We recently connected with Li’den Katarn and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Li’den, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – walk us through the story?
The biggest risk that I have taken was probably coming out with my mental disorder. Ironically, this risk would help me reach a larger audience, and help me find my purpose as a music artist. Last year, in summer of 2022, I was diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder. Through my diagnosis, explanations came to light, but it also put me in a much more vulnerable place. I started to integrate it into my music, and in doing so, I was able to reach a much larger audience who can connect and resonate with me. As much as I feel like my disorder is a curse, this is one of the positive things that has come from it.
Li’den, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I started making music independently when I was 19 years old. I first started out with a really bad computer, and a cheap microphone. Over time, I built upon my home studio, while teaching myself the fundamentals of mixing and mastering my songs. Though it is very rare, I do offer collabs, and mixing and mastering services for people in need. The thing I am most proud of when it comes to my self built image and art is probably my consistency. In too many cases have I heard people starting something and immediately quitting after not getting immediate results. One important thing to know about me, is that I will never stop making music as long as I am alive, because I believe it is my purpose. Through my music, my goal is to advocate for people that struggle with mental illness all around the world, and let it be known that they are not alone.
How did you build your audience on social media?
TikTok and reels on other platforms is the key. When building a fanbase, you want to make it very fundamentally clear what your product is about, and what it can offer. I started seeing the most success when I would post a snippet of my song explaining what it was about, and using necessary hashtags to reach the right people. For example, a really popular song of mine, called “i hate u, don’t leave me” helped me reach thousands of people through this method. I would first start off by filming a video of myself performing the song, with a caption at the top stating what the song was about. In my case, I wrote, “I wrote a song about what it’s like having a favorite person with borderline personality disorder”, and the people then started to flock. With every video I posted, more and more people would pre-save, follow, and stick around for the release. One thing I think is very important, is to be relatable. Because so many people could relate to my song, I would often get messages telling me that they now feel understood. So making your audience feel relevant to the music is extremely important. Also, consistency is just as important. You want to make sure that you are posting at least once a day. This can be challenging at times, because some days you may feel too tired, or have other important things going on in your personal life. But doing your best to stay consistent will pay off.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
I don’t think there is a specific time that can illustrate my resilience, as I have had to be resilient throughout the whole journey. One of the most difficult aspects about being a music artist is putting yourself in a vulnerable place, by putting a piece of yourself out there for the world to judge, and criticize. This is inevitable as an artist. Often, it can be extremely discouraging, but instead of letting it be my downfall, it became one of my motives.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3e4d07od5a2RZUpcvzWJZT?si=m3k6wN5eQnKGHLVn8eq3Xw
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lidenkatarn
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lidenkatarnmusic
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn38kPWjQm6bQlmjtbyW-bQ?feature=gws_kp_artist&feature=gws_kp_artist
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@lidenkatarn