Artist Interview: Kat Button
Meet Kat Button, the artist using her music to drive change. With her new album Refocus on its way, we sat down with Kat to discuss her creative process, the challenges of revisiting past struggles, and the rewarding experience of sharing her most vulnerable moments with the world.
Tori: Your debut album, "Refocus," is a journey from "hopelessness" to "hopefulness". Can you tell us about the decision to structure the album in this way?
Kat: I wanted to create an album that portrays a journey of mental ill-health. Sharing the ‘hopelessness’ aims to communicate that people are not alone. Also, there is a lot of misinformation and stigmatization involving mental health and I wanted to portray the reality of it. The journey to ‘hopefulness’ aims to encourage those on a similar journey that things can and will get better.
Tori: The album documents your personal mental ill-health journey, from an OCD diagnosis to recovery. What was it like to revisit these experiences and transform them into music?
Kat: It has taken 17 years to have the courage to write and sing about my experiences. I tried multiple times but I found it too triggering. Things changed in November 2022 when I successfully completed a Mental Health course. I distinctly remember that the course didn’t trigger me at all, despite studying in great depth about things that I had personally experienced. It was from this point that I decided that I was ready to release my music about these topics into the world.
Tori: Can you give us an example of how the music, beyond the lyrics, tells a part of your story?
Kat: As an artist and a classically trained musician, I am automatically drawn to the instrumentation and arrangement of a song first. I often have to listen to a song several times so that I can appreciate all the different components! I wanted the production and the musical arrangements to play a major role in telling the story of my journey. For example in ‘Anxiety Strikes,’ I produced the track to allow the listener to experience what it’s like to have a panic attack. The end of the track brings in dissonance and repetitive flurries which cause tension and unease. This immersive soundscape describes the feeling of a panic attack when it’s hard to breathe.
Tori: What do you hope listeners who are dealing with similar mental health challenges will take away from the album?
Kat: My one wish is that those listeners dealing with similar mental health challenges will be encouraged that there is hope of recovery. In the depths of despair, things can seem very difficult. But with the right treatment, support network and self-care, life can be enjoyed again.
Tori: Were there any songs on the album that were particularly challenging or emotional for you to write or record?
Kat: "Happy Place" was a surprisingly emotional one to write and record. I am a huge fan of 90’s electronic music. I wanted to incorporate these elements into the track to create a sense of hope, joy and euphoria. One of my greatest musical influences is Jean-Michel Jarre. I remember watching his concert in Paris in 1990 on the TV with my dad. I only recently realised just how influential those times watching JMJ on the TV with Dad were to my music making today.
Tori: Your mission is to share the reality of mental ill health while also sharing hope. How do you balance these two powerful messages in your work?
Kat: I think an album which portrays a journey and a destination is a great way to balance these two messages. The first half of the album explores themes such as OCD, anxiety, intrusive thoughts and imposter syndrome. Track 5 of the album (CBT) is a turning point in the entire album because it shows that with the right support and treatment, things can improve and life can be enjoyed again.
Tori: You've said that the journey of mental health recovery can have a "beautiful destination". What does that "destination" look like for you today?
Kat: For me, therapy has helped me manage my symptoms massively. My OCD will never go away completely but I have ways of managing it. I use a balance of therapy techniques, medication and self-care to help me live a happy and fulfilling life. There will always be bumps in the road, and when this happens, I have the tools and knowledge required to help make things better.
Tori: How has using music as a medium helped you in your own recovery process?
Kat: Music is like therapy to me. For a long time, I didn’t feel comfortable talking to people about my mental health battles because of the potential stigma. So I wrote songs about it. Nowadays I talk to people when I need to reach out, but music is an outlet that allows me to express myself creatively.
Tori: What made you decide to be so open and vulnerable about your experiences with mental health in your music?
Kat: The main reason is because Mental Ill health is heavily stigmatized and misunderstood. This is also the case in the music industry. One reason to write and produce songs about Mental Health is to raise awareness, encourage openness and conversations and to discuss it through music and song, which many people relate to.
Tori: What message do you have for someone who is currently in a place of "hopelessness" and might feel encouraged by your music?
Kat: My first words would be ‘you are not alone.’ Secondly, things can and will get better. Thirdly, seek professional help and also offload to a trusted source, be it a friend, family member or a crisis helpline such as Samaritans or Mind.
Tori: What are some little-known personal touches you try to include in your songs?
Kat: I am a classically trained musician and a trained music teacher. I enjoy adding theoretical touches such as suspensions, inversions, layered harmonies, counter melodies, call and response and echoes into my songs to contribute to telling the story. I am also a huge fan of arpeggiators and synthesisers so I will try and add these into as many of my songs as possible.
Tori: Can you walk us through your songwriting process? Do the lyrics, melody, or emotional theme come first for you?
Kat: I love how the songwriting process varies so much from artist to artist. For this album, I wanted the topic to be the main focus rather than the genre. I decided what aspects of the journey I wanted to cover, then titles just came to my mind. Lyrics and melodies always come simultaneously to me.
Tori: How has your perspective on life and creativity changed since you began your journey to "refocus"?
Kat: I can categorically say that the process of using creativity as a refocusing and journaling tool has completely transformed my life for the better. Whether I am experiencing good times or bad times, song writing and production are a constant source of stability for me so that I can express myself and refocus these experiences into something positive.
Tori: What has been the most surprising or rewarding part of creating and now releasing "Refocus"?
Kat: I think the most rewarding part of creating and releasing "Refocus" has been the amount of messages I’ve received from people. Some of the messages thank me for helping me feel less alone. Some of them have asked for advice because they are going through similar things. I have been able to signpost them to places to get the help they need.
Another surprising thing is the amount of radio play I’ve received. I never even thought about that when embarking on this journey. Listening to my music on radio stations with my family by my side and saying how proud they are of me is a definite highlight.
Tori: What's next for you after the album's release on September 19th?
Kat: I’m going to promote the album for a couple of months. After that I’m going to have a bit of a rest before releasing a new song called ‘I am’ in January. A couple more releases will follow and then I am planning to release my second album in July (2026).
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