Hopeless romantics, Kat Marcella is preparing to release just the EP for you. With her distinctive brand of alternative rock, the rising New York-based songstress blends classic and modern influences to recount an emotional, tumultous journey through heartbreak. Thought-provoking narratives and a dreamy soundscape tie this intimate project together, as she explores the complexities of love and letting go.
Kat centers this vulnerable body of work around the theme of duality - such as joy vs. sorrow, ecstasy vs. grief, and clarity vs. delusion - right down to the pre-release single choices. Its title track, "Love Makes Me Cry," leans into melancholy and longing, but on the flip side, "F*ck Closure" embraces the bittersweet freedom of moving on. Recently, we had the privilege of catching up with Kat. We loved the insight she shared on these two tracks and the EP that's on the horizon - keep reading for our full interview with her!
YOU'LL LOVE KAT MARCELLA IF YOU LISTEN TO: Lana Del Rey, Mitski, Rainbow Kitten Surprise, Florence + The Machine, Lorde, Billie Eilish, HAIM, Taylor Swift, Boygenius
What artists did you grow up listening to, and who's on your playlist now? How do all of these names influence your craft?
I grew up listening to a lot of vintage jazz thanks to my dad, who gave me my first Frank Sinatra vinyl and Tony Bennett CD when I was really little. My mom also had a big influence on my music taste because she loves rock and would play Joan Jett, Blondie, and Shakira when I asked her to play music. Overall, jazz, rock, and Latin music complimented all the memories in my childhood, and I’m so grateful to have been introduced to those genres of music. To this day, I love Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, and Dean Martin—I actually saw Paul Anka live a few months ago! I know if my dad were still here, he would have loved that. As for my top fave artists (meaning those I can listen to on repeat all day), I’d list King Krule, Rainbow Kitten Surprise, DIIV, Beach Fossils, and though they’re newer, Latin Mafia’s new album is so good.
A lot of the artists who have made an impact on my craft have done so because of the rawness in their music. I absolutely love and fall for a song when it makes me feel less alone. A rock song that reminds me I’m not the only one angry at the world is so reassuring. When you hear singers from the ‘50s all the way to now in 2025 singing about the universal sadness caused by heartbreak, it feels like they are telling you that you’re not alone and you never have been, and that you can get through it just like they did. My lyrics are all very honest; I write about grief, heartbreak, coming to terms with your sexuality, dealing with mental health, and letting go. I try to be as vulnerable as possible in hopes that someone out there feels the same way the artists who have inspired me have made me feel.
What's your dream venue to perform at and why?
I haven’t really had just one dream venue; I think there are so many amazing ones in NYC alone. I actually had my first show at Brooklyn Music Kitchen on Tuesday, Feb 25th, which was really cool because I hadn’t been to the venue prior to being asked to perform there. I’d love to do more performances in Brooklyn; I’d say Brooklyn Paramount and Kings Theatre are at the top of my list. If I really had to pick though, I’d have to say Forest Hills Stadium is my dream venue right now. I just want to be on that stage rocking out to my songs and hoping I make younger me proud, like, “Hey kiddo, you finally moved back home and you did it - you made the music you always wanted to make, now go out there and sing.”
On social media, you've shared footage from an EP listening party you hosted. How did it feel to share the project with fans early? Without giving any spoilers, tell us about some of your favorite reactions to the EP at that event!
It was so wonderful having everyone there that night. It turned out better than I could have ever expected; people came out from near and far to listen to the songs before their release, and that means the absolute world to me. After the first run-through of all the tracks, people asked me to play the entire project in a row again—and any jitters I may have had instantly went away. Everyone in that room was so sweet and supportive, but my favorite reactions or moments were when people came up to tell me why they liked a certain song after it played. No spoilers, but the third song on my EP was a lot of people’s favorite of the night hehe.
In what ways did "Love Makes Me Cry" feel like the perfect title track and lead single for this EP?
“Love Makes Me Cry” ended up being the title track for the EP after reflecting on the theme in every song that ties them all together: love. The entire project is really a collection of moments that brought me to tears in one way or another because of love or the lack of it. I finally had started to accept that I deserved true love and gentleness and had a taste of it, only to have it taken away abruptly. This caused me a lot of pain but also forced me to stop looking past red flags I kept ignoring. The title track is really about that.
“F*ck Closure” is the aftermath, the anger that ultimately leads to saying “F*ck it” and accepting what happened. “Girls” (the third song on the EP) is the most upbeat song on the project and definitely the most steamy, but I wrote it after coming to terms with the fact that I liked girls too. It took me years to come to terms with this reality, and it was so beautiful, scary, and exciting when it did. The last two songs on the project are about being hurt so badly by a loved one that it feels like they took your heart with them when they left. Every time I’ve experienced love, it’s brought tears, whether familial, in friendships, or through partners and momentary people.
How did you approach the storytelling of "Love Makes Me Cry" - both in the lyrics and the overall sound?
I started the idea for “Love Makes Me Cry” almost two years ago when I had a “this is my last straw” moment with love. The lyrics came to me like word vomit because I finally understood what I was feeling, and I couldn’t hold back anymore. I was told by various people I looked up to at a really young age that love wasn’t in the cards for me. I didn’t understand what it meant or why they said it, but I let those words consume me, and it made me detached, but never completely cold. I still yearned for love, to be held, to want to stay for someone. This split view on love (fueled by desire and fear) meant sweet words were just enough to give my heart to someone - even if just for a moment.
