Higgins shifts gears and drives on in Nashville
Former member of family group putting out first solo EP
Kat Higgins had already lived a life in music when she moved from Vancouver to Nashville in 2012.
A member of the popular family band The Higgins, the singer’s childhood included criss-crossing Canada appearing on festival main stages and venues. Releasing five well-received albums between 2003-2010, the group reached the top 15 on Canadian country radio with its mix of country, pop and Celtic folk. The band even has its own star on the Merritt Mountain Music Festival Walk of Stars.
The Higgins went on hiatus, but fans will be thrilled to know their website said “lots going on at the moment though. Stay tuned for the latest.” Kat Higgins headed to Music City, meanwhile, on a publishing deal with BMG. Her songs have graced albums by country stars Kenny Chesney (Knowing You), Carrie Underwood (Mexico), the Lone Bellow (Illegal Immigrant), Emerson Drive and others.
Last month, Higgins released her first solo single. Titled We Go Driving, the tune has the crossover appeal that has always been a feature of Higgins’ writing. Elements of Fleetwood Mac, the Dixie Chicks and mid-tempo pop are all featured in the track.
“I haven’t ever put out a song before and we didn’t initially submit it to playlists, but it already reached over 14,000 plays on Spotify,” she said.
“That’s pretty amazing right out of the box, but I think that right now with everything that is going on, it might be a good time to be putting new material out there. People seem to be taking the time to listen to new things.”
Since her publishing office closed because of COVID-19 precautionary measures, she said it’s been unusually busy. An industry hub like Nashville isn’t about to shut down just because artists aren’t on the road supporting new releases during the summer season.
“I’m as busy as ever, doing a lot of collaborating with people across ZOOM, and pitching to majors,” she said. “It’s always a good thing to get songs on a big record, and there is nowhere like here to be near to great musicians, writers and labels. The bar is so high here, and you are challenged daily.”
Higgins notes that while Nashville may enjoy its reputation as the seat of country music, it is also arguably the pulse for contemporary pop tunesmithing, too. She predominantly writes country material for BMG, but said the global brand can take songs to artists anywhere in the world, and does.
Higgins said she is co-writing with others “almost every day” as the demand for new material is constant.
“Whatever you call country right now, it’s quite pop-leaning and the sound has changed,” she said. “It’s not that ’90s George Strait style anymore, although I personally love it and always strive to have that level of quality in my lyrics. With the shift to artists making the majority of their money performing live, there is a change in writing to suit playing in big arenas, too.”
Keeping your head down and continuously honing your craft is all part of the deal. There are no guarantees that your work will wind up being the special singalong moment in a stadium.
“Every time that happens, it’s a gift,” she said. “And when it is with someone like Kenny or Carrie, you get that big windfall, which is why you’re here. I really believe that if you write your best, you will get it placed — it’s why I am here.”
Higgins admitted she also saw the appeal of being in songwriting rather than live performance after the experience she gained on the road.
“That behind-the-scenes reality of life on the road is something I know well. And I won’t deny that it’s much nicer having a 10:30 in the morning call to go into a co-write session than a 3:30 a.m. call to get on the bus. It’s a total blessing to do that, but now I see the value of doing your own songs, too.”
We Go Driving is the first step toward getting back into live performing. Higgins said there is nowhere like Nashville to make even a veteran musician feel like a novice. The scale of talent taking to the stages at local open-mic sessions can be daunting. But she said you keep coming back and getting better and can be confident that you’ve got it right when you receive a strong response from peers.
“I’m releasing a song a month toward releasing an EP in the fall,” she said.
“The next one, titled Gone, Let Her Go, is out on Friday, June 26. I’ve found that it’s wonderful putting out new music because it gets you on the radar of artists who are touring, and labels, and it’s a whole new world I’d love to jump into.”
Higgins will release her new EP in October.