Today we’d like to introduce you to Kathy Palma.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Kathy. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I was still a little girl when I first found a piece of my puzzle through the vocal stylings of Norah Jones. To my untrained and innocent ears, her music sounded exactly like a rainy day and a warm cup of homemade chai tea. I wanted to live in that day forever. I naturally started imitating those voices whose words and melodies wove themselves into tales of pain and healing. I thought I could find my own healing through writing songs and sharing them. At the age of 18, I enrolled in MIU to study sound engineering and I haven’t looked back since. Nowadays, I consider myself a singer, songwriter, sound engineer, producer and, most importantly, a work in progress.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Through the years, I’ve found that most of my struggles reside inside my head. As a teenager, I battled insecurity with my self-image and worth, which carried on until about a year ago. It affected every choice I made, from which schools I applied for, to the way I sing and interact with music and people. Something that pushed me to step out of my comfort zone was being in a career that is predominantly male. You have to work twice as hard, learn how to speak your mind, and trust in your abilities in order to stand out. In music and life, the tools you need to overcome adversity are an open mind, a compassionate heart, and healthy relationships with people who help you see yourself clearly when you aren’t able to.
Can you give our readers some background on your music?
I am a bilingual neo-folk-pop-soul singer-songwriter whose compositions are inspired by nature, spiritual introspection, self-awareness, and female empowerment. My Guatemalan heritage is one of the things that sets me apart. Coming from a third world country changes the way you see and relate to the world around you. I was also raised by a very powerful woman, and her example has marked my adult years in a way that nothing else has. For that reason, I want to inspire other women to be whoever they want to be, to fight for their rights, and talk to them about how much they are worth. By embracing our femininity, the world can change, one woman at a time. I want us to rise above expectations like only women can. Kill them with kindness. That is the goal.
What were you like growing up?
Growing up, I was almost always buried in a book or two. I used to walk the neighborhood and count time in songs. I was in my head most of the time, but I absorbed and observed everything. I was neither quiet nor timid, but selective. If you were close to me, you could see the world glowing and burning in my eyes. That introspection used to be a point of contention with myself, but now I am grateful for all that time has given me. That intensity and thirst for knowledge translates into my music and words today.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.kathypalmamusic.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kathpalma/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kathypalmamusic/
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5cEPsNEucruatKACcIdktb?si=v6XJS7oESmyIfjtAbwfs8A
Image Credit:
Edie Angela Fuertes
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