“I’m not love sick, I just fall quick if they tell me that I’m perfect” is a summary of falling for people based on temporary kindness even when my gut was telling me they would never keep my heart safe. I originally wrote “Love makes me cry, I know why” one or two times in the song, but it became the chorus after producer and fellow artist LOUD HOUND showed me how catchy it could be. With his guitar and my harmonies, we were able to create this sound of longing and hope that I was really trying to get across in the entire song. “With you by my side, I would try one more time” is that kiss of hope in the song. I had found someone worth trying for, even if it came with the possibility of bringing me to tears again.
Between the intense emotions and vulnerable lyrics of "Love Make Me Cry," it sounds like it means a lot to you. What were some challenges, as well as some of your proudest moments, in bringing this track to life?
I think the challenge with this song was the number of times I recreated/re-wrote the lyrics. As I mentioned before, I knew what I was feeling and why, but it was so much. I didn’t know how to fit it all into one song. I was enraged that I gave the wrong people access to my heart, but also so happy I was no longer around those people. I wrote a few versions of the song that felt like diary entries until I figured out how to make the words relatable but still 100% honest. I’d say my proudest moment in bringing this track to life was when I solidified the structure of the song. The instrumentality came so naturally once I was able to structure my story with a beginning, middle, and end.
I love the comic-like cover art and visuals for "Love Makes Me Cry." Who designed these, and what was the artistic vision? How do they echo the themes of the song?
I’ve always loved Roy Lichtenstein's artwork since a lot of it depicts women expressing whatever they feel. I thought the phrase “Love Makes Me Cry” was worthy of being screamed on rooftops because it means that much to me. The idea of my face as the character saying that phrase looked really cool in my head. My boyfriend is an amazing artist, and he took the actual photograph for the cover art. He then digitally recreated them himself (that includes drawing each one of the beauty marks on my face). I’m so grateful because it brought to life the exact vision I had in mind for the cover art. It all brings to life the reality of what it feels like when you’re hurt in love, like you’re the main character in a movie, a comic strip, a book - it becomes this aching pain that makes you wonder, “Why do I have to feel this?”
You've previously shared that "F*ck Closure" is partly based on your own experiences. What inspired you to write a song about how you dealt with this step of moving on?
“F*ck Closure” was very much all the experiences I’ve had coming together in one big cathartic release. The range of experiences goes from being emailed by an ex through various emails to get a hold of me, to the typical random late-night texts, to complete and utter sweetness - just to end up in the same place: alone.
At first, I moved on by doing what I’ve always done best: completely detaching. I was quick to remove someone from my life as if they never existed. When I did that, it made me feel like none of the good moments ever happened, so nothing bad could have either. I realized I was just compartmentalizing and not processing the number of times I was disappointed. I was able to actually move on by recognizing my worth and examining the things I let slide in the past. I still unfollowed people, blocked, and ignored, but this time it was for my peace and not out of anger.
In "F*ck Closure," how did you aim to strike a balance between angry catharsis and the acceptance in letting go?
I tried to keep the song upbeat and light so that it wasn’t an “angry song,” but more human. After all, I was angry because I was sad, and I was sad because I felt the beginning or the end of love with various people. It’s never all just anger. In the song, I’m basically saying I’ve never experienced closure from the other person, but I’m okay with that because knowing that it wasn’t meant to be is closure enough.
Tell us about working with LOUD HOUND! In what ways do their production and artistry resonate with you?
Working with LOUD HOUND was honestly the best thing I could have done for this project and my music overall. We have super similar music tastes, so it was easy to communicate what I wanted my final mixes to sound like. Even though he was adding a ton of instruments, then taking them out, and trying things out, we got through some of the songs in only a few days. His production skills brought out the most high-energy part of the songs, like the fun guitar solos and fast tambourine shakes. They also brought out the best in the slower parts in my songs, with melodic guitar and soft drums - his talent is unbelievable.
Overall, his artistry resonates with me because a lot of the experiences he mentions in his music are relatable to me and what my music says too. I’ve experienced being the person who doesn’t feel ready enough to settle down, I’ve been the girl who is scared to love and would rather run. I’ve also experienced heartbreak and loneliness so heavy it makes you feel like you’re sinking. Go stream “Comet” later if you’re reading this; it’s one of my favorite songs of his.
Other than "Love Makes Me Cry" and "F*ck Closure" - which we've already heard - what track on the upcoming EP are you most excited for fans to hear and why?
I honestly think the last song on the EP is the one I'm most excited for everyone to hear. I performed it live recently, and it got so much positive feedback from the crowd about how it made them feel, so that’s always a good sign. It’s really because the instrumentation on that song complements the lyrics and vibe of the song so well that it makes me want to cry no matter how many times I hear it. I feel all the pain for the first time again every time I hear the song.
And finally the P&P Classic! From "Love Makes Me Cry" or "F*ck Closure," what is a lyric that you feel especially drawn to? Walk us through the process of yourself writing it, and how you personally connect to it!
The line “Not a loner, but alone” from “F*ck Closure” really hits every time I listen to it or sing the song. Those words reveal the growth I’ve had over the years from being someone who chooses not to get close to anyone out of fear of getting hurt, to someone who is okay with being alone and not chasing fleeting romance. It’s my way of saying “I’m okay with being alone,” because that’s when you find out what you really want out of love.
If "Love Makes Me Cry" and "F*ck Closure" are any indication, Kat's upcoming EP will undoubtedly take listeners on a cathartic, yet thrilling emotional rollercoaster ride. Her natural gift of telling personal stories through a universal lens sets her apart as one of the most promising up-and-comers in the indie music scene. We can't get enough of her compelling lyricism and ethereal vocals, and the EP certainly can't come fast enough. Until then, here's a playlist we've curated to capture her vibe!
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