Today, we’d like to introduce you to Kate Engelmeyer.
Hi Kate, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
I’m a 26-year-old singer, songwriter, and musician currently living in Miami. Although I grew up in a musical family and began playing violin in 5th grade, it wasn’t until I started learning guitar in middle school that I truly discovered my passion for music. As my guitar skills improved, I started singing while playing and writing my own songs. During middle school, I also picked up other instruments, including mandolin, piano, and ukulele.
In 2013, I started booking gigs around my hometown, Pensacola, and I continued performing throughout high school, college, and the 2 years that I spent as a full-time middle school orchestra teacher. I moved to Miami in the summer of 2022 and have been performing regularly around South Florida for the past year. I released my debut EP, “Soft Spoken,” on all major streaming platforms last August, featuring 5 of my best original songs written from 2014 to 2021.
We all face challenges, but would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There have definitely been some challenges during my journey as a musician, but overall, I am very blessed to be where I am today, and I can see how everything happened for a reason. For example, the end of high school can be a difficult time for anyone as they figure out what they want their future to look like. I really enjoyed spending my time singing and writing songs, but I ultimately decided to study violin in college as a music education major.
It was a difficult adjustment for me because I had to practice violin much more than I ever had before, in addition to all my other coursework. I struggled to fully devote myself to the violin because I had such a strong interest in being a singer/songwriter. Over time, I learned how to balance everything better and enjoyed playing violin more, especially when I saw how much I was improving.
Now, I’m thankful for the experience because studying violin at college level allowed me to really hone my skills as a musician and gave me a much better understanding of music. I’m hoping to play violin in some of my future recording projects.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe you can tell us more about your work next?
In addition to being a singer/songwriter, I’m a freelance musician in South Florida. I perform as a solo artist at a variety of venues, including restaurants, breweries, cafes, markets, and more. I play covers of pop, rock, country, and jazz songs, as well as some original music. I mostly play acoustic guitar and ukulele at my gigs, but sometimes, I bring out my electric guitar or keyboard. My original music is characterized by my unique vocal style, thought-provoking lyrics, and intriguing guitar parts. Although I have listened to many types of music throughout my life, the pop, rock, and folk genres are most reflected in my music. I think something that sets me apart from others is that I can appeal to a wide variety of audiences.
I love performing at family-friendly places because I’ve noticed how several generations of people, from toddlers to their grandparents, seem to enjoy my music. Of all the things I’ve been fortunate enough to accomplish on my musical journey, I’m most proud of how I’ve been able to establish myself as a freelance musician in South Florida in a short period of time. I’m so thankful for all of the venues that have welcomed me and continue to book me for performances. When I was younger, I always enjoyed playing live music, but I never imagined that it would be feasible for me to do it as a real job. It feels like a dream come true to be able to play music for a living and I hope I’m able to continue to do so for a long time.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
My debut EP, “Soft Spoken,” is available to listen to on all major streaming platforms. I have many original songs that have not been recorded yet, but I’m hoping to release more music soon!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katemusic98/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katemusic98/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@KateMusic98
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/kate-engelmeyer
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/26vdwKpBCb4Fjv0q39SzAs
Image Credits
Joseph Herring
