Award-winning singer-songwriter, book series author, and media producer Kathryn Cloward shares an intimate and passionate tale in her latest honest single, "I Fell For You."
Successful music career aside, Kathryn Cloward is the founder of Kandon Unlimited, Inc., a heart-centered mindful media publishing and production company focused on energizing high-integrity projects. She's also a Voting Member of the Recording Academy GRAMMY® Awards and actively advocates for music creators' rights.
It's through her expressive, liberating, and relatable songs that Kathryn Cloward reveals the passionate and thoughtful woman she is. Listeners can better understand Cloward, her sound, and her experiences through lush new singles like the latest, "I Fell For You." It's one of those freeing and soul-lifting songs where listeners can feel the weight coming off Kathryn Cloward's shoulders.
Diving deeper into the new single, "I Fell For You," we're softly met with warm and tender percussion alongside a bright electric guitar and Kathryn Cloward's velvety vocals. She wastes no time jumping into her passionate message of hoping she reunites with the person who knocked her off her feet and changed her plans for the better.
This song is incredibly easy to listen to, from Kathryn Cloward's ear-pleasing vocals to the song's soothing adult-contemporary instrumentals. The gentle transitions and placid melodies bring an ethereal and chilling aspect that amplifies Kathryn Cloward's lyrical message perfectly; she serenades us until the very last beat with the utmost hope, wonder, and love.
When you're head over heels and can't seem to shake someone from your mind, melt into the sonically beautiful world of Kathryn Cloward's newest single, "I Fell For You," now available on all digital streaming platforms.
Kathryn, welcome to BuzzMusic! Jumping right in, what is the "a-ha!" moment mentioned in the song?
I think many people have experienced a similar moment in their lives that I share in “I Fell for You,” where there’s a super brief yet super impactful moment of intersection with someone else that ignites a spark within you. That’s what I experienced a few years ago. We often encounter other people in our daily lives who provide us with exactly what we need at that exact moment, and they don’t even know it. They can say something or do something that may be ordinary to them but extraordinary to you. All that is to say, I had an aha moment a few years ago hearing someone talk about their own journey. There was an alignment for me in their words and their energy, and I felt an elevated, refreshed level of clarification for what I was meant to do next. I welcomed that feeling, as it awakened some aspects of me that had been dormant, including the flow of my own personal songwriting. In time, I took that moment and allowed fantasy and unrequited feelings to bloom into a song that became “I Fell for You.”
What does this song mean to you? Can you tell us about the man behind the music?
I love this song, and I’m grateful for the experience and feelings that brought it forth, but no, I never really share the specific person who inspires any of my songs. Well, unless it’s super obvious, like the song I released in 2017 called “I Held His Hand” was clearly about my dad. It’s funny, actually, as I’ve had a few people over the years think a song I wrote was about them, and it wasn’t. I guess that’s the premise of Carly Simon’s “You’re So Vain.” Every song I write has a personal point of inspiration, whether it’s a circumstance, feeling, or person that inspires it. I am a really private person these days. I wrestled in years past with how much I needed to share or not as an artist. Now there’s no internal conflict. I am able to protect what’s sacred while sharing my art publicly.
But I will say this. The main character of this song hasn’t let me down by being someone different than I originally sensed he was. Sometimes this happens. We encounter someone who’s projecting a persona one way, but in time we experience them to be quite different. That didn’t happen, and I suppose that’s a whole next-level fascination for me—which is a whole other song.
What was your songwriting process like for "I Fell For You”? Was this a challenging process, or did your words flow with ease?
I wrote this song during the COVID lockdown. My songwriting process is often like having a fun crush on someone where it’s on my mind nonstop until it’s completed. Lyrically, I love wordplay. I often include lyrics in my songs that may seem random but are super deliberate and often something to decode. For example, in the second verse, I reference what would be a poker scene with playing cards and chips. This entire concept was shared so I could reference “two aces of a spade,” which directly links to a book I bought in Sedona, AZ, called Cards of Illumination, which designates birthdays with a specific playing card. My birthday is on May 5, which aligns with the ace of spades card. When I finished writing “I Fell for You,” I did what I always do by recording it as a simple acoustic guitar and vocals track and then sent it over to Daniel Fritz for the arrangement. I had a specific vibe I was seeking, and Daniel worked his magic to create the musical layers. When the arrangement was done, I recorded my lead vocals. Then I hired Megan Nguyen for backing vocals, and her voice brings a wonderful layer to the song I love.
What was your goal with the "I Fell For You” music video? What visual experience did you want to give viewers?
My original vision for the video was to have a day-in-the-life concept similar to how it looks when I’m writing songs. Since my songwriting sessions are usually super early in the morning, with me wearing a cozy robe, drinking coffee, and playing my guitar, I wanted that at-home intimate feel. Instead of my robe, I decided to wear some of my normal everyday clothes that symbolize my feeling of being grounded and safe at home, hence all the red. I worked with Director Mike Brueggemeyer again on this video. He took my at-home concept and infused his own creative vision into the scenes you see in the video. Mike liked the longing aspect of the song’s message, so he created the laying on the bed daydreaming scene that worked really well.
What's next for you?
My newest single was just released, actually. It’s called “Enough is Enough” and was inspired by the Uvalde school shooting. I wrote it just days following the shooting, as my heart was hurting for those children and educators and their families. The extreme terror and violence those children and teachers experienced in the final hours of their lives sat with me. I felt angry and confused as to how so many people are absolutely divided by the importance of enacting sensible gun laws that are relevant to today’s weapons. I felt pissed that the topic always shifts away from our children to political positioning. I am around children all the time through my Kathryn the Grape work and in schools regularly. I am tired of the narrative always getting diverted to politically charged topics and pointing blame. This song circles us back to the heart of our humanity. It had been done for a while, but I needed to get my head and heart around it before it was released. I am ready now to share it and do my part.