We were lucky to catch up with Kat Fechner recently and have shared our conversation below.
Kat, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?
I always say I’m one of the lucky ones, but truthfully I’ve worked really hard to become a fulltime musician. It has involved a lot of time, hard work, and sacrifice. I technically have multiple jobs that all work together for a singular goal, I write and produce electronic music, DJ, run my own record label, and also an event promoter that hosts live events in nightlife. There are also small parts to all of those like social media management, marketing, event coordination, stage production, and content creation.
Most of my income comes from performing live at shows and hosting events, which is honestly very rewarding, but there’s a weird balance of needing to perform regularly at shows, but also not over saturating yourself. It’s a hard balance because if I don’t take gigs, I don’t have income, but if I take too many gigs it’s hard to get fans to come to every event. Fortunately, I feel like I’ve found a good balance and will always bring my best to a show and put on an amazing performance.
When I’m not playing shows or putting one together, I’m usually sitting at a computer writing new music, or working with artists from all around the world to help them release their music. Once a song is ready for release, it takes a lot of social media marketing just so people can hear the song and hopefully go save it and listen to it again on their favorite streaming platform. There isn’t a lot of money in streaming for artists but it does feel rewarding to have people from all over listen to your music and able to connect with it.
I truly love that every day I get to wake up and work with music and have found a way to make it my full time work.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
My name is Kat Fechner but most people know me by my artist name, Lazer Kitten. I’m a musician who produces and DJs electronic dance music (EDM) specializing in the various genres of House Music. I’m also the founder and co-owner of Occult Cats Records. A record label based out of Salt Lake City, Ut that’s main goal is to help artists get their music shared. I also host events through Occult Cats to help local talent have a place to perform music.
Like most musicians, I got into music at a young age, I was in violin lessons throughout most of my public schooling years and was in a few Orchestras. Once I graduated I went to college for music production and engineering, which is where I honed my craft of producing electronic music. Because I wanted to show off what I was making, I started to learn how to DJ and became a obsessed with it.
When I graduated college I noticed a gap in my local community for electronic artists to perform and be able to release their music or find their audience, even myself included. That’s a major reason why I started up Occult Cats Records.
I think what sets me apart in the EDM industry, while its becoming a lot more diverse its still heavily dominated by straight white male DJs. A lot of the music is still very derogative towards woman and sometimes influence an unsafe environment in nightlife. So I like to play music for the women and the LGBTQ+ community which is a good majority of my following, to make them feel sexy, safe, and want to dance.
For the label, I’ve always believed that good music should always be shared. Music doesn’t have a gender or race, music is art. So I work with a wide verity of artists with all sorts of backgrounds and walks of life, and work to have their music shared to a lager audience.
What I’m most proud of is getting to follow my passion while also helping others do the same. I’m also proud of getting to share my art with fans and having them connect with it. It’s really something special when I’m done performing and someone comes up to me after and tells me how much they love my music or how big of a fan they are. Occasionally someone messages me on social media telling me the same or how much they love my new song I released. I will always love talking to anyone about what I’m doing. Music has been my way of communicating my emotions and feelings. So knowing others can feel that in what I’m doing, just feels like magic.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
I am incredibly dyslexic, and its effected so many aspects of my life. I was the shy quiet kid because it effected my ability to speak and write. I kept to myself and didn’t make a lot of friends. The most rewarding part about being a musician, especially with electronic music, is it has given me the voice I never had. I’ve been able to express how I feel with music and sometimes there doesn’t even need to be words in the songs to convey it. I regularly tell my friends and fans if you want to know how I’m feeling listen to the music I’m playing or making. When I’m done playing a show and come off stage, having fans come up to me and tell me they love my music, it’s a feeling I wish I knew how to describe in words because happy and proud don’t even come close. Music has also helped me find a community of like minded individuals, people who don’t always fit in, and are so passionate about what they love. I’m grateful for it because I have made life long friends that I only could have found in by pursuing music.
The most rewarding part of running a record label is getting to meet new artists and talk with them about their music and journey to get where they are. Being that I work with smaller artist I get to see the passion and the hard work they are putting into their music and help them achieve their goals. Watching them all grow with the label and myself has been so inspiring, because they all teach me so much about their world through music.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?
Something I have encountered a many times throughout my career is anyone who hasn’t worked in a creative or nightlife driven field doesn’t really understand how I can be so happy in my lifestyle, even when I was struggling just to scrape by. There is very little consistency in my life, and I can’t always afford luxury. It’s a lot of inconsistent hours and going to bed once the sun is already up. Its working 4 days in a row in a night club doing doing 16+ hours in a day for setup and teardown of an 8 hour long show, with a 1 hour performance, but still being expected for that 1 hour performance to be the highest energy and to put on an amazing performance.
It’s sacrificing nights and weekends with friends & family and not seeing them for months or ever because they only hang out when your working and even when you’re out you can’t really hang out with them because you’re networking, marketing, and trying to make new fans. It’s constantly being told your not good enough, rejected, and not valued, and that you should get a “real job.” It’s sitting at a computer and writing 20+ songs and knowing you’re only going to finish and release maybe 2 of them.
Even with how chaotic my life seems to someone who isn’t living it, its indescribably rewarding. The feeling of running an amazing night, seeing people let loose and get lost in the music and the moment is so magical. I’ve been a part of people finding the love of their lives at events, I’ve been a part of people proposing to their significant other as I playing their song in a set at an event. I’ve played at weddings for people brought together by my music. I’ve been part of special moments and charity events, and even helped create them to help make the world a better place. I’ve created songs that express all of how I’m feeling better than I could ever articulate with words and having others feel that through listening is ureal. I’ve made life long friends through our love of music.
Art is how we decorate space, music is how we decorate time, and creating decoration for time becomes an addiction. With all of the hard work and struggle, it gives me happiness and I go to bed every day feeling fulfilled in my choices. There’s nothing in the world I would trade any of it for.
Contact Info:
- Website: occultcats.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lazerkittenmusic/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LazerKittenMusic/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/Lazer_Kitten
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3U8t1BJH1tz9GvV1AbiXWn?si=p_SCyah2TjOtmF3PQOxLfA https://linktr.ee/lazerkitten
Image Credits
Marc Reynolds Ari Muir Ari Muir Ari Muir Ari Muir Ari Muir Ari Muir