Katie Belle's "Bad Dreams" Was Made for 3 AM Overthinking

If insomnia had a soundtrack, Katie Belle just dropped the opening track.

With her latest single “Bad Dreams,” the Atlanta-born, LA-tethered artist transforms a lifelong struggle with sleeplessness into a glittery indie-pop fever dream. But don’t let the dreamy synths fool you; this track hits like 3 a.m. anxiety wrapped in silk. It’s danceable, yes, but it’s also deeply relatable to anyone who's ever stared at the ceiling, mind racing, heart pacing, begging for rest that won’t come.

Katie doesn’t sugarcoat the truth; she literally seduces it. Her raspy vocals float over a lush, almost hypnotic production that feels both nostalgic and fresh. It's the kind of track that plays like a mirror: sparkly on the outside, but cracked in just the right places. “Bad Dreams” isn’t just a bop, it’s a lifeline disguised as a late-night anthem. If you've ever felt like you were losing your grip at 2 a.m., this one’s for you.

She’s not new to the game either. Katie’s been writing and recording for over a decade, and it shows. “Bad Dreams” is a seasoned songwriter’s take on emotional chaos, tight, self-aware, and layered. But it’s also just the beginning. Her upcoming EP People Pleaser (dropping this fall) promises to peel back more layers, diving headfirst into anxiety, insomnia, the toxic art of saying “yes” too much, and the journey back to self. If this single is any indication, Katie’s not afraid to go there, and she’s taking her listeners with her.

Let’s be real: in a world full of fake-deep pop dressed in glitter, Katie Belle is delivering something genuine. She’s giving you permission to feel messy, restless, and imperfect, then she wraps it up in a beat you can dance through your breakdown to. That’s what the best music does. It doesn’t fix you. It frees you.

Katie Belle has carved out a space for the emotionally exhausted, a place where anxiety, insomnia, and self-doubt are not just acknowledged but given a voice. And with her upcoming EP, People Pleaser, on the horizon, it’s clear she’s not just telling her story, she’s reclaiming it.

“Bad Dreams” balances upbeat production with raw, emotional lyrics. How do you navigate that contrast when you’re creating? Do you see music as escape or confrontation?”

I love the contrast. I think it’s cool to mix textures and experiment with sounds, it keeps things exciting. I hope sonically this opens the minds of the listeners and gives them new ideas.

You’ve said People Pleaser is basically an autobiography. Was there a specific breaking point or breakthrough moment that pushed you to finally tell your full story through this EP?

I wouldn’t say there was a breaking point or one singular moment that changed me. It took time to come to some of these realizations and I know there’s more too a lot of them that I’m still working through. I think I’ve been here for a while, but I’m just not learning to enjoy the view. 

How has growing up in a suburban environment shaped your songwriting? Do you still feel like you’re unlearning parts of that upbringing today?

Absolutely I am, there is a lot that I love about where I grew up. Living outside of Atlanta taught me diversity at a young age, but there are still some small town ideals I am growing out of and not taking with me as I continue to grow as a person and as an artist. A lot of that is me learning to be my own person. 

Insomnia is such a personal and isolating experience. How did you translate something so internal into a sound that connects with others?

Honestly, it was kind of hard haha! I have been wrestling with the idea for a few years now and haven't been able to find the right words. There’s just so much I could say and so many avenues I could go down… It’s possible it’ll come back up later on in future songs. I’m grateful my producer Fabio Campedelli knows me well enough to bring it to life sonically and make the track. We collaborated on new sounds and synths to get that dreamy disco vibe. 

What advice would you give to other creatives who feel stuck between being true to themselves and trying to meet everyone else's expectations?

At the end of the day, this is your life and this is your art. Do the things that make you happy and make you proud because you’re the one who has to sleep with them at night.