How Katelyn Tarver Shed an Old Identity for a Newer, Better Self With Sophomore Album Quitter

Katelyn Tarver's upbeat tongue-in-cheek single "Quitter" has been stuck in our heads on and off since it was released in October, and it makes for the perfect title track for her new album of the same name.

Quitter, Katelyn's sophomore album, is officially out today,  Feb. 9. It consists of 11 tracks that combine vibrant and irresistible indie-pop with Katelyn's crisp vocals to bring us into Katelyn's all-too-relatable struggle with her early 30s as she asks the big questions about what she wants from life. Whether she's singing about coming to terms with imposter syndrome or learning to find her sense of self, we can't get enough of every note. Listen to Quitter in full here, and keep reading to check out our newest interview with Katelyn on the album and what its songs, and her journey so far, means to her.

Sweety High: What does the album title Quitter mean to you? Why did that title track feel like the perfect summation of this group of songs?

Katelyn Tarver: The idea behind the song "Quitter" is finally learning to stop living for other people's expectations of you. We've all been shaped by our upbringings and life experiences, and depending on what they are, picked up some baggage along the way. For me, it was wanting other people's approval, trying to be perfect to keep that approval and thinking if I ever made a mistake or veered from the path, my whole world would crumble. It's an exhausting and unsustainable way to live, so writing "Quitter" felt like me shedding that identity a bit. And it's what a lot of the songs are getting at on the album, so I thought it was the perfect way to sum it all up!

 

SH: What do you feel are the overarching themes of the album? What kind of feel do you hope fans take away from it?

KT: Questioning, looking for answers, diving into the past, fear of the future… It's a lot of grappling with the mysteries of life and identity and just what it means to be alive. It can feel a little heavy at times, but I hope people ultimately take away a sense of hope and maybe feel seen in their uncertainty, too.

 

Also read about: How Asher Angel Dove Deeper Into His Creative Artistry With New Pop-R&B Single 'Flip the Switch'

 

SH: How would you describe the album's sound? Production-wise, how did you go about bringing these tracks to life?

KT: I would describe it as pop with a bit of folk—throw in some '90s flair and a little bit country-leaning at times? I worked with Chad Copelin on most of the tracks, with the exception of Japanese Cafe and One Without The Other, and I depended on him a lot as the producer to help me take my ideas and make them cooler. That's what I love about collaborating. I do my thing—they do theirs! My main rule was wanting every bit of production to be serving the song and the message I wanted to get across with it.

 

SH: How do you feel that these songs represent where you all are in life right now?

KT: I'm glad I'm able to express my true nature more and more in my music. I love to ponder life and existence and happiness and meaning, but it hasn't always been easy to know how to inject that part of me into my songs. But with this album, I feel like I really nailed it. These songs are such a snapshot of me and my inner world.

(Photo credit: Irida Mete)

 

Also read about: Kate Peytavin on the Rush and Frustration of Young Lust in 'whole heart black'

 

SH: What's your favorite song on the album? Why?

KT: Actually impossible to choose, but maybe "Friend Like You." A lot of times, I can find it hard to express gratitude in a song without it feeling super cheesy and annoying, but I feel like we captured the perfect balance when we wrote this one. A song that celebrates friendship and memories and the sheer joy of having friends who understand you… There aren't a ton of friend anthems out there, yet if you're lucky, your friends are your lifelines through all the ups and downs. I know mine are for me.

 

SH: How do you think you've evolved as an artist since Subject to Change?

KT: Oh man, I don't know. I think I've just tried to keep diving deeper and getting closer and closer to my true self, which in turn, has hopefully made me evolve as an artist and make things that really mean a lot to me.

 

SH: Is there anything else you'd like to add?

KT: Thank you for reading and caring and supporting and listening to my music. So grateful.

(Quitter via Nettwerk Music Group Inc.)

 

For more on our favorite new tunes released this week, click HERE to read our interview with Corbyn Besson on his debut solo single, "Love Me Better."