Today we’d like to introduce you to Kat Knutsen
Kat, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Long Swan was formed in 2022 in New Bedford, MA, bringing together a group of passionate musicians led by multidisciplinary artist Kat Knutsen, whose shared vision was to create an uplifting blend of ambient, dance and rock music. Originally composed of Mike Heffernan, Michael Gallant and Kat Knutsen, the band quickly found its footing with the addition of Andrew Hopkinson, and Michael McLean. After a year of performing with Long Swan, Hopkinson and McLean left, which then led to Ryan Burke and Ryan Mills bringing fresh rhythm & bass to the table.
Influenced by bands like Pink Floyd, Lord Huron, and The Decemberists, Long Swan’s sound is a vibrant fusion of heartfelt ballads and energetic dance tracks, characterized by uplifting melodies and dynamic rhythms. The band’s music exudes a joyful and celebratory atmosphere, capturing the beauty and exuberance of life. Through harmonious vocals and instrumentation, Long Swan’s songs highlight life’s joys while embracing its inevitable pains. Their lyrics, imbued with positivity and reflection, resonate deeply, creating an emotional connection with listeners. With a sound that is both refreshing and relatable, Long Swan invites audiences to experience the full spectrum of human emotions through their evocative and engaging music.
Their debut performance at Interwoven in New Bedford, MA marked the start of an exciting journey that has led to performances at venues and festivals in the southern Massachusetts and Rhode Island region.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
As the band began to book more events, there was a struggle in managing communications with venues, promoters, bookers, and band members. There was a need to design a system that helped consolidate the tasks so that a focus could still be centered on booking and delivering good performances.
There was the learning process that evolved out of understanding what each band member was seeking in the project. Some were looking more at the social aspect of being in a band, while others were focused on developing the music or promoting the band.
There has also been the challenge of keeping up with neighboring and peripheral events so that the band can keep an eye on the pulse of the scene and see where we fit in.
One of the main challenges every band faces of course is getting paid. What I’ve learned here is that there are three main options. One, book an event that is paying you up front. Two, book an event that has ticket sales. Three gain sponsorships. Four, sell merchandise. This leads to the obvious point of needing to market the band, which leads to another large relatable point. Musicians aren’t always the best at marketing themselves, which means that the goal now becomes more about developing exposure for the band. This is where branding comes in.
As a musician with a heavy visual art background, leading the Long Swan project became a large experiment in combining graphic design, animation, community engagement, marketing, and play (with an emphasis on play). The challenge was balancing all of these factors in order to keep the project alive while also keeping the collective creative economic ecosystem in mind.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
My day time job is an visual art and design professor. I teach in the fall and spring semesters. I usually teach foundation classes. My other daytime job is running a company Kat Knutsen Studios LLC that specializes in mural design, fine art studio classes, graphic design, and creative event coordination services.
I’m known for being an oscar nominated animator for the film ‘Loving Vincent’ and for installing a four story Jazz mural in my home city New Bedford, MA. I’m also known for connecting aspiring professional creatives with non profit organizations in my area.
I’m most proud of maintaining a creative practice and allowing that practice to flow in the direction of what has inspired me. It’s take a lot of focus to be able to manage multiple projects in different creative fields.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
Something that most people might not know about me is that I survived brain cancer. That experience gave me the eye-opening wake up call that life is short and that it should be fully embraced. Things take time to develop but it’s worth sticking with it. This experience gave me the internal fortitude to fully embrace taking a creative direction in life.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.newlongswan.com. & www.katknutsenstudios.com
- Instagram: @the_long_swan
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089064138732
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/album/6Ev8xevkT1GvbpV7sVm7Sb?si=I7kGFbvGSKGvhPnu7OooaA&context=spotify%3Aalbum%3A6Ev8xevkT1GvbpV7sVm7Sb&nd=1&dlsi=69de104e77144ef8
Image Credits
Long Swan logo designed by Kat Knutsen Studios LLC. Concert poster and banners designed by Kat Knutsen Studios LLC featuring a few of Long Swan’s upcoming summer performances.