Kat Mackenzie – Thanks for Asking!

Kat Mackenzie – Thanks for Asking! – by Liam Sweeny.

RRX: Every artist’s first song is a milestone. But so is the latest song. Describe the first song/album you recorded, and also the latest song/album you recorded; what are the differences?

KM: The first EP I recorded was called Cocoon.  The first song was Hair on Fire.  We had started on MSG but my producer (Frank Palangi of Palangi Studios – https://palangistudios.com/) felt it needed more work as a song so i went back and rewrote it – Im so glad he told me bc it ended up being much better.  Id say for the first EP i was very shy working with a new producer- i expected him to be kind of horrified by my lyrics – they were so emotional.  But he was very cool – he told me music is all about feeling.

So although i was definitely being pushed to grow and evolve, i also felt comfortable and safe in a way that was new to me.  In the first EP we were pretty much rewriting songs as we recorded them and something didn’t work.

The most recent song was a new process we are now doing for every song for my 2nd EP for 2026.  So after my first EP I have had two singles out for 2025 – How to Disappear and one coming out in fall called Wallflower.  We at least discussed the songs before recording but were still reworking the songs as we recorded them.

We were talking about doing sessions to really tighten and perfect a song before we go into making a scratch track – really honing that pre-production – putting the time in to make something as good as we could make it.

Pacman is the first song we did that on – I wrote the song for a songwriting circle called Song City Troy and then Frank and I spent a few months working through it together to make it better.  We just recorded the scratch track last week.

Im excited about this one – its the first song for my second EP and its like a whole new sound.  I feel it shows alot of evolution as an artist and also you can see that my producer and i are working really well together because this song is at a new level from what Ive put out previously.

RRX: Part of learning to be a musician is to fall in love with a song, an album, and hammer away at your instrument until you can play that whole thing. What was that song for you? Was there a hardest part?

KM: It has been hard because i have some of the worst stage fright I have seen.  It made me feel a lot better to know my favorite artist Chelsea Wolfe has such bad stage fright she sang with a veil on to get through it.  I do think introverts have a certain quiet allure thats hard to look away from.  Like the lead singer of the National is an introvert and when i went to hear them in concert his voice and presence carried me in a way i hadn’t experienced before.  So its super slow going but that’s ok.

I also recently tore a ligament in my left thumb so i have to wear a brace and have had to take a pause on playing guitar.  I have my songs written out already but Frank and I are taking a pause on working through more songs on the second EP until September bc of my hand – and even in September ill have to be cautious.

I’ve played at open mikes for the last couple years…but ive only done two gigs so far.  And i had to cancel two i had for the fall bc of my hand.  I think because im more of a natural songwriter than a natural performer that’s the hardest part for me – live performance.  I would guess it will be around my 3rd or 4th EP before i nail how i want to perform.  But ill keep working on it.

But yes, i was actually reworking songs ive already put out and playing w guitar pedals to get my live sound to how i want it – and then i hurt my hand.  I always think theres a reason behind why these things happen so i trust i needed that pause.

RRX: Sex, drugs, and rock and roll. Or so they say. Whether you’re off the wagon, on it, or never been, there’s something you got a thirst for. What are some of your basically harmless vices?

KM: Well I’m kind of a book whore and not much of a partyer.  Ive been known to read a book at parties – i usually only go if im supporting a boyfriend by going.  I probably am a foodie.  I really enjoy cooking or going out to eat.  I like long walks listening to music – that helps me with stress relief.  I like holistic healing and go to acupuncture, chiropractic, massage.  I love music, poems, art, fantasy movies, and beautiful things.  Im a nerd.

RRX: What instrument would you add to the band if you could? Is there anything you are trying to do musically that would be helped with one or more additional players?

KM: I’m actually a solo artist.  I write songs, sing, play guitar, and film music videos with Palangi Films and co-create with a few others to get myself out there. I hire my drums out – ive worked with two different drummers.  And my lead guitar and bass guitar are done by my producer – he’s been playing over 20 years so he layers on top of the basic chords i write.

So i have no band.  Having a band would get me alot farther but i haven’t the found the right connection for that yet.  For now, im hoping by the 3rd or 4th ep ill connect with a band who likes what i do and wants to co-create.

RRX: Love is a big part of music. We’re talking first loves here. Lots of cool stories about first loves and the things we do for those loves. Can you (or, in the case of a band, one member) talk about your first love, especially if you did something cool to express that love? (No names needed.)

KM: Lol my 1st EP is about going into a cocoon after some hard experiences with love and friendship.  My single Wallflower is about learning to fly again.  My 2nd EP is actually a series of love songs, all about different kinds of love throughout my life.  Love is always inspiring me, sometimes to write beautiful songs, sometimes to write dark ones.

RRX: I know when pitching it helps to tell someone it’s “this meets that.” So let’s try that with you. If you had to give me two bands that meet each other in your sound, what are those bands? More than two bands?

KM: Ive been told I sound like Chelsea Wolfe, PJ Harvey, Kate Bush, Cocteau Twins.  I have a bluesy low range and a very high vibrato.  You can definitely hear a 90s influence and the Cure influence.  My songwriting is very lyrical, romantic, soft goth, as I’ve written alot of poetry in my life.  One writer wrote this, and bc i play around with genres a bit i used it to describe my genre:

“sort of bohemian punk, baroque rock, shoegaze, gothic folk & post punk all at once…an atmosphere that feels as sinewy hard as it is whispery witchy”

For more info and links to stream my music: www.katmackenziemusic.com

For more info on my music videos: