Interview with Phoebe Katis

Becoming a big player in the music industry seems like an almost impossible task, yet new artists are finding ways in, despite Simon Cowell’s domination.

Phoebe Katis, a singer-songwriter from Leeds, has recently been offered a signing with NBT records, having already performed on tour in the US. Originally from Cranbrook in the South East, Phoebe started playing locally and became a part of ‘Paul Dunton’s roster of artists’ playing at the Grey Lady in Tunbridge Wells.

Whilst at The University of Leeds Phoebe became aware of NBT Music and contacted them. NBT listened to Phoebe’s Soundcloud tracks, watched her perform an acoustic set, and then with a band at ‘Undiscovered Leeds’, before offering a signing opportunity. Phoebe is already experiencing benefits with the prospect of an official contract being signed soon: “NBT are getting me gigs at some of the top venues in Leeds which I would never have been able to get to if I were a self-promoted artist. They are also being vigilant and helpful with my promotion and marketing in terms of website, YouTube videos and general buzz control.”

As a singer-songwriter, Phoebe feels that having the confidence to deliver a performance that lays out all your inner emotions is the hardest part.

“For me, I am very personal with my songs and can draw the majority of the lyrics from my own experiences. So every gig is like having a DMC with a room full of strangers! It’s daunting but you get over that and realise that writing music and sharing it with the world is something that makes you get up every day.”
That is not the only difficulty Phoebe has realised comes with performing: “It hit me pretty hard to realise that just because you are a performer from Britain on tour in America, doesn’t mean people will want to come and see you. You have to work hard for an appreciative audience.” She is now learning to find a balance, when she is putting together her songs, between trying to please her audience and accepting that not everyone will love everything she does.

Whilst Phoebe stresses she feels very lucky to have met NBT at such an early stage, she does not simply put her initial success, or the achievements of any performer, down just to luck. For someone trying to carve a career in one of the most competitive industries there is, luck is “a series of good decisions, good contacts… and sheer determination!”

Whilst it may sound clichéd, it would seem that one of the most important things for artists to feel the motivation and inspiration to perform is the support of friends and family. Phoebe feels if it wasn’t for them she would have never so determinedly picked being a singer-songwriter as the career choice for her when she did six years ago.

“When I wrote ‘Invisible’, ‘Life of a Lover’ and another track called ‘Castaway’ all in one academic year, playing them around the house and at school… my family and friends started to comment on them, singing them back to me and actually listening to me play them because they enjoyed them. That was probably the first time I realised I was actually writing songs and people actually liked them!”