From theatre stage to album stardom

By Matt Romania

From the stage of the Performing Arts Headquarters in Bacchus Marsh to the recording studio for her debut album Lightning Strikes, Kitty Rae’s musical journey is one of determination, resilience, and heart.

To celebrate the album launch, Kitty is touring across the country this year including at Bergy Bandroom (Melbourne) on Friday 27 October and locally at Cup in the Park (Maddingley Park) on Tuesday 7 November.

Starting in pubs, weddings, and cover gigs, Kitty’s primary goal was simple, “to earn enough money to record my originals.”

A planned shift to cruise ship gigs with her partner, Ryan, was cut short by the pandemic, which also saw Kitty lose her job.

Yet, adversity became an opportunity. Kitty and Ryan turned to online resources, from YouTube to free university workshops, transforming their living room into a recording hub. Kitty’s collaboration with Ryan was central to her album’s creation.

“I’d record in the wardrobe, send demos to Ryan. It was a collaborative effort,” she said.

When defining her sound, Kitty leaned on a unique approach.

“It was to think about the artists that would play around my song on a playlist.”

This perspective steered their musical direction, keeping the listener’s experience at heart.

“Once you release your music, it’s all about making that connection.”

Seeing the vinyl album for the first time was a surreal experience for Kitty.

“I’m so proud that it exists,” she said.

From Bacchus Marsh theatre to releasing a vinyl album – and now touring nationally, is a testament to her adaptability, passion, and talent.

“Once you release your music, it’s about the listener’s experience.

“I’m excited for what’s to come,” she said.

Review – Lightning Strikes by Kitty Rae: “If you close your eyes while listening to ‘Villan’, it feels like you’re hearing a finalist performance on the Eurovision stage. With its hard-hitting verses, vocal talents, memorable lyrics, stellar production, and catchy musical hooks, it’s a track that gets stuck inside your head (in a good way). The album continues to impress with tracks like ‘Intergalactic’, which pulsates with electro-pop energy, and ‘Living’, which offers raw, unfiltered emotion. A memorable mi. Kitty Rae’s ‘Lightning Strikes’ isn’t just a debut album; it’s a musical journey that showcases songwriting, production, and vocal talent that matches the likes of Billie Eilish… yes, I said. 10/10.”