We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Katy Weirich a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Katy , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?
My most meaningful project to date would have to be my newest single that is slated to release in 2025 called, “I Can’t Do This Without You.” Before writing this song a couple years ago, I went through a really rough period in my life. It was a year full of really bad things that happened one right after the other, starting with my family getting Covid for the first time. That was no picnic. I have never felt so sick in my entire life.
Fast forward a couple months later and we endured a direct hit from Hurricane Ian to our home in Fort Myers, Florida. This storm was huge and powerful and slow. Our home was situated in the eye wall for 8+ hours and the aftermath to our surrounding community was devastating and shocking to say the least. We know several families who literally lost everything.
Only a couple weeks after the storm, I witnessed my husband and three young daughters get broadsided in an auto accident that totaled our SUV. I happened to be driving behind them in my husband’s truck. It was so traumatic for all of us and for the first time in my life I battled PTSD along with my kids for the next several months.
Two months after the accident, in December, my husband was admitted to the hospital with emergency heart related complications that weren’t fully understood. This began a journey into the unknown, full of doctors appointments, tests, bloodwork and imaging, only leading to more question marks. I never would have thought of us at 34 years old and only 12 years into our marriage having “end of life” conversations just in case something were to happen. It was such a heavy season and I remember feeling so numb and so tired and just wondering how much more I could possibly take.
That same month I got a call from one of my best friends to tell me that a heartbeat couldn’t be found at her OB appointment that morning. Her sweet baby had passed two weeks prior and well into her second trimester, she ended up having to deliver her unborn child a couple days after Christmas. It just seemed that everywhere I looked there was so much pain and the weight of that pain felt absolutely crushing.
In the months following that December, I began processing some childhood trauma and digging up past wounds in order to finally heal. This felt like the worst possible timing and I noticed for the first time in my life I literally could not bring myself to write any songs. This reality only heightened my sadness. I remember wondering if I would ever write again.
I did a lot of praying and reflecting during this time and I will never forget the day that “I Can’t Do this Without You” invaded my life. I was pumping gas at Costco with all three kids in the car, and the desperate phrase that I had on repeat throughout those months suddenly had a melody to go with it. “Jesus, Jesus I need You. Come to my rescue. I can’t do this without You.” I quietly hummed until the tank was full, and for the next 48 hours I could not stop thinking about this new little chorus. I added to it, “Jesus, Jesus please help me. All this pain is too heavy. I can’t do this without You.” I would wake up in the night and there it was playing in my head, and it was the first thing I thought about in the morning when I woke, or while doing laundry or dishes throughout the day. For the first time in months, I was able to sit down at the piano and compose some accompanying chords to the lyrics and melody that kept circulating my mind. The first time I played it for my husband, I could barely get through without crying.
Fast forward a few weeks and my grandmother was diagnosed with cancer and only a few weeks later I found myself on a plane headed out to Pennsylvania for her funeral, alone, because we didn’t want any health risks with my husband. Here it was: more pain, and how on earth would I find the strength to sing for her service? Once again, I found myself singing that same chorus over and over again. Driving along the turnpike, more words came to the surface of my mind and heart. The verses that I was struggling for weeks to come up with suddenly emerged, “Thought, I knew the way my life would go. But, You had plans for me in the unknown. Detours I would never choose myself, lead me to Your arms, You are my help.” The rest of the song was written in that rental car, recorded on the voice memo app of my iPhone.
Things did eventually get better, but not without some other heartbreaking things shortly after the funeral. That best friend I told you about? She ended up getting pregnant again shortly after her loss, but ended up losing that baby as well, again in the second trimester and again having to deliver another unborn child. Another dear friend had an ectopic pregnancy and someone in my extended family had a miscarriage as well. There were other things I didn’t mention that happened that year too. Two additional best friends lost their mothers to cancer and another lost her prestigious orchestra career due to Covid vaccine mandates by her employer.
The reason this song is so meaningful is because it is not only my own personal story interwoven in the lyrics, but the stories of my closest family and friends who endured such hard things that year. Not only that, the song came at a time when I had almost given up on ever being able to write again. So far, it is the most honest and vulnerable song in my catalogue and I hope and pray it somehow gives space to those who are in life’s trenches. Christian Music needs more room for lament and I hope this song gives feeling and language for those who are struggling to even know what to pray.
Katy , 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 am currently and independent artist in the Contemporary Christian Music/ Worship genre of music as well as a songwriter and worship leader. My journey into the industry began officially back in late 2018 when production began on my debut EP “Out of the Blue” which released in June of 2022. Prior to that I was in a singer-songwriter duet called “Barefoot Saturday.” Music has always been a passion of mine. A fun fact is that I actually have a Bachelor of Arts in music and studied classical voice as a coloratura soprano.
A large part of my mission in releasing music, is to resource churches both in the United States and beyond for their own worship services. My music can be licensed via CCLI (Christian Copyright Licensing International) and MultiTracks.com for use by worship teams globally.
I think what might set me apart is my vocal style which I’ve been told is unique. A word that is often used to describe my tone is ethereal and pure.
The thing I am most proud of is being the mother of my three daughters.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect is hearing about how my music has impacted a persons life. Learning about how a certain song or lyric has made someone feel or how it has helped them in their faith journey with the Lord is always so encouraging and a blessing.
In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?
I think the best thing society can do is to consistently share work by the artists and creatives they are passionate about. Word of mouth is still a powerful method in influencing others towards new creatives and the art they create.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.katyweirich.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katyweirich/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katyweirichmusic/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/katyweirich
- Other: Subscribe to E-newsletter: https://shorturl.at/8S1Zz
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QubzJpthCbzrOI1bisB0d
Apple Music; https://music.apple.com/us/artist/katy-weirich/1071477972MultiTracks:https://www.multitracks.com/artists/Katy-Weirich/
CCLI: https://songselect.ccli.com/search/results?list=contributor_P570159_Katelynn+Thomas+Weirich
Image Credits
Kacie Q.
Hannah Corwin