Boston, and on CreativeRadio's Internet folk show. She's also appeared on the Boston area cable show "Roots Rock Live."
  
  Although she's only 21, Klim has toured in numerous east coast venues. She recently opened for Jeffrey Gaines at Philadelphia's North by Northwest.
  
  Review:
  Kate Klim's angelic voice harnesses purity. Delicate, flowing and lush, it portrays an incisive, emotional honesty. She engages audiences with flowing pop/folk rhythms and captures melodies inside her energetic piano playing. A talented songwriter, Klim has the inherent ability to craft an entire world within a single song.
  
  
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------
  
  
  The Siren Six:
  
  What inspires you?
  
  Kate Klim: I find nothing more inspiring than other musicians. Whenever I go to a really great live show, ideas are buzzing in my head as soon as I walk out the door. I want to make other people feel like that particular artist just made me.
  
  What was the first album you bought? The first concert you attended?
  
  I'm not that old, but I definitely remember having the Bangles "Everything" on vinyl. My first concert was Lollapalooza when I was 12. I was convinced that the Channel 6 news was going to interview me about how I could be so young, yet so cool. I went with my dad.
  
  Do you prefer to perform live or in the studio? Why?
  
  Both are great. I guess you can never really match the feeling of connecting with an audience. But there are always off nights, new settings and things like that. Those nights I would probably say studio.
  
  Why do you offer MP3s of your music on the Web?
  
  My favorite day is free sample day at the supermarket. If you like it enough, you end up buying it. And I love that someone could be listening to me now, and wouldn't even know it.
  
  What's the best advice you've ever received?
  
  I have a friend who told me not to measure my success (or lack thereof) against the successes of others. I think that's beyond important when you're a performer.
  
  Was there ever a moment when you contemplated giving up music?
  
  About 15 minutes ago. And twice yesterday. I've talked with other musicians about this. The nature of being an artist is that some days you feel so proud of what you do and some days you feel absolutely terrible. I've never seriously wanted to give it up. I couldn't if I tried.
  
  Web:
  http://www.kateklim.com
  http://www.folkweb.com/kateklim/
  
  

• Interview [+ Show ]
  

  Q & A: Kate Klim, Singer/songwriter and Pianist by Bruce Bressack She was 23rd on the list, i... Q & A: Kate Klim, Singer/songwriter and Pianist
  
  by Bruce Bressack
  
  She was 23rd on the list, it was already late and there were still several performers ahead of her at the Tupelo open mike.
  
  Kate Klim was tired and the thought of getting up early the next day for work weighed heavily. It would have been easy for her to say, “Bag it, it’s not a paying gig. I’ll come back some other time” but the artist and performer in her won out and she waited her turn.
  
  Finally, her name was called and this wisp of a young woman sauntered onto the stage. What happened next will surely become part of Tupelo legend.
  
  Klim started to play and sing and the jaws of every musician in the room simultaneously dropped. If you happened to be walking, you stopped and turned to the stage. If you were talking, the last words spoken froze in the air.
  
  That’s how good singer/songwriter Klim is. Just 23, and a graduate of the Berklee College of Music, Klim makes music and lyrics that are sophisticated and mature beyond her years. Her song “Heaven Help Me,” from her first CD, led off the 2003 “Best of Boston” singer-songwriter compilation CD, accompanied by such notable up-and-comers as Jake Armerding, Meg Hutchinson and Rachel McCartney.
  
  Tupelo Music Hall, at 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 16, will host an album fundraiser concert for Klim. Every cent raised at the show will go to Klim to help fund her new CD. Scott Hayward, Tupelo owner, believes in Klim’s talent so much that he has offered a challenge for this show — If you don’t like the music, he will refund your money. Tickets are $12.50.
  
  What inspired you to become a songwriter & performer?
  
  I’m not sure if it’s because I’m the middle of five children or if I was just born this way, but I’ve always been a performer. My mom has told me that there was a phase when I was four when I didn’t speak, I just sang everything (from “hi mom” to “when’s dinner”) So I don’t really feel like I ever decided to “become” a performer. For a long time I wanted to be an actress, but then the little songs I had been writing all my life started growing into big songs, and I just knew I had to go with it. I sang a song I wrote for a big audience for the first time when I was 15. I knew right then and didn’t look back that this would be my life’s work.
  
  Where did you get your musical training, and how long have you been playing professionally?
  
  They wheeled a piano from my neighbor’s basement down the street and into our house when I was five. By third grade I was taking lessons and took them until the beginning of junior high. After that I played by ear. I came to Boston to go to Berklee College of Music in 2000 and studied voice — although my piano chops got a makeover, too. I remember my first real “gig” was freshman year. I got all my friends to come out and I was terrified to be playing for a whole 45 minutes. Now I can play for two hours comfortably.
  
  How would you describe your musical style, and who are your favorite performers?
  
  My general answer to that is “piano-folk-pop.” I think the fact that I play piano rather than guitar has a huge influence on the sound. My favorite artists are people like Jonatha Brooke, Lori McKenna, Paul Simon and Carole King. And lately I’ve been listening to a lot of Randy Newman. I’ll be playing one of his songs at Tupelo.
  
  What do you hope that people will “take away” from your music and your live shows, and could you talk a bit about the genesis of your songs ‘Heaven Help Me’, ‘Jacob’, and ‘Happy’ from your first CD Heaven Help Me?
  
  Well, when I personally go to live shows, my favorite songs are the ones that seem like they were written for me, and somehow express exactly what I’m feeling at that moment. I have a number of songs about heartbreak and about family, so I hope that sometimes I can give people that feeling. “Heaven Help Me” was the first song I wrote when I came to college. It will always have a special place in my heart. I sang it again and again until my neighbors knew it. “Jacob” was written soon after, about my best friend Laura, my older brother and his best friend. We were all inseparable and I had lost touch with Brad (my brother’s friend). It’s funny though, because now we’re back in touch, and he loves that there’s a song about him. “Happy” was a song I wrote in one sitting. Since I was in my early phases of Berklee, the whole song was based around this chord that I couldn’t identify but liked the sound of. Sometimes I still walk down the street in my old neighborhood where I wrote the chorus. I love moments like that.
  
  I understand you’re planning to record a new CD. What do you hope to accomplish with this CD, and what song are you most excited about recording?
  
  I’m so excited about recording all of them. Right now, I’m especially excited about the song “Blue Sky Love.” I think it’s the best song I’ve written. It was also very important for me to write. It’s very much about healing. My goal for this CD is to capture these songs, which are so important to me, in all their glory. It takes a number of professionals to figure out exactly what that is, so I look forward to that. I feel like in the four years since my last CD, my music has grown up significantly. I want people to hear what it is I’m doing now.
  
  Where do you want this musical journey to take you?
  
  I just hope that it keeps gaining momentum, like it is now. Every month it’s getting better. I hope that fairly soon it can be my sole occupation. I love playing my music for new people, so I hope my audience grows (and grows and grows). Specifically, there’s just a feeling I can only get when I’m playing, and I hope my musical journey is just one of me finding that feeling all over the globe.

Setlist

Sets can last anywhere from 30 minutes to 2.5 hours.

Originals by Kate Klim

Basic Requirements

Calendar