KARA CONNOLLY
BY IRVIN RIVERA
KARA CONNOLLY, a singer-songwriter and actress, shared insights about herself and her music. She described herself as a “mirrorball girlie” and a recovering people pleaser, influenced by her love for Taylor Swift. Her music is characterized by storytelling and blends indie-dance sonics with sincere lyrics and pop melodies. Kara discussed her new single, "Over You," which celebrates the journey of getting over a long-term relationship and the personal growth that accompanies it.
Kara is working on a new album set to release later this year, which she is extremely excited about. She expressed her desire to have the resources to fully express her creative vision. Kara also mentioned her interest in film projects, touring, and meeting her fans in person. In addition, she shared her surprising talent for taking care of aquatic animals. She concluded by expressing her gratitude for the support and love she has received and invited the audience to stay tuned for her upcoming releases and shows.
PHOTOGRAPHER: BETSY NEWMAN
Hi Kara, Tell us a bit about yourself.
Oh wow…where to start…Well, I am a singer-songwriter and actress, originally from San Diego, CA, but I moved around quite a bit as a kid (Texas, Utah, Arizona, back to Utah, then back to San Diego) before eventually rooting myself in Los Angeles to pursue various creative endeavors. I studied acting at USC. If you’re a fellow Taylor Swift fangirl you *may* understand this, but I would say that I am a mirrorball girlie and a pathological people pleaser in recovery. You may also like my music. I’m rather silly at times, but I’m also very very detail-oriented, which some say is the Virgo in me. I’m a Libra rising so I like to create big picture aesthetic and thematic visions, and the Capricorn moon in me has workaholic tendencies. I don’t fully ascribe to astrology, but I certainly find it interesting, along with the more mystical side of life. The last show I played on Friday, someone came up to me afterwards and said that, as an artist, I’m the perfect balance of whimsical and powerful. Thank you, kind stranger! To me, fun and vulnerability are not mutually exclusive and I think you will hear that if you check out my original music. I’ve created my next album for the recovering people-pleasers, perfectionists, and anxious workaholics of the world, and I view my songs almost as mantras to myself (and hopefully others) that I write in times of need. Oh, and I also write songs for other artists in a variety of genres and for TV/film/commercials.
Tell us more about your new single, “OVER YOU.”
“Over You” was so much fun to make and it still does something to me listening to it now. Getting over a long term relationship is more than going out with girlfriends or rocking a hot new dress. While those things may be necessary on the healing journey, I feel like a lot of classic “I’m so over you” songs tend to take the “boy bye” or “I’m so much better without you” angle. There is a time and place to "fake it until you make it," and, yes, those feelings may ultimately be our ideal final destination, but, for me, the freedom of finally being over someone tastes so much sweeter after all of the sleepless nights, back and forth, tears, cursing his name, pain, and trials it took to get there. I wanted to acknowledge the full journey.
I kid you not, one day I woke up and it was like the chain that had been weighing me down for years and tying me to my ex had somehow been broken. Hearing his name no longer resulted in familiar feelings of bitterness or hurt. I was free. But, as seemingly sudden as that was, I would be lying to myself and to you if I said that it happened overnight. I had to do the work to get there. And the work sucked.
This song is a celebration of finally feeling free from the chains of a relationship and its aftermath, yes, but it’s also an acknowledgement that I’m the one who got myself here—you’re the one who got yourself here. And that deserves celebrating.
So after waking up with that freeing feeling, it’s like the chorus for “Over You” just plopped into my head. I called my good friend Teddi Gold to come over and work through the rest of the song with me and then we met up with our friend and “Roses” collaborator, Jack Ventimiglia, who helped us simplify the post chorus and solidify the chord structure. Dan Sadin produced the song during the pandemic while we were on Zoom and Audio Movers together, testing out ideas for weeks on end, and Drew Alexander vocal produced and mixed it. Randy Merrill mastered the song. I love all of these talented creatives and I am so grateful to call them collaborators. It takes a village.
PHOTOGRAPHER: BETSY NEWMAN
How would you describe your music?
I can’t imagine that I’ll make the same album, sonically, twice. All in all I would say that my music is very storytelling driven and that tends to be a constant. My upcoming record, out later this year, is centered on self-discovery and is full of memorable hooks, high energy vocals, dreamy guitars, lush backing tracks, and bold lyrics that *I hope* simultaneously elicit wisdom while examining my innermost thoughts and fears. For reference, I've been told it blends the cathartic indie-dance sonics of Lorde and Maggie Rogers with the earnest sincerity, storytelling sensibilities, and gentle nonconformity of Kacey Musgraves, mixed with the sort of lyrical fun and pop melodies we've come to expect from artists like Taylor Swift or Carly Rae Jepsen. Who knows if that’s how you’ll feel, but it’s an easy way to give you some sense of what you may be in for if you listen.
What challenges have you faced in your career so far?
Being an independent artist is incredibly challenging and anyone who says otherwise I can only imagine isn’t being fully transparent. From needing to keep our health and vocal health in top shape due to the demands of live performing, to venues, streaming services, distribution partners, producers, labels, insert whomever else, consistently taking advantage of us and exploiting our dreams, to being expected to write the music, develop the vision, record everything, pay for the entirety of the music creation/promotion, and run 5 different social media platforms simultaneously before you eventually pop it off yourself and *then* someone comes in and “believes” in it and expects 50% (or more) of the royalties despite not taking the initial financial/emotional/energetic risk–oftentimes, the artists and songwriters involved in a project are the only team members who do not get paid, sacrifice everything, and fund everyone else’s salary.
