The Soulful Katie Gray

by Pooja Patel

Brown Girl recently had a chance to talk to aspiring musician Katie Gray, a while back. You may have heard her beautifully haunting song, “Set Free” sampled on an episode last season of the hit TV show, Bones.  Coming from a mixed South Asian and American background, this talented young woman originally moved to LA to become an actress.

Brown Girl: Good afternoon, Katie.

Katie Gray: Good afternoon. It’s such a beautiful day out here in LA the sun is shining, the birds are out.

BG: It must be beautiful in California this time of year. How did you foray between acting and music.

KG: I was always an artist. Originally, I wanted to be illustrator. I was always drawing, doing water colors. But as I got older I realized that no matter what I did I could always do art. I met someone when I was 18 who really encouraged me to move out to LA. Shortly after, I did it, I got an agent and started doing television, movies, voice over work, cartoons…but, I felt it wasn’t honoring my art. It was other people’s art, their creation. I felt that I had so much to share, so I started writing. Music intertwines all of it: the stage performance, writing, winds it all together in a magical expression.

BG: You have so many talents. Did you do the art work for latest CD?

KG: The album that came out 3 years ago I did art work for that and for the new one too. When you create music, you record it, its like bringing this dream energy, into the musical realm…it has the essence of you it. The art work helps express it.

BG: How has your South Asian background influenced you, if at all?

KG: I had a mixed upbringing, a variety – it was really good and really challenging. My father was from India, and my mother from the US. Because of the difference of customs/traditions…in our situation, it wasn’t very nice. My mother, 2 sisters and I left my father when I was 4. It was really challenging. There was a fair amount of abuse. It was a lot of women go through. To save us, my mother moved us to Michigan, raised us alone, but so sweetly. I lived there until I was 17. It was a really nice. I had the shadowy night, and the sunny day of upbringing. My music has so much depth because of it…there’s so much emotion. All of it escalated to eating disorders, and also to a burning desire to create art, to release all those feelings that were held inside.

BG: You seem like such a great role model, turning around the experiences that you’ve had and make something to beautiful and so positive. Do you feel like your heritage gives an extra edge against peers?

KG: I think so. I really do. Especially growing up in a small town in Michigan. Aside from three other kids, I was the only other dark girl. Especially in the summer, I would get so dark. My other sisters seemed to inherit my mom’s genes they were so white, and I grew up so dark. I used to be really insecure about it, I used to feel different, feel like I didn’t belong. But, its part of who I am. To this day, no matter where I go I feel like its something differrent and special. The older I got, the more I realized that I stood out and there was something special about me. I tanned, I never burned, I looked exotic, and I could look Indian, Brazilian, Italian. I feel so blessed to have this beautiful chocolate skin.

BG: What advice would you give our readers, who are going through difficult times, to preserver?

KG: If I could give any good advice to any young women, is to come to terms with the fact that no one knows the answer. There’s not right, no wrong, it’s all perspective. The only perspective that really matters is your own. No matter what path you take, what direction you go, you’ll come across disbelievers, people that will think different than you.  What you feel in your heart, your intuition, you must follow it. You have to trust and listen to yourself and now that you’re right. Know that everyone person on this earth is equal, regardless of color or class. They just think different.

BG: What advice would you give someone was starting out in the music business, was it difficult to get your music heard. Was it nerve racking writing, to play your music at first?

KG: I think starting down any path where you’re exposing yourself and you feel vulnerable it’s natural to be nervous… I felt this way. Through my songs, I’m sharing my dairy…it can be so hard to share, but the more you do it, the easier it gets, and the more fluid your conversing gets. It takes practice. Keep sharing yourself with the world. And no matter what others say, you have to keep going ahead.

BG: How would you describe your own music?

KG: Rejuvenating lullabies for a world that’s crying.

BG: What king of music do you like listening to. Who are you listening to currently?

KG: I like all types of music. But, I really like melodic, electronic music. It’s my favorite music to sit back and listen to. Also, I like Anishka Shankar’s music list on Pandora – hip, electronic, groovy music.

BG: Top 5 songs on your iPod.

KG: Paul Simon, Cat Power, Thievery Corporation, Led Zeppelin, Radiohead.

BG: Any dates set for the US before you move to England?

KG: I’m returning in the fall after a small hiatus. My new album will be released in Winter. After that, I’ll do a tour.

BG: Any dates planned for Texas?

KG: I actually played a little in Austin, when I used to live there. I used to work for this non-profit the Global Youth Summit, where I worked with children all over the world. I will miss it this year, but I want to do a few dates in Texas when I come back. I went to South-by-Southwest this past year, but I didn’t get to go to ACL.

BG: Maybe we’ll see you there in the future. Is there any quirky or interesting that you would like to share?

KG: I think everyone should get involved with groups, gatherings, orgs, publishing that keeps you updated and inspired to open your heart a little bit each day and feel a little bit better in this world.

BG: Who are the biggest musical influences on your music, your sound? How long did it take you find your own voice? Who was it that influenced you the most?

KG: I’m most influenced by classic rock. When it was in heights, when the country was in dire need for change – the revolution in the late 60s, early 70s,  that’s when music had so much substance, purpose, and intention with its sounds – so acoustic, there was so much that was being said. That inspired me to want to get a guitar and want to make a change with music. Janis Jopplin, Bob Dylan, and once again Paul Simon would be my biggest inspirations.

BG: anything else that you would like to share.

KG: absolutely anything is possible. If you believe it will happen it will. I’ve seen it happen many times

KG: Thank you Katie, so much for your time.

BG: Thank you and have a beautiful day.

Check out her music on her MySpace page: www.myspace.com/katiegraysongs

Or for more info on her upcoming CD visit: www.cdbaby.com/katiegray

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