Today we’d like to introduce you to Katarra Parson.
Hi Katarra, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I grew up with music in and around me, with a family full of singers and musicians. I always had these grand sounds in my head, and I still hum them uncontrollably to this day. My mom, an amazing singer and choir director, taught me and my little sister harmony when I was very young – we sang with the adult choir in no time! At that same church, as a kid, I often spent time at this upright wooden piano, matching pretty sounds together like a puzzle that felt all too familiar. I remember everything around me disappearing as I was pulled into a moment of bliss that I never wanted to end creation. I remember being engulfed with the euphoria I felt, being able to make the same sounds (’chords’ I found out as I grew older) as Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, and all the greats that raised me musically. On my birthday, I was gifted a small keyboard and taught myself to play by listening to demos and repeating everything I heard. I spent a nice portion of my life being timid and could never express myself, but in those moments, I found a cure to my isolation and an escape from the world. I became obsessed with making the sounds that filled my head daily into a reality. It’s been my greatest love and means of self-expression and healing ever since.
The start of my career began with severe baby steps. I had been writing and composing songs for years (since I was 12), but it wasn’t until late 2015 that I stepped into my purpose. It started with a phone call from my old Highschool mate. After 2 hours of prying me out of my anxiety and peer pressure, he convinced me to join his local open mic, and I began performing publicly. Over time, I began to draw supporters and was invited from one stage to the next. After overcoming a lifetime of stage fright, I blossomed into the local music scene, leading to a snowball effect of opportunities that launched me into orbit as an emerging national artist.
I went from joining the creative collective ‘WeAreFarfetched’ by Damon Davis in 2018 to gaining an 18-month jazz residency with the Kranzberg Arts Foundation in 2019. In 2021, I was honored to perform the Black National Anthem for the Inauguration of St. Louis’ first black woman mayor, Tishaura Jones. I empowered women at TedX St. Louis the same year and performed for Congresswoman Cori Bush twice. And in 2023, I opened a sold-out concert for the Grammy-winning group Boyz II Men. These moments are just a few intense years of battling mental illness, building self-confidence, learning, networking, and experiencing the blood, sweat, and tears of releasing and performing soulful music. After a lifetime of hiding, I can now say that by pursuing what I love, I have gone from being voiceless to becoming a voice of my community.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Honestly, it has been a very tough and turbulent road. I am incredibly independent on every level and especially a highly sensitive hermit. I struggle with many issues that intersect and impact my life socially, professionally, and personally. I am constantly solo navigating through what seems to be a hostile industry. It can be very predatory, competitive, and cold. I’m constantly told that I need to have a thicker skin. Dealing with people in the industry and their biases, I face a constant barrage of the ‘isms’: racism, sexism, fatphobia, colorism, and so on. At times I feel attacked from every corner, from sexual harassment from venue owners to retaliation for speaking up for myself. From sharks disguised as managers and agents to sabotage competitors. From greedy promoters to egoic musicians to the constant pressure to provide ‘content’ over actual music. From being a ‘struggling artist’ to working a 9 to 5 for survival but not having the energy to create. I have a list of struggles I have experienced and have yet to experience. Still, throughout my journey as an entrepreneur, I realize that with every great passion and purpose, there comes a large mountain ready to climb. Have I wanted to give up? Yes, multiple times. Have I wanted to end it all? Yes, almost every other day. Have I wanted to take the easy way, follow social media trends, take shortcuts, and go back to backroads? Yes, multiple times. But I’m too much of an Aries to give up or take the less authentic route. The reality of having my music listened to by millions of people makes every single scar worth it. The reality of being able to do what I love for a living into retirement is just too close for me to walk away.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I sing, play the piano, write original songs, produce beats, compose music, and draw fashion. I specialize in Soul/R&B music, with Jazz, Hip-Hop, and Classical influences. My music ranges from emotionally explosive ballads to boom-bap grooves to jazz-centered Prometheans, all spilling from one place, the soul. By sharing original music and reimagining covers, I pull audiences into impassioned performances, pouring my all into a song and leaving it all on the stage.
What sets me apart is also what I am the proudest of my evolution of self throughout this journey. I am proud of the impact I have on the people around me. Every time I leave a stage, I am embraced by a crowd of strangers, testifying to how my music impacted them. I am proud to be able to move people to tears, just like my mom did singing in church, by truly expressing myself. I am proud that I went from a wallflower to a leader. How I can empower, excite, enthrall, and empathize with other people by sharing my story through the same pretty sounds, I fell in love with as a kid. By constantly defying every odd stacked against me: being from one of the poorest and most neglected parts of the city, growing up in poverty, enduring trauma, to battling decades of no self-worth, I became my number one supporter and stepped into my power. My younger self would be shocked to see the woman I am now.
For the longest time, I needed to improve at many things. I was too sensitive, too introverted, not thin enough, not attractive enough, not light-skinned, and not skilled enough to even pursue a music career. So I created symphonies secretly but have yet to attempt to take up space publicly. Yet, so many anomalies would push me towards exactly that. I had no formal training and never took lessons outside of joining the concert band to learn clarinet in middle school. In high school, I found the reason behind my gift of being a self-taught pianist. My Opera teacher discovered that I had ‘Perfect Pitch,’ a rare ability to identify musical tones without any reference or assistance. I spent much of my life living in my head, so I had no idea what this ability was. All I knew was I could “see” music notes like colors. A few years ago, I discovered that my first name means ‘guitar’ in South Africa. My mom had no idea; she said she made my name up. I was bullied heavily in school, but after every social humiliation and hardship, my justice would come in the form of a great performance on stage, ending with a standing ovation from hundreds of people. At this point, I have been bombarded with a lifetime of signs to heal the world through music, as unbelievable as it sounds. After being pushed for so long, after years of shrinking myself for the comfort of others, one day, I said, “Fuck it, I’m doing this.”
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
Your number one supporter will always be you, which comes with many advantages but can limit the vision. A trusted, neutral party with experience in your industry who believes in your product is the best mentor. I advise always leaving your comfort zone. Go out to local and online events in the industry/community of your medium. Seek and collaborate with new and seasoned professionals who speak to you on a soul level and make sense professionally. When you get comfortable, get uncomfortable again and leave that zone. Whether in person or through social media, put yourself and your creations out there (live performances, online, workshops, events, etc.). Even as an introvert, meeting and connecting with people is the only way I’ve gotten things done. Be consistent in visibility while maintaining a work-life balance. Repeat this process until you have found and built a mutually beneficial network that supports you and your efforts. Lastly, always listen to your intuition. Your body never lies when something feels off. We are hardwired with thousands of alarms that warn us of danger. Overall, know when to acknowledge the red flags and the green flags. A business partnership should be treated the same as a marriage. Treat your creations/medium like your baby. Would you want your child in the hands of just anyone? Would you expose your child to anything? How will you protect them? (intellectual property rights, legal and administrative needs) How will you nurture them? (Perfecting your craft, self-care, making the right connections, building resources) What kind of village will raise them (Manager, Agent, Team, Sponsors, etc.)?
Pricing:
- For performance rates (solo and band), please go to www.katarramusic.com/contact
- Cocoa Voyage Physical CD $15
Contact Info:
- Website: www.katarramusic.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/katarramusic
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/katarramusic
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katarra-parson-44354bb5
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/katarramusic
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9gMUeep5hgIdGXrf0o20Rg
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/katarra-parson
Image Credits
Chris Bauer, Jessica Page, Virginia Harold, Ted X St. Louis
