Katie Tupper: She Said
Subtly soulful vocals and inventive production make this a charmer.
By Kerry Doole
Katie Tupper - She Said (Arts & Crafts): This track is the third single from Where To Find Me, a new EP from Katie Tupper that is set for a June 23 release.
In a label press release, the Saskatoon-based singer/songwriter artist explains the cut this way: "I had really long hair and cut it short - a few weeks later, someone that I was interested in told me they loved long hair. Most of our relationship was me trying to decide if there was any hidden subliminal flirtation going on in their words, or if it was just someone being friendly and complimentary. I still don't really know."
That's perhaps not the most profound lyrical theme, but the song works, thanks to Tupper's clean vocals and interesting touches in the production. Her sound fits into the neo-soul camp, with Charlotte Day Wilson as one obvious reference point.
Discussing the upcoming EP, Tupper states that “I feel so lucky and excited to be sharing this collection of songs. Each song I write and work on brings me one step closer to what I want my music to sound like. This EP is the closest I’ve felt yet. I really feel like my influences shine through in these songs and they feel really personal. I use music to try to figure myself out and to think about my identity." Contributing production and co-writing on three of the tracks is Connor Siedel, termed by Tupper as "one of my favourite producers and musicians of all time. I love the worlds he builds with his production."
A former member of Saskatoon collective vbnd, Tupper first turned ears with her 2022 solo debut EP, Towards The End. It got a thumbs-up from tastemaker Zane Lowe and many top blogs. Tupper is currently one of four participants selected to be part of the prestigious 2023 Allan Slaight Juno Master Class.
This week, Tupper played shows in London with Haley Blais and Georgia Harmer and has three shows at The Great Escape in Brighton this weekend. This is followed by select US gigs, shows supporting BadBadNotGood and City and Colour, and appearances at some major Canadian jazz and blues festivals over the summer. Info and tix here.
Links
Publicity: Ken Beattie, Killbeat
Management: Bled Celhyka
Booking: Andre Guerette, Aaron Schubert
L-R: ONErpm’s Lindsey Terry, Mike Easterlin, Robyn Ottolini, ONErpm’s Emmanuel Zunz, Delmege MGMT’s Chelsea Smith and ONErpm’s Ryan CunninghamCourtesy Photo