Of course, there are exceptions to this rule and very helpful industry folk who understand the struggle and may offer their time, work, and guidance along the way; but, as a general rule of thumb I would say that something I’ve learned as an artist is that if you want something done well, you have to do it yourself. There is no shortcut and the road is long for more artists than you realize. A lot of the artists you see spontaneously going viral or as opening acts on tours are independently wealthy and/or have put millions of dollars into crafting that virality via themselves or a label and then all of your friends say, “Why don’t you just post on TikTok and go viral like so and so?” I hate to complain, but I do want to be transparent on behalf of fellow upcoming artists and dreamers out there. Peeking behind the velvet curtain of the entertainment industry isn’t always pretty and almost never glamorous. I think sometimes people mistakenly think that it is as so much of it is a well-curated and crafted image/projection of success. I think it’s important to be real with you and with readers.
How did you rise above these challenges?
The name of the game is persistence and being gentle with ourselves. I give everything I have and then I do my best to surrender and let the song baby (or my career) go. Pacing ourselves is incredibly important. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. I confide in friends who can relate and are on similar paths. We cheer each other on and boost one another up when morale gets low. Like I said above, I’ve found that if I want something done well, I usually have to do it myself. I’ve been embracing that truth for myself, while simultaneously calling in more teammates who are just as proactive and passionate.
What’s the proudest moment of your career so far?
I think my proudest moment would have to be my album release party/live show at The Peppermint Club in Los Angeles. It was totally sold out/packed to the brim and so many of my friends, family, and fans were there from all walks of my life. It was a gathering of all my favorite people, supporting me and a project that I spent years on. I performed songs in celebration of my very first album, “Life in Rear View,” that I wrote and put out independently, and so many people sang along. It was a magical evening and I hope to recreate it with this next record.
Where do you get your inspirations from?
Inspiration comes in so many different forms. Often I pull from life experience and write as a guiding force for what I should focus my attention towards or what my next move might be. My songs often advise me on what I should do in a much simpler way than my overthinking ever could.
Lately, I’ve been writing a few songs from the perspective of a character and that has been a lot of fun as well. If I am writing a song for another artist, I chat with them for a long while about their life, their inspirations, and their experiences before we start and I try my best to put myself in their shoes emotionally, incorporating words that I hear them use when they speak.
What scares you?
If I’m being very real with myself, I think that I am most scared of losing someone that I love or them becoming very sick. Sometimes I have panic thoughts or dreams about that. I really rely on my inner circle and support system. Honestly, I’m just not sure I could handle it.
PHOTOGRAPHER: EMILY HAFELE
Guilty pleasure?
My guilty pleasures tend to change over time. Usually it’s food related. I’ll eat something over and over again until I’m totally sick of it. Like a particular brand of vegan ice cream, dried mango slices, this specific salad from Real Food Daily in LA. Either that, or I absolutely need to watch a TV show before I go to bed. That’s less of a guilty pleasure and more of a need to wind down and shut off my thoughts after working late, but my boyfriend gets annoyed when he’s super tired.
Name your top 5 favorite films of all time.
This question is always hard for me. I watch a lot of movies and I don’t tend to fall in love with a movie like I do with music. For some reason, I tend to be generally more critical of film. As much as I love watching movies, I don’t often watch them more than once. I would say, exceptions to that rule:
Legally Blonde
The Harry Potter Series
How To Lose A Guy in 10 Days
Almost Famous
Girl, Interrupted
Mean Girls
Last song that got stuck in your head.
There is this TikTok song! I wish I could remember the name. Also, I just watched Ed Sheeran’s documentary and have had “Eyes Closed” stuck in my head since.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
Two words of wisdom from my dad who is my very best friend:
He once told me, “Life is like a rollercoaster. Some days, you’re riding high with your hands up in the air, and other days you just want to throw up.”
When my friend and I were insecure about zits on our face in high school, he said, “It’s like the book series, “Where’s Waldo?”...Once you know where Waldo is, you can always find him, but, when you don’t, he’s impossible to spot.” We still have a good laugh about that one, but honestly, it’s true. Most people don’t inspect us as closely as we do ourselves, and we were hyper-fixated on our skin because we knew what was there.
What’s your ultimate goal?
My ultimate goal is to entertain and empower as many people around the world as I can through my creativity whether that’s via singing, songwriting, acting, producing, fashion, interviews, activism, etc. I always remind myself that this whole thing is not about me when I meditate. I would love to be a conduit for others and their emotions and experiences, to remind them of their own self-worth, and to help them feel more connected and less alone in this crazy world.
What are your dream projects?
I have so many. Honestly, I would love to put out an album where I have the resources to enact everything my wildest imagination can dream up. I have so many, very specific ideas that I wish I could express. I would love to be in a film where I’m very passionate about the storyline, message, and the visual aesthetic. I would love to go on a big tour and meet longtime listeners of my music in person.
Is there a skill / talent that a lot of people don’t know about you?
I kept two fair-won, feeder goldfish alive for 16 years each. My dad and I performed surgery on a 1-inch long African Dwarf Frog water frog once a month for 6 years that helped him overcome an incurable disease called “Dropsy” and live to be 11 years old (an African Dwarf Frog’s life expectancy is listed as 5). I’m pretty knowledgeable on taking care of aquatic animals–I became obsessed with learning about pH, beneficial bacteria, filters, water, and aquatic diseases when I was younger. Most people find that totally unexpected when I tell them.
Anything else that you want to share with the audience? Tour/Shows/etc.
I am releasing a new album later this year that I have been working on for a long while and that I am beyond excited about. It feels very me in every sense. I’m hoping to do a big release show and party surrounding its drop. Please stay tuned and follow my next few releases for more! I would love to see you there.
Thank you for reading this and for your support and love! I’m forever grateful.