Kat performing Live (Promo Photo Credit: Eric Micotto)

Born in Tokyo and raised in New Zealand, Kat McDowell makes music with an Ocean Pop sound delivered in a blend of Japanese and English that is uniquely her own. While drawing inspiration from artists like The Police and Jason Mraz, she also grew up listening to J-pop and discovered her love of the ocean and surfing as a teen in New Zealand.

Her career kick started when her first record went to no 1. on the vinyl charts in Japan selling out after two days, and has since released 4 albums, 5 mini albums and appeared on several TV commercials in Japan. She has shared the stage with artists like Switchfoot and Colbie Caillat, and played over 1000 shows across the globe..

(Photo Credit: Rockella Renee)

Her mission is to connect people through music, which shows through her openness and highly interactive performances. In 2015 she was a top 5 finalist in the Guitar Center Singer-Songwriter competition out of 14,000 submissions and her DIY stop motion lyric video for “Language of My Heart” won the “voice of the people” award in the 2018 Independent Music Awards and in 2019 Kat’s version of the White Stripes' “We’re gonna be friends” was on an Xfinity and Apple commercial, getting a stamp of approval from Jack White himself.

2020 started with a bang when her collaboration “Outside Inside” with EDEN KAI was selected for multiple “New Music Friday” Spotify Editorial playlists around the world and Kat released her song “1000 Paper Cranes” as a tribute to her Japanese grandmother just as the pandemic hit and it sparked the idea to start zoom Origami workshops for her supporters as a way to connect and bring some comfort and therapy. The weekly live music / origami workshops on youtube and twitch have been a hit and have been picked up by colleges, conventions, summer camps and schools all over the US.

Most recently in 2021, Kat’s newest song “Kokoro no Kakera (Kintsugi)” won Grand Prize in the World Section of the John Lennon Songwriting Competition. – Via Official Website

In addition to that indie, J-Pop style, Kat also has more works under an alternate stage name, KAT. Biography text VIA Official Website.