After years of fronting rock bands and secretly writing folk songs in her bedroom, Clara Kay has found her voice in the tension between the two. Her music lives in the space where raw feeling meets sharp storytelling. “On Purpose” is the first of many releases to come from her upcoming solo project.

Your new single, “On Purpose,” is about living in the aftermath of a toxic relationship. Is the song based on personal experience?

When I write songs, they end up being a hodgepodge of experiences. I draw from multiple relationships or situations based on what feels relevant to the emotion of the song. I heard this older woman talk about her experience with relationships, and she said something that made me pause: “You will spend years trying to rewrite the ending of your first heartbreak if you don’t notice the pattern and actively seek to break it now”. I thought that perspective was so interesting. It could explain why we tend to seek out the same type of person over and over again – to give it another shot, although it never works the way we think it will. That’s where the inspiration for “On Purpose” came from. 

Press materials for the song mention the “blurred roles of villain and victim” in the song. How do you see these roles blurring into one another? Why do you think that happens?

I think it’s true that most of us are accidentally the villain in someone’s story, even if we never meant to be. For example, one time, I had two friends who were fighting. They both gave me the retelling of their side of the story. They both expressed their innocence and were adamant that the other person was deliberately trying to hurt them. Who’s the victim? Who’s the villain? It’s hard to say. Probably neither. Real human relationships are messy, and we’re not mind readers. It’s impossible to know the intent behind someone’s actions without living their experiences. Lots of things get lost in translation that way. Huge disclaimer that this doesn’t apply to abusive relationships. 

One of your publicity photos depicts you lying on the ground, the apparent victim of a shot from a toy gun. How does that image speak to the themes of “On Purpose.”

Yes! That’s the cover art. I love how it turned out. We got that picture when we were shooting the music video. The “On Purpose” MV is a play on old Western movies. The song has a lot of Western imagery, especially in the bridge where I describe a shootout. I wanted to do something that visually mirrored those themes. 

The Clara Kay project is about blending the hard and the soft. That explains the toy gun. Also, when I get shot at the end of the MV, confetti shoots out of me. I wanted to juxtapose the serious subject matter with humor. It’s kind of like adding a little bit of salt to chocolate. When you do that, the chocolate tastes sweeter. The line between comedy and tragedy is very thin, and dancing on that line makes for interesting art. 

The arrangement of the song is incredibly cinematic—a lot of rising and falling action both lyrically and musically. What was your approach to writing and recording it?

I wrote “On Purpose” with my friend Makena Tate! She’s the best. I had this melody in my Voice Notes that, honestly, I don’t even remember recording or coming up with – but we both loved it and that turned into the chorus melody. The story kind of wrote itself – we finished the first draft of the song in about 3.5-4 hours total, which is short for me.  

This song was part of my senior capstone project at Berklee College of Music. I was a Songwriting and Music Production & Engineering dual major. I had the chance to record the drums, acoustic guitar, and vocals in the Berklee facilities. Then, I worked with my boyfriend and long-time collaborator Preston Lydotes to produce the rest of the track from home. We were very particular about the dynamic shape of the song, using musical motion to highlight the emotion of the lyrics. It had to feel both liberating and devastating. Otherwise, the song just wouldn’t hit. Since this was the first song we produced for my project, we spent a long time experimenting with different sounds to get a gauge on what felt right. I think we came up with the perfect arrangement, though. I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out. 

Your press release mentions that you’ve fronted a number of rock bands while secretly writing folk songs in your bedroom. What did the experience of playing in bands teach you about music? How did it prepare you for your current incarnation as a solo artist?

Being in bands meant everything to me growing up. That’s how I learned how to play guitar and sing, and it’s how I made the majority of my friends. I was in bands throughout middle school, high school, and the first half of college. It taught me a lot of invaluable life skills, like teamwork, problem-solving, and active listening… but creatively, the best thing playing in bands has given me is a wider musical vocabulary. I can’t play the drumset (yet), but I can sure as hell write a good drum part. I couldn’t have done that without being around drummers multiple times a week for the past 10 or so years. 

I was originally terrified to go solo. I didn’t think I could do it; that I didn’t have good enough ideas on my own. I’d always been part of musical teams, so being entirely on my own was terrifying. But you’re only as alone as you allow yourself to be. Clara Kay is so much more than just me. It’s the production/mixing team, the friends I write with, the players I gig and record with, and the people who come to shows. Having that mindset helps to keep me motivated and inspired. 

Similarly, how does the music you’re making now balance the tension between your interests in rock and folk?

Rock and folk are more similar than you’d think. They’re both very “feelings forward” – you listen to these genres to feel something. For that reason, I’m making an effort not to seamlessly blend the influences. I think the emotional payoff is better when an element of surprise is involved. 

When I play “On Purpose” for friends, they think it’s going to be your typical singer-songwriter track, and then when the big drums come in for Chorus 2, they go “Oh my god!”. It’s a dopamine hit — for them and me. I hope my music can surprise people and leave a lasting impression on them. 

You’re originally from Dallas, but now you live in Boston. What led to that move, and how has it influenced your songwriting?

I came to Boston in 2021 to pursue my career at Berklee. I was barely a quarter of the songwriter, producer, and artist I am now when I first arrived. I think that “On Purpose” and the upcoming songs are a testament to that. Now that I’ve graduated, I’m headed to Nashville in the fall! I can’t wait. 

What’s on the horizon for you?

“On Purpose” is the first of many singles to come from this project. I can’t wait to share the rest soon. Besides that, I hope to gig locally this summer, write a ton, and continue expanding and exploring the world that is Clara Kay.