Tell me a bit about yourself, what have you been up to over the past 12 months?
I’m Mary-Anne, the lead songwriter, singer and multi-instrumentalist for the band. Over the past 12 months, we’ve been on quite a transformative journey, with 2024 being a really great year for us. We started off with a 7 date UK tour, then we got picked in the band app to play both Y NOT and Truck Festival, and we later went on to support Sundara Karma at their Newcastle show! We wrapped up the year with our debut EP release, ‘King of the World,’ and the response has been incredible. In the last few months I’ve been finishing up my masters degree at Newcastle so it’s been quieter than usual on our front but I can assure you that we have some brand new music in the works and we’re so excited about this next body of work!
Where did your bands name come from and how did you form?
Cat Ryan was originally my solo project before I moved to Newcastle for university in 2018. The name combines my middle name, Catherine, and my mum’s maiden name, Ryan. Growing up, I mostly played traditional Irish instruments like the banjo, mandolin, and bodhran in a local Irish music group, and these experiences shaped my songwriting and development as a musician so I wanted to hint to my Irish roots from my mum’s side. When I came to university, I formed the band with some friends. While the band is Cat Ryan, I also see myself as an embodiment of Cat Ryan because of its roots as my solo project.
What has been the biggest highlight of making music so far?
The biggest highlight so far was playing my songs to a packed out tent at Truck Festival last year. It was crazy to be on stage at a festival that I’ve been to before. I remember being at the festival back in 2019 and saying to my friend, “I’m gonna be on that stage in a few years”, and then actually making it happen. Very surreal indeed. It was also really rewarding seeing that lots of people had added the songs to their ‘Truck’ playlists beforehand so we knew that they were there to see us!
What was the process like in recording your most recent EP 'King Of The World'?
Recording 'King of the World' was quite intense but fulfilling in the end. The majority of the songs were ones that I’d written back in 2018, but I then reinvented them, experimenting with new sounds, new layers and improving the production, with the help of Eliott Glinn, a London-based mixing engineer who I’ve been working with in recent years.
I wanted to release a unique collection of songs that embodied our evolution and variety in style, while ensuring that it was a cohesive body of work. The process was quite challenging, doing it alongside my masters degree but it’s certainly seen me evolve as a musician, and it’s been rewarding seeing the positive response to the EP. It’s just the start of things for Cat Ryan!
What can your listeners expect from your upcoming music?
Our upcoming music will continue to evolve while staying true to the indie-pop/gaze roots. I’m exploring new genres and incorporating diverse instrumentation to create fresh and innovative sounds. Our new material will feature introspective lyrics and dynamic melodies, addressing both personal and societal themes. We want to surprise and resonate with our audience on multiple levels, and build on the success of our previous releases. You can expect more lyrical depth and melodic innovation that has continually defined Cat Ryan.
We are aware that you guys are playing 'Coast Fest' this Saturday, so what is next for you for the rest of the year?
After Coast Fest, we have a busy schedule ahead. We’re excited to be going on a 12-date UK & Ireland tour, including overseas shows in Dublin and Belfast. We also have plans to release a few singles leading up to our next major project. The rest of the year is all about refining our live performance and connecting with our audience in new ways. 2025 is shaping up to be a very exciting year for us, with our most sophisticated body of work due for release then!
Words - Katie Graham
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