Loren Kate

"Winner of the emerging artist award for 2008, Loren Kate truly is a rising star. The best new talent i've seen in ages."
- Phaedra Watts, Nannup Music Festival Co-ordinator.
"....Loren Kate, a star of the future."
- ABC South West WA.
“Loren Kate’s music has an uplifting effect on you that is infectious. Her happy go lucky melodies and clever lyrics are a recipe that puts you in a good mood and everyone needs more of that now and then!”
- Brian Lizotte.
New album, Brand New Shoes now available in all good music stores through Vitamin Records Distribution! www.vitaminrecords.net.au!
Like spine-tingling velvet enshrouding a precious gem, Loren’s enchantingly beautiful voice paired with her down to earth humour and storytelling, creates a uniquely sublime and haunting sound that is rapidly capturing the attention of audiences around the country.
Her debut album, Brand New Shoes, which is being launched nationally over the next few months is a great milestone for the 24-year-old songwriter. Recorded over just 5 days at Soundmine Studio in Western Australia with producer Lee Buddle and 7 talented WA musicians, the album has the sound and feel of a highly crafted work of art, most likely due to the amount of energy, enthusiasm and love put in during the time leading up to recording.
Having been on the road for the good part of 4 years, travelling and touring her music to most corners of Australia, Loren steadily penned the songs of the album along her journey through places such as Fremantle, Broome, Darwin, Adelaide and Byron Bay. The result is a beautifully dynamic, emotionally charged storybook of two or more years’ worth of joy, love, loss, gratitude, family, friends, travel and everything in between.
Opening with the infectiously uplifting track Bird on My Shoulder, Loren weaves a light-hearted thread through the core of the album, with the prevailing message, ‘all these things are not as big as they seem’ and a whistling riff that won’t escape your head anytime soon. The title track, Brand New Shoes with its driving one drop back-beat and exceedingly groovy harmonies (which include the voice of Perth folk-songstress, Freya Hanly) is another song reinforcing the positive vibe, making it the perfect precursor to the haunting and beautiful Ode to John, a song Loren wrote for her father, to whom the album is dedicated.
Stories about family reveal themselves in a handful of Loren’s songs, and the epic Sticks and Stones tells the powerful story of her brother and a past addiction. With some impressive vocal textures and a string arrangement by Lara Norman, the song leads the album into a dramatic climax, which is bound to send shivers down even the most rigid spine. Soon after this relatively sombre moment, though, comes The Whale Song, featuring Damian Smith on ukulele. Undeniably one of the catchiest tracks on the album, the song keeps things progressing with a light, breezy folk feel and an easygoing yet somewhat anthemic chorus. The album winds up on a similar note with the last track, Sing, being a simple yet moving declaration of gratitude to music and life in general, sending it all home with a colourful sea of a-capella vocals and the inevitable smile on the face of whoever is listening.
If you get the chance to see Loren Kate anytime soon, don’t miss a performance that is bound to move your heart and soul!
When Loren Kate finished high school she set out in search of adventure. Armed with only a guitar and backpack, she jumped on the train and headed north to Byron Bay. With only a few dollars in her pocket she began busking for her food and shelter and learning about life and music from the local street folk...
Six years later, Loren has developed her own unique sound and has become a well-established independent artist and songsmith. Life so far has been all about learning, becoming conscience of the ways of the world and releasing her deepest fears, emotions and beliefs through song...
Over the last few years, Loren has travelled extensively around Australia, taking her music from the deserts to the seas and all the little corners in between. She has performed at countless venues and festivals around the country including Woodford Folk Festival (QLD), Peats Ridge Folk Festival (NSW), Fairbridge Festival (WA), Fleurieu Folk Festival (SA), Tamar Valey Folk Festival (Tas), Earthdance (WA), Alice Springs Desert Festival (NT), Oenpelli Open Day (NT) and was awarded most promising emerging artist at the Nannup Music Festival (WA) last year.
Loren has also shared the stage with such fine musicians as Tim Freedman (The Whitlams), Lior, Vika and Linda Bull (The Black Sorrows), folk legend Eric Bogle, iOTA, Epicure, Tinpan Orange, Saritah, Rob Sawyer, Wild Marmalade, the list goes on...