Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kat French. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Kat, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Do you wish you had started sooner?

I’ve been making music and performing for over a decade, but I consider 2022 to be the true start of my career. The turning point came down to one embarrassing thing—a breakup. While I had some kind of career before then, I often found myself stuck in a cycle of having brave moments only to return to what was comfortable.

When my long-term relationship ended, I was left with an emotional hole that only music could fill. From that point on, I started writing songs weekly (mostly breakup songs), performing at local open mics, returning to weekly voice and guitar lessons, and connecting with other musicians and people in the industry. Eventually, I felt like my music had grown strong enough for me to apply for the Los Angeles music program LAAMP in 2023, where I was fortunate enough to be one of 45 students selected that year.

Of course, I wish my career had taken off sooner. Sometimes I wonder what it would have been like to be one of those teenage success stories you see in the media. Part of me fears I’m “too old” for the industry. Still, as cliché as it sounds, I know I can’t change the past, and there’s no point in dwelling on the “what ifs” of life (though I’d certainly prefer not to have had a soul-shattering breakup to become a better songwriter). If everything that happened hadn’t happened, would I have met some of my favorite people in the world, people I didn’t know just three years ago? Like a weird Tetris puzzle, I realize that all my experiences have combined to shape me into the person I am today. For that, I have to be at least accepting of some of them.

Kat, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’m an alternative singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and performer from California! My music blends the sounds of Paramore, Alanis Morissette, and The 1975, combining them with autobiographical and emotive lyrics.

I grew up in a family of music lovers (not musicians) who often hosted or took me to various music events. Even as a toddler, I was tagging along to concerts, local shows, and musicals. My earliest performances were of me singing “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King” from The Lion King and “Tomorrow” from Annie at family karaoke parties, long before I could even read.

From the start, I knew I wanted to be a singer. I took piano lessons for a few years before telling my family I wanted to quit and start singing lessons. My grandmother convinced me to learn guitar from family friend and country artist Ry Bradley, who she claimed could also teach me how to sing. While the singing part of that deal didn’t quite work out (it was a lie!), guitar quickly became my primary songwriting tool and an essential part of my artistry. By high school, I had formed my first rock band, performing covers of anime songs I translated from Japanese to English along with original music. I also finally started voice lessons in my sophomore year and was an active participant in my school choir.

Before joining LAAMP in 2023, I achieved some notable milestones in my career, including participating in an NYU songwriting workshop, releasing two singles, and posting content that was later shared by artists like 30 Seconds to Mars. However, my most rapid growth as an artist and songwriter came during my time at LAAMP. At the program’s Santa Monica location, I received invaluable feedback from Stargate (world-renowned producers behind Rihanna, Katy Perry, and Coldplay) and mentorship from other industry professionals. Since then, I’ve attracted exciting opportunities such as features on Brandy Melville and We Found New Music (WFNM), performances at iconic LA venues like The Peppermint Club and The Hotel Cafe, and even a chance to volunteer as a songwriter for Katy Perry’s Firework Foundation. In 2025, I am furthering my momentum by releasing a song a month, with many of those tracks written and produced during my time at LAAMP.

One thing I want people to know about me is that I’ve worked incredibly hard to get to where I am now. It’s taken years of lessons, practice, and perseverance for me to reach the level that others seem to attain “naturally”. I hope my story can inspire others to keep pushing toward their dreams, no matter how tough it may seem. Even when you feel like the underdog, you have to keep fighting for what you want.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I’ve struggled with feeling like an outsider for most of my life. As a result, I had to unlearn the idea that I needed to fit in or be accepted by everyone. Growing up, I was a bisexual, mixed Asian girl attending predominantly white, Christian private schools in Orange County, California. Even within the few queer and POC circles I found, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I didn’t fully belong. I coped by staying quiet or adapting to my surroundings, which felt natural as an introvert amongst louder personalities. Still, no matter how much I tried to shrink myself, there were things about me, both physical and mental, that made me feel out of place or unimportant. Looking back, I now realize that part of this stemmed from anxiety or maybe even some form of neurodivergence.

Standing out is crucial in the music industry, yet I struggled with it even as an adult in music school. To be clear, I don’t have issues with my former LAAMP classmates, nor do I think they have any with me. Still, there were times when I held back my artistry to avoid ruffling any feathers. Watching my classmates gain hype while I struggled made me question if I was meant to be an artist. After nine months of growth, I’m grateful to have emerged from the program with a new perspective. I learned to embrace my quirks as an alternative artist and realized my music isn’t meant to resonate with everyone, just the right people. At LAAMP, I also found a community that believes in my vision and is eager to help bring it to life. Ultimately, even the biggest names in music aren’t liked by everyone, so why should I expect to be?

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

Come out to shows! Seriously. Unless you have significant financial barriers—which I hope goes without saying—supporting live performances is one of the best ways to help artists and sustain a creative ecosystem that benefits both artists and fans.

As an indie artist, most of us aren’t making money solely from our music (if we’re making any money at all). Independently run shows and merch are generally the best ways to support us financially, and beyond that, they help boost our morale. It’s hard to know if your music truly resonates with people when you’re limited to seeing numbers and words on a screen.

For the fans and music lovers, the benefits all come down to the word “community”. As a K-pop fan (#1 ARMY and MOA here!), I’ve seen firsthand how music brings people together. Beyond the shared euphoric experience of live shows, I’ve seen fandoms organize independent events supporting small businesses and even initiate mutual aid and charity efforts.

On a separate note, I’ve recently seen discourse in the punk community about how subculture goes beyond aesthetics and that true “punk” is reflected in values and community involvement. In this capitalistic hellscape, avoiding isolation and fostering connection is almost necessary. Strength is in numbers, and supporting the arts is a way we can build and maintain the communities that keep creativity and resistance alive.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://katfrench.start.page
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katfrenchmusic/
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@katfrenchmusic?si=plJCBXU-9QXxhNRb
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@katfrenchmusic

Image Credits

Felisha Carrasco
Mark Kenji
Molly Hudelson
Steven Lawrence