Kat Harlton
There is something truly extraordinary about JUNO Award Nominee and proud Newfoundlander, Kellie Loder. It can be found in her poignant lyrics set against melodic folk/pop, and in the singer/songwriter’s electrifying live shows, which simultaneously inspire profound emotion in listeners while charming them with sparkling anecdotes.
For proof, listen to her 2019 single “Fearless,” which received high praise and has been chosen as the soundtrack behind an IMAX Trailer for Superpower Dogs, narrated by Chris Evans (Captain America/Avengers), as well as her brilliant and emotive third album, Benefit of the Doubt (2018), elevating subjects from intoxicating love to the exquisite pain of growing apart.
Kellie recently released the beautiful and compelling music video for her single “Molded Like A Monster“. We had the opportunity to chat with her and talk about the molds we all try to fit oursleves into, songwriting, and how she’s staying connected during Covid-19.
Kat: Can you talk about the inspiration behind your song and video for “Molded Like A Monster”?
Kellie: I wrote this song because I realized that every single person has been born into some sort of mold they don’t choose. For me, I was born into a family with strict Christian views and I felt guilty a lot of the time for just doing what made me happy. I wasn’t even allowed to attend school dances because it was “sinful.” I came out to my parents when I was in the third grade, and because they knew the judgement I would receive from my church peers, I had to bury who I was, or try to change, and I did try. I don’t think I fully knew the effects of carrying that secret as a child until much later (until I was an adult). We all have the ability to judge others and to be someone else’s monster even if we don’t mean to. I started writing the song after seeing the film American Sniper, but I know the song is rooted somewhere further back inside my own story. Perhaps if I didn’t carry as much pain as I did at such a young age, this song wouldn’t be the same. Perhaps it was worth it.
Kat: Can you talk about your songwriting process?
Kellie: It varies. Sometimes, I’ll be washing the dishes (I really don’t like washing the dishes by the way), and I’ll start singing something new without even realizing it until I’ve been singing it for five minutes. I’ll grab my phone to record it in my voice notes every time. Thank God it’s waterproof. Other times, the shower, the bathtub (that’s where chorus for “Molded Like A Monster” was born. Other times, the grocery store. It’s a pretty funny scene when I’m caught in some corner of a Loblaw’s just singing into my phone. But I do love it when I come up with a nice little guitar or piano melody and shortly after just sink into the song and let my words fill out the music.
Kat: Do you have any role models or music artists that inspire you? And if so, how they may influence your sound in any way?
Kellie: I think my biggest role models are my friends. I watch their shows and I’m instantly inspired to just write more music. One of my favorite things about writing is co-writing. I love to co-write. There’s nothing like being in a room and collaborating on a song with someone and you just fill in each other’s blanks, and if the chemistry is real good, sometimes you end up suggesting the same lyrics. I can feel all the parts of my heart become more vibrant when I write a song with someone. It’s exhilarating.
Kat: You’ve earned nominations for several awards such as CFMA Contemporary Singer of the Year, and Music Newfoundland’s Ron Hynes Songwriter of the Year Award, Female Pop Artist of the Year and Pop Artist of the Year. What do these nominations and awards mean to you?
Kellie: It always feels amazing to get recognized for my art (and hard work) and I’m very grateful. The ultimate goal at the end of the day is to just make people feel good and to reach them through my songs. If these nominations and awards allow me to reach more people, bring it on.
Kat: What would you say has been a career highlight thus far?
Kellie: The career highlight for me was writing a song for an IMAX trailer featuring Chris Evans. It’s always been a dream of mine to have my song in a movie. When I found out “Fearless” was going to be the theme song of a movie, I did more than one happy dance.
Kat: You were gearing up to accompany Joel Plaskett’s tour before it was rescheduled due to COVID-19. In the interim how are you connecting with your fans? What’s next?
Kellie: I’ve been hosting a nationwide virtual songwriting circle through Facebook Live on Thursdays. It’s called “East TO West,” featuring artists from all over the country. It’s certainly opened up my eyes to how many artists I’ve met along the way. It’s a way to bring artists and their audiences together so that every artist has a chance to make new fans. As for what’s next, I just released a new single called “Afterglow.” Since all of my shows have been cancelled this year, my focus has shifted to releasing new music. I expect to release a new song for the summer as well.
For more on Kellie, please visit: http://www.kellieloder.com