Katie Pruitt

Summary

Katherine Nicole Pruitt (born March 4, 1994) is an American singer-songwriter based in Nashville, Tennessee. Her debut album, Expectations, was released in 2020 by Rounder Records. Her second album, Mantras, was released in 2024.

Katie Pruitt
Pruitt in 2016
Pruitt in 2016
Background information
Birth nameKatherine Nicole Pruitt
Born (1994-03-04) March 4, 1994 (age 30)
Atlanta, Georgia, US
Genres
Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter, record producer
Instrument(s)Vocals, guitar
Years active2018–present
LabelsRounder Records (2019–present)
Websitekatiepruitt.com

Early life and education edit

Pruitt grew up in the suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia. She was raised in a Catholic family and attended Catholic school.[1] She began singing as a child in musical theatre productions. She began learning guitar in middle school with her mother teaching her basic chords and hymns.[1] Pruitt continued singing at open mic nights in Athens, Georgia while attending community college.[2]

She attended Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, where she joined a band and received the first annual Nashville Songwriting Scholarship from the BMI Foundation.[3][1]

Career edit

In 2017, Pruitt was awarded the Buddy Holly Prize from the Songwriters Hall of Fame[4] and signed with Round Hill Records.[5]

Her EP, OurVinyl Live Session EP was released in March 2018.[6] She was named by Rolling Stone as one of 10 new country artists you need to know[7] and by NPR as one of the 20 artists to watch, highlighting Pruitt as someone who "possesses a soaring, nuanced and expressive voice, and writes with devastating honesty".[8]

On September 13, 2019, Pruitt released "Expectations", the title track from her full-length debut. Additional singles from this project were subsequently released: "Loving Her" on October 21, 2019,[9] and "Out of the Blue" on November 15, 2019.[10]

On February 21, 2020, Pruitt's debut album, Expectations, was released by Rounder Records.[11][12] She earned a nomination for Emerging Act of the Year at the 2020 Americana Music Honors & Awards.[13] In the same year, she duetted with Canadian singer-songwriter Donovan Woods on "She Waits for Me to Come Back Down", a track from his album Without People.[14]

In 2021 the artist was inter alia part of the Newport Folk Festival in July.[15]

On March 18, 2022, Pruitt recorded an episode of The Caverns Sessions (previously known as Bluegrass Underground), which aired nationally on PBS on October 15, 2022.[16]

Artistry edit

With roots in folk music, Pruitt attributes growing up in the south of the United States as a key influence on her songwriting, both stylistically and thematically.[17]

Her music often deals with complex coming-of-age issues such as mental health, navigating toxic relationships, and questioning religious faith.[18] She describes the tension between coming out as a lesbian and growing up in a conservative household while attending Catholic school as the catalyst for using her music as a platform to speak openly and honestly about issues faced by LGBTQ youth. She has said in interviews that she hopes her music makes young people struggling with their sexuality feel less alone.[19][2]

Pruitt cites Brandi Carlile as an inspiration for her music.[2]

Discography edit

Studio albums edit

Singles edit

List of singles, with selected peak chart positions
Title Year Peak chart positions Album
US
AAA

[20]
"Expectations" 2019 20 Expectations
"Loving Her"
"Out of the Blue"
"Ohio" 2020 Non-album singles
"After the Gold Rush"
"Blood Related" 2024 Mantras
"White Lies, White Jesus, and You"
"All My Friends"
"—" denotes single did not chart or was not released in that territory

Awards and nominations edit

Year Award Artist/work Category Result Ref.
2020 Americana Music Honors & Awards Katie Pruitt Emerging Act of the Year Nominated [21]
2021 Pop Awards Emerging Artist of the Year Won [22][23]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c Hight, Jewly (February 24, 2020). "A Debut Album That Confronts Ingrained 'Expectations' With Emotional Clarity". NPR. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c Manzella, Sam (February 20, 2020). "Why Katie Pruitt Is Country Music's Next Queer Star". LOGO News. Retrieved February 27, 2020.
  3. ^ "Belmont Student Katie Pruitt Wins First Annual Nashville Songwriting Scholarship". BMI Foundation. Retrieved November 16, 2019.
  4. ^ "The Holly Prize". Songwriters Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 16, 2019.
  5. ^ "Belmont University Grad Katie Pruitt Signs With Round Hill Music". October 19, 2017. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
  6. ^ "Watch Katie Pruitt Perform My Mind Is A Ship". American Songwriter. Archived from the original on November 17, 2019. Retrieved November 16, 2019.
  7. ^ "10 New Country Artists You Need to Know: October 2018". Rolling Stone. October 29, 2018. Retrieved January 3, 2020.
  8. ^ "Slingshot: 20 Artists To Watch In 2019". NPR. February 4, 2019. Retrieved January 3, 2020.
  9. ^ "Katie Pruitt Normalizes Love in Loving Her Fresh Vid". Nashville Scene. October 11, 2019. Retrieved November 16, 2019.
  10. ^ "Katie Pruitt Explores the Highs and Lows of Infatuation on Out Of The Blue". American Songwriter. Archived from the original on November 16, 2019. Retrieved November 16, 2019.
  11. ^ "Katie Pruitt's New Single Expectations Premiers Today". Rounder Records. September 13, 2019. Retrieved November 16, 2019.
  12. ^ "Katie Pruitt". Southwest.fm. Retrieved January 3, 2020.
  13. ^ "Americana Unveils Its 2020 Honors & Awards Nominees". AmericanaMusic.org. June 15, 2020. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  14. ^ Paul Morden, "Sarnia's Donovan Woods releasing seventh album - Without People". Sarnia Observer, October 29, 2020.
  15. ^ "Newport Folk Festival stage schedule 2021". newportfolk.org. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
  16. ^ "The Caverns Sessions – Katie Pruitt". Public Broadcasting Service. October 15, 2022. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
  17. ^ "An Interview With The Rising Singer-Songwriter Katie Pruitt On Her Soon-To-Be-Released Debut Album and More! | All Access Music". February 10, 2020. Archived from the original on June 6, 2023. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
  18. ^ "Katie Pruitt". Concord. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
  19. ^ "Female Friday: Katie Pruitt". Sounds Like Nashville. February 21, 2020. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
  20. ^ "Adult Alternative Songs - June 13, 2020". Billboard. Retrieved June 20, 2020.
  21. ^ "HONORS & AWARDS". Americana Music Honors & Awards. Retrieved February 24, 2021.
  22. ^ Mackle, Jenna (January 17, 2021). "Welcome to the POP AWARDS 2021, the fourth annual Pop Awards". Pop Magazine. Retrieved February 24, 2021.
  23. ^ "Pop Awards 2021, the 4th annual Pop Awards". Pop Awards. Retrieved February 24, 2021.

External links edit

  • Official website