Kate Klein blends raw energy with hypercharged storytelling, creating anthems for the beautifully reckless. Alchemising alt-pop, hyperactive hyperpop, frenetic electronic and punkish belligerence, her music traverses the sonic spectrum. It’s a devil-may-care stance that saw her previous track ‘STUCK’ highlighted at Nels Nylton’s Future Alternative on Radio 1. He became her latest Radio 1 champion adding to support from Jack Saunders and Alex Holcombe, while further airplay has come from John Kennedy at Radio X.
Now Kate shows her flair for turning bad choices into bangers with the new single ‘FMSB’. Listen HERE
John Hayhurst caught up with Kate:
Your latest single, ‘FMSB’, is all about thrill-seeking, chaos, and messy choices—what’s the wildest real-life experience that inspired your songwriting?
Probably moving to the other side of the world with nothing but a dream to make music and find myself as an artist. That, and experiencing love in its most unhinged form. There’s something insane about falling in love for the first time. It’s reckless, euphoric, and can be self-destructive. That feeling just keeps creeping into my songs.
You mentioned being inspired by ‘Euphoria’ and ‘Spring Breakers’—what is it about those stories that resonate with you, and how do they influence your music?
Both movies are visually insane, and I’m obsessed with that cinematic , aesthetic world. Also the way they capture life struggles, toxic love, and self-discovery where the characters end up in messy situations. I see the world through a romanticised lens, and that’s probably what’s helped me get through a lot. Stuck in a messy relationship? That’s just another movie scene. At the end of the day, we’re all directing our own stories.
Your music blends alt-pop, hyperpop, punk, and electronic—how do you balance all these genres while keeping your sound uniquely yours?
I love distorted guitars, huge drum sounds , and pop hooks. Mix that with a short attention span, and voilà! I pull inspiration from so many genres that putting myself in a box it’s basically impossible. I’m already planning to throw some country vibes on my next project.
You’ve already been championed by big radio names like Jack Saunders, Alex Holcombe, and John Kennedy—how does that kind of recognition impact your creative process?
It was kind of unexpected. I’ve been grinding for so long, literally starting from zero. I grew up in a tiny village in Italy, moved to London with just my guitar and laptop, worked endless bar jobs, and went through way too many setbacks (COVID included). So hearing my music on the radio after all that? Insane. People don’t see the sleepless nights and the chaos behind the scenes. It makes moments like this feel unreal.
Your debut EP ‘Love, War and Other Human Inventions’ is on the way—what themes or stories tie the project together?
Love in its best and worst forms, the chaos of my friends and I running around London, self-discovery, human nature, anxiety, and a lot of sarcasm. It’s basically my brain in audio form.
You’ve worked with producers like Raf Riley, Teddy Marquee, and Stefano Moro—what’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned from collaborating with such diverse talents?
Probably how much ambition, blind confidence, and gut instinct actually make things happen. Overthinking is literally a creativity killer, and I have to remind myself daily to chill. I’ll get stuck tweaking a snare for hours, meanwhile, they just keep it moving like it’s nothing…lowkey inspiring.
Your influences range from Post Malone and Lil Peep to Charli XCX and metalcore—if you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why?
Lady Gaga, no question. She built her own universe, and the level of detail in her music and visuals is actually insane. That’s the kind of world-building I love. Charli XCX would also be a dream collab. I feel like we could cook up a club banger in two seconds. And finally, a track with Yungblud and MGK ..that would be insane.
You’ve come a long way from being in an all-girl pop-punk band in Italy—what’s been the most unexpected twist in your musical journey so far?
Honestly? My career in Italy. I started writing in Italian just for fun to reconnect with my roots and experiment. Now, somehow, my biggest fanbase is there. I wasn’t expecting it at all, but I love how ride-or-die they are.
Your songs have a rebellious, devil-may-care energy—what would you say to fans who connect with your music because they feel a little reckless themselves?
We’re all just out here trying to survive but making it cinematic. I think my fans have this shared need to escape reality by romanticising life. They’re unconventional, unapologetic, and don’t really care about fitting in. We just get each other.
You joked about still waiting for your ‘healing era’—do you think your music will naturally shift as you grow, or will you always just embrace the chaos?
I mean, I’m waiting for my healing era, but if it never shows up… I guess I’ll just keep swimming.
