Are you single and wondering why there are no single theme songs out there? Well, Kate Stephenson has released the most relatable song for all those single people out there. Her new song, “Exless” is out now and it’s basically the Olivia Rodrigo song for all single people and we absolutely love it. We chatted with Stephenson about her new song and much more!
Can you introduce yourself?
To introduce myself, I’m Kate Stevenson, I’m from Illinois, Northern Chicago. Suburbia. I’ve been doing music my entire life, playing instruments, learning instruments, just been surrounded by it because my parents are in the classical music world. I started writing at age nine with my sister. We were releasing music for a long time and it was really bad. And then she went off to college and now here we are.
Has your past music been about kind of personal, relatable struggles as well?
My past music has been about me and my life. I wrote really specifically to myself because I know people out there will probably relate to it. If I don’t relate to it, then I don’t feel it as much. So, I’ve written about grief, I’ve written about liking someone who doesn’t like you back, which is really fitting for “Exless”. So, a lot of my music is like, I love him, he doesn’t know I exist.
What kind of inspired you to write the song “Exless” that’s like, just solely about wanting to have that first relationship?
I really liked this guy and thought we were going to have something and then we didn’t and I was sad about it and I was listening to break up songs and I was like, this isn’t even valid. Like I don’t even, I can’t even relate to this. And I’m so sad. And as a songwriter, that’s the time when I’m like, okay, so I’m going to write about it, Bbecause if there’s not a song for me, I’m going to write it. I listen to my own music, like a lot, just because my phrases, there’s no music, more relatable than the music you write about you. So, I was my top artists of 20, which is which I don’t tell people, but, I just think that’s so funny, but, I was like, I’m not even gonna listen to these songs anymore, I’m just gonna write it. And then I sat down. And I wrote it while I was like producing it myself because all my music in the past has been produced by me, written by me and everything by me. I promoted it on TikTok and it did really well. The first time I promoted it, then I went to find a producer, had them help me out and got it made.
But yeah, the inspiration behind the song was really like, I don’t have a song like this for me. And there’s no way I’m the only 20-year-old who hasn’t dated.
And I was like, they’re having, and the reason there’s those kinds of stuck with me is because they were having so much fun doing what they loved and it was so obvious and that’s what I love. And I want to have that much fun and, and that, and like watching those concerts, I was like, this is, this is what I’m going to do.
So, if you could set up a listener of your music for them to listen to Exless, in any setting, like somewhere, someplace, where would you want them to listen to Exless?
The opening line of the song is, I don’t know why, but I’m feeling like I need to scream on the highway, windows down in the middle of winter.
So, if they’re going to listen to it in a perfect spot, it would be on the highway with the windows, down in the winter, but the winter has passed. So, next winter but, I would say that’s the perfect place. Isn’t it? That’s where I’ve been listening to it. Also, on a walk or in their room, like, you know, wherever they want to listen to it.
What is one quote that you’ve heard in life that you’d want to ECHO out to the world?
I have one, I have a horrible, horrible memory. Things go in and then they go right out. Hence the dropping out of college. I would say this isn’t a quote that I’ve heard, but this is a quote that I say it’s been like my mantra since, for a really long time. And I didn’t even realize it was my mantra and that is “there will come a time.”
I’m going to get that tattooed one day. Just because whenever I had like a big essay due or something, there will come a time when this essay is done, there will come a time when this is happening. And when this circumstance is happening, there will always come a time and you just have to get there and you will, no matter what.
Stream “Exless” now!