Katherine Filippeos: "Give Beautiful & Take Wonderful" (Exclusive Feature/Interview)
Where are you from?
I am a Greek Canadian and was born and raised in Toronto.
How did you get your start in music?
My father is a musician, a multi-instrumentalist and composer. He founded the Odeon School of Music in Toronto in the 60’s where he taught and helped many musicians and teachers launch a career in music. The school is where I began my formal training in Guitar and piano. In addition, he founded the Athenian Orchestra which was a popular band, particularly in the Greek community; this is where I began my career at the age of 14 as a performer, playing weekend gigs in Toronto and Southern Ontario.
Is music a big part of your family?
Absolutely! My brother, producer Chris Phillips, began his music career similarly, under my father’s wing. Essentially, we both studied music at the school where we eventually became teachers. Soon after, we joined the band and all played together. My uncle Jim (my dad’s brother) is also very musical and was the drummer of the band. My mom, mostly responsible for the administration is also very passionate about music. Initially, she took guitar lessons at the school where she met my dad and then went on to eventually learn to play flute. She traveled with us to most of our gigs.
What artists and songs did you grow up listening to?
I was exposed to my dad’s favorites when I was little. Barbara Streisand records were big on our playlist at home. He also enjoyed some popular music and we listened a lot to Whitney Houston and George Michaels. I also remember listening to Toni Braxton and Taylor Dayne. We learned a lot of 90’s Top 40 songs for our gigs with the band; specifically I remember singing covers from Ace of base and Deee-Lite. We also listened to Greek music. Strangely, my passion for guitar intensified after hearing a collaboration with popular Greek singer Dalaras and Spanish flamenco guitarist Paco de Lucia. After this audio experience I was sure guitar was going to play a huge role in my musical evolution.
When I hit my teens I started discovering other music that I enjoyed and that inspired me to pick up an acoustic guitar which includes artists Alanis Morisette, Sheryl Crow and Jewel.
What is the biggest message you want to bring to your audience?
The purpose of my music is to encourage introspection, observation and interdependence, reflecting various aspects of our joys and struggles as human-beings. The music, lyrics, visual & social content is designed to be a journey to our inner-self to discover the energy of positive thinking that can emanate within each of us and as a result out to the world. Ultimately, I believe we need to understand how brilliant each and every one of us are, to appreciate our differences and to encourage each other.
What has been the most challenging part of your music journey?
There have been many challenges throughout my career. The main one has been finding my own voice— and by that I mean, discovering what I stand for and what my intentions are. There are a lot of people in the industry that try, and many times succeed, in influencing the direction of artists in a way that is primarily focused on what is trending and selling or some other reason that disconnects the artist from thier purpose. I have been in the music industry since I was practically a child and it has been a massive struggle to stand on my own two feet and say this is who I am and this is what I do. I no longer try to fit into a norm and I feel completely solid in my shoes. It is a fight worth while and in my heart and soul I have finally won. My ultimate goal in life is to be in harmony with myself and to express my truth in an effort to offer comfort and value to people through art.
Any good vocal health tips you can share?
A good warm up routine is important. Loosening up and starting gently with the voice when you are about to begin practicing, rehearsing or getting ready for a gig. Working with a coach to learn how, when and where to breathe, in combination with phrasing is a basic requirement. In addition, I think a singer needs to invest time in discovering what works for them vocally and how they will handle their voice during a performance. I find that sometimes trying to sound like someone or copy something can cause psychological stress and as a result harm the vocal chords. A good night’s sleep is fundamental as is knowing when you need to take a break.
What are your goals for the rest of 2023?
In February, I released my original “Give Beautiful & Take Wonderful” which is the first of a series of songs that I produced with just me on guitar and vocals. A few of the upcoming tracks are original guitar instrumentals, but also include songs that have influenced my growth as a musician. One of these releases will include my arrangement of the Concierto de Aranjuez,” that I performed for my A.R.C.T. guitar performance exam at the Royal Conservatory of Music Toronto.
My main goal for this year is to set a clear path that leads to where I want to go, which as I mentioned earlier, is making music and being involved with artistic projects to encourage people’s growth and to tap into their extraordinary potential. Part of my work day includes composing material and preparing for future projects and setting long-term goals. By the end of 2023 the singles off of this full album will have been released and my team and I will be in production recording and filming fresh material!
At present I am gearing up for my upcoming release “No Pain No Glory” out March 31. This composition essentially signifies the worthwhile struggle we all must go through striving to be our best selves. I am completely exhilarated!
