Exclusive Premiere: “Love Too Hard” by Kate Kay Es

by Natasha Wolff | December 7, 2017 11:40 am

The Australian-born, Brooklyn-based musician Kate Kay Es[1] is not your typical musician. Taking a cue from her jazz musician father, Kate got her start studying jazz piano at a top conservatorium in Australia. She played piano, saxophone, sang and wrote songs. I jokingly suggest to the songstress that she may have been a bit of an overachiever to which she cheekily replies, “I was the youngest of three so I may have just been desperate for attention!”

Kate is gearing up for her debut EP release in early 2018 following the first single “Working[2]” in May 2017 and her newest release, “Love Too Hard.” The song features an impressive choir backing Kate up on the last few choruses, adding a massive element to the overall feel of the song. Lyrically, Kate says that the song focuses on self-discovery that comes from the ending of a relationship. “The song is about being in a relationship that isn’t the most functional and all of the questions that come from the end of that relationship,” she says.

On releasing new music she tells me, “It’s always a little bit nerve racking when you put music out into the world. I think as an artist though, there is a responsibility to get it out into the world and have it be heard.” For the past few weeks Kate has had the opportunity to see one artist in particular succeed at exactly that. “I was asked to join Kesha on keys and vocals for her North American Rainbow tour,” Kate tells me. Kesha’s musical journey was very emotional and very public[3] this past year but since releasing her new album Rainbow, she’s shown the world how to rise above. “Her whole message on tour has been about celebrating the underdogs and the misfits,” Kate explains. “It’s really exciting to be a part of it.”

Kate Kay Es
Photo by Shervin Lainez

With her boundary-pushing, left-of-center sound, Kate is carving out a space in musical world for herself. Telling her personal stories with a sense of honesty and passion and allowing listeners to take a look at her experiences makes her one to watch. Get an exclusive first listen to “Love Too Hard” below.

Source URL: https://dujour.com/culture/exclusive-song-premiere-love-too-hard-by-kate-kay-es/