‘Rodeo Clown’ by Kait Warner | Album Premiere
Exclusive album premiere of ‘Rodeo Clown’ by NYC art-pop artist Kait Warner, out on June 14, 2024.
On Kait Warner’s debut album, ‘Rodeo Clown,’ the singer-songwriter and pianist reflects on how different kinds of heartbreak necessitate evolution and change, and how the end of something can whittle you into a new shape entirely. Joining her in a collection of literate chamber-pop is a talented and close-knit group of multi-instrumentalists who met in middle school and have been playing together in one way or another ever since.
When asked about the ‘Rodeo Clown,’ Kait replied: “In many ways, ‘Rodeo Clown’ is a coming of age album. Each song represents a strange and unusual form of heartbreak that arose out of journeying through my 20s. In the span of just a few years, I unexpectedly lost touch with my childhood best friend, I fell in love with another one of my close friends, I found myself in the midst of new social circles I tried desperately to fit into. It was a chaotic experiment in bumping up against my selfhood and my not-selfhood: everything that connected me to my idea of who I was had been stripped away, and I was left to try on new experiences, people and identities. It was like wandering through a hall of mirrors: I laughed, I cried, I bumped into things and hurt myself… and so on. I made this album to give a sonic space to the kinds of grief and growth that can happen during a time of immense transition. It has been incredibly healing to see the music that was born out of this pain transform into something beautiful as it resonates with others and creates a community.
This album also represents an important milestone of embracing my musicianship. I was very lucky to grow up in an incredibly saturated musical community (in fact, most members of my band and I grew up playing music together!), but because of that, I never considered playing music a primary strength of mine. My best friends shined singing classical arias, or solos in the choirs we sang in; I had an astonishing number of classmates continue their musical journeys by becoming professional instrumentalists. It wasn’t until I took a composition class as an adult and finally shared my original work with other people that I felt I had something to share. Making this independent album alongside my incredibly supportive collaborators and co-creators has allowed me to patiently and gently listen to my own creative instincts, to synthesize the musical traditions I grew up enveloped by, to experiment with impulse and chance, and to make something that finally feels like my own voice.”
‘Rodeo Clown’ was recorded at Business District Recording in Johnson City, New York, a space bursting at the seams with a wild assortment of vintage gear and musical instrument curiosities—many of which were used during the sessions. Joining Kait in the studio is producer Hunter Davidsohn (Porches, Frankie Cosmos, Sheer Mag, and Bethlehem Steel), percussionist and co-arranger Spencer McKee, bassist and brass instrumentalist Daniel Thomas, violinist Raina Arnett, guitarist Ryan Sheehan, and drummer Elli Caterisano.
Headline photo: Sydney Tate
Kait Warner Official Website / Instagram
