North London singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist KAT DEAL first burst unto the scene in late 2016 with her critically acclaimed debut single ‘Staring Back At Me’, which was supported by BBC Radio 2, Spotify, The 405, Record Of The Day, BBC 6 Music and BBC Introducing, among others. Today, she returns with the exquisite R&B jam ‘Cologne’, the first single from her forthcoming debut EP, which is set to be released in February 2019.
Produced by fast-rising Turkish beatsmith and musician Baker Aaron, who has previously worked with the likes of Nick Brewer, Kadeem Tyrell and Naomi Scott, ‘Cologne’ is an infectious and energetic R&B offering, backed by lush instrumentation and clever musicianship, from the smooth bass guitar play to the catchy synth keys to the clever beat switch in the bridge. Kat Deal holds these all together perfectly, with her commanding vocal display, glorious melodies and lyrical offering.
Speaking about how ‘Cologne’ came about, Kat Deal says, “I was sitting in the studio with Marc Morrison, who plays keys on the record, and all I could smell was the cologne of this guy that I liked and it was driving me insane, and the song was birthed from there. We knew it’d be called ‘Cologne’ and we got the skeleton of the music down, as well as the vibe-switch in the bridge. I can be quite random and energetic, so this song really captures that side of my personality. I walked around that night thinking about this guy, and that’s how the rest of the melodies and lyrics came together”.
As for the inspiration behind the record, Kat Deal adds that “the song is essentially about how, when you like someone, everything turns into them, and your whole world becomes them (we’ve all been there). For me, the guy’s ‘cologne’, which I can smell everywhere is a hallucinogenic almost, and that’s the reason why everybody and every poster, word, street lamp reminds me of him. In reality, when we first start falling for someone, we see and hear them in everything and everybody else. It’s like a temporary but happy madness, and that’s what ‘Cologne’ has tried to capture”.
With a well-versed musical pedigree as a vocalist, multi-instrumentalist and arranger that has seen her tour the world, playing for Robbie Williams, Felix Jaehn, Eliza And The Bear and Jodie Abacus, among others, Kat Deal is excited to take center stage with her own music, which can be described as modern alternative R&B-Pop with a 90s slant, and is defined by her use of lush 80s synths, 90s inspired melodies, honest and relatable lyricism, and her unmistakably powerful voice.