Hello

My Story

In the world of rock, country, and soul music, where the lines between

genres blur and passion knows no bounds, emerges me Kay...Kay Harper.

That isn't my legal name...no...there's a whole other story behind that if you

have time. It stems from who I was always supposed to be not who I've been.

I am the product of generations of men and women (most of them farmers!)

who like me had dreams and fears and failures and victories. I was born and

raised amidst the sprawling landscapes of farmland first settling in at the old

Harr Farm in the hills of Waterloo and later settling into farm life and graduating                   

in Napoleon, Michigan. I think my connection to nature and my rural upbringing has definitely left an undeniable mark on my musical identity. Holding tight to the traditions of my family's third-generation dairy farm in Waterloo and the character instilled in me from a young age, I'd say my journey as a singer-songwriter is a reflection of the resilience and roots that I grew from.

                                                                    Growing up I was often found in the fields weeding, picking                                                                          vegetables, driving the tractor down the lanes while the                                                                                stepdad who-shall-not-be-named picked corn, and helping                                                                            customers check out at the vegetable stand. I also learned                                                                            responsibility by helping with the animals and maintaining my                                                                        household chores. I think the hard work, discipline, and deep                                                                        rooted values instilled within me on those countryside acres                                                                            have become the driving force behind my unwavering determination to conquer the barriers that come my way. At the time I was probably resentful of the farmer way of life but now I truly see and understand the value and what it brought me. 

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I found a love for classic country stars like Patsy Cline that I would try to emulate. I have a memory from early elementary of playing lava floor while listening to her tape at our house in

Michigan Center & singing along. I also found that I really had a voice

to share at a young age watching American Idol when we lived at the

Harr Farm. I remember practicing people's audition songs while skating

around the living room in my roller skates & telling my mom I would

audition one day. I also remember in 3rd or 4th grade at Grass

Lake we had a music class where we learned My Favorite Things.

This was my first exposure to really singing. I believe this is where my love

for music may have really started. Through the years in public school I did

talent shows, sang in choir & select choir, sang the National Anthem at

sports events, and started learning guitar even having a guitar class at Napoleon high school that helped nurture that skill. The love and passion was pretty much always there....just festering waiting to explode. 

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At the early age of 18, I navigated the trials of young motherhood, steadfastly balancing my dreams of musical stardom with the responsibilities of raising a child. There were multiple times through the years that I was noticed by primetime reality talent shows like The Voice, AGT, & AI. I came very close to seeing myself on the tv screen but ultimately the big break didn't come. Refusing to let circumstances define me I continued to forge a path, working hard to provide for my son while keeping my dream alive. I was posting videos online, writing music, and starting to dabble in open mic nights to gain exposure and confidence on stage. After

finding sanctuary from a hard divorce at the Walz family farmhouse where my

grandpa was born in Waterloo I started playing in an indie band called Soul

Age. A couple years later after having my second son, music was again put at

the wayside while I navigated life working and taking care of my boys. As the

years went quickly by,13 to be exact (they go fast!), I felt I could no longer just

dabble. Time does not wait for you. Headfirst I have now jumped into the deep

end of live performing and am preparing to record an album of songs I have

written over the last year and a half. I am doing it. I am living my dream even with the obstacles that may be thrown my way.

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In my humble opinion, I feel that I stand tall as a warrior in the battle against issues like ageism, body stereotypes, and gender biases that plague the music industry. I also think I stand strong against the bondages that we keep on ourselves that hold us back like self-doubt and anxiety. 

With my previous and newfound experience with the industry I have noticed things that I never knew musicians had to navigate; producers that want to hear a certain story or portray a certain image, owners that only want to book skinny pretty young girls because they draw a crowd, an oversaturation of men in the market that dominate the industry, lack of acceptance into the scene, and other boundaries that exist.  With my powerful voice that traverses soulful lows and soaring highs and with the messages from my heart, I feel like I can defy expectations and shatter the boundaries that are put in our way. My music offers soulful messages of hope, survival, and the resilience of the human spirit that transcend any box they try to hold us in. I think we can all find some peace in that.

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                                             With each strum of the guitar and every heartfelt lyric, I hope to weave together

                                             a tapestry of triumph, reminding all that our dreams can bloom even in the                                                       unlikeliest of fields...yours and mine! My story isn't over yet. Maybe I'll be

                                             back to edit and add my new triumphs and trials here. What's next you ask?                                                   I'm reaching for the stars!

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