Karra Rhodes: A Rising Star in Country-Pop Music and Songwriting

By: Annah Marcelle, Singer-Songwriter
May 21, 2024

Introduction

I'm thrilled to be interviewing Karra Rhodes, an aspiring singer, songwriter, and musician currently based in New Zealand. Originally from Scotland, Karra is an exciting fresh talent on the scene. An accomplished songwriter, guitarist, and pianist, she pours her emotions and melodies into every song and lyric. Her unique sound blends contemporary country tones with pop influences, creating music that resonates with authenticity and depth.

I first connected with Karra in a Facebook group for independent songwriters and artists. I was immediately impressed with her music and was excited to add two of her singles to my new Spotify playlist, Indie Girls 2024, which is specially curated to showcase female independent artists around the globe. Today, we're diving into Karra’s journey, her creative process, and what lies ahead for this rising star.

---

Interview with Karra Rhodes

Can you talk about your journey into songwriting and what sparked your passion for it?

Honestly, for as long as I can remember I have been songwriting. Since I was a child! It has always been my outlet, my way to sort of unravel what’s going on around me, in my life, or the people around me. It’s a creative outlet that even when I had no intention of getting out there with my own music, helped me a lot.

What is your songwriting process like? Do you have any rituals or habits that help you get into the creative zone?

Quite often I’ll think of one line, a saying, a phrase, even just a small detail and it will sit in my head for a day where I am thinking to myself, there’s more to it than just that little bit, what’s the rest of it. I sit down with that one line, or one idea and play a few chords on the piano / guitar and the rest sort of writes itself a lot of the time. I don’t think I have any rituals or habits, I know though that as soon as the little spark of inspiration hits, I need to get it out, otherwise it disappears, and I feel that’s a waste.

Can you share any details about the album you're working on with the renowned producer Greg Haver? How has this collaboration influenced your songwriting?

Honestly, Greg has been monumental for me. Mainly because he actually believed in me and pushed me when I didn’t really believe in myself. He told me to back myself and I’ve held to that. Having someone who is as good as he is have that solid belief in you, that can change things. He has been an excellent mentor and a good friend now too. The album we are working on I hope will share a lot of songs / stories that everyone can relate to in some way. I will try and make sure there are some fun up beat country/pop songs but I can’t promise too much! But with the songs chosen, I am really really really excited to see what Greg and the team of musicians can turn them into!

How do you approach co-writing with other artists? What do you find most rewarding about these collaborations?

It’s a learning process and I like to find little things that they do and somehow take it on board and encapture it in what I do too. Some artists love perfect rhymes, some like me like it to be messy and chaotic but somehow work with perhaps just the same vowel sound or an imperfect rhyme. Some love to come to the table with an idea and a melody already sussed. Everything is different, for me - I usually start a song and finish a song within an hour max - when I’m by myself there has to be no time in between, I have to get the bones of the song out and tweak it later. But I am learning with other artists all these new skills and even patience with songwriting that I didn’t have before.

You mentioned feeling very protective of your music. How do you balance this with the desire to share and potentially sell your songs?

Hahaha, come back to me on this one in a few years! I haven’t yet found that balance. I love co-writing though, I don’t feel protective when there are shared ideas. And even toplining - where I write lyrics on top of someone’s else's instrumentals, I don’t feel too protective over them as I know the inspiration came from someone else and it is not mine alone. I have too many songs of my own that I feel deserve to get out there and not disappear, and they don’t align with the direction I am heading in. But it would take someone special who suits the songs for me to let them go and who I know would take care of them.

Can you describe a song you've written that you're particularly proud of? What was the inspiration behind it and what does it mean to you?

There is a song coming out in the next few months that I am incredibly proud of. The song won’t be for everyone as it is on that ballad side of music, but it means the most to a person who matters most to me. It is a song that every line, she knows what I am referencing, she lived those moments. But you will have to wait until July / August to hear this one! There is also one other song I will be recording in August with my producer that I am very excited to record, again, I think because of the message underneath it - it reflects some of the stories some of us don’t want to hear (domestic violence), but I hope I’ve captured it in a way that does justice to people who have experienced it.

As someone who loves songwriting but isn't as fond of the limelight, how do you manage being a singer and performer while staying true to your passion for writing?

I know right now this is the journey phase, I understand to be a credible songwriter, one of the best ways to get my music out there is to showcase it myself until someone comes along that I can perhaps step back from it all and allow them to take the reins. Perhaps being an independent artist adds to that, nobody is telling me what to write about, what people want to hear more of. I write what I want to write and what matters to me, hopefully that won’t change.

What are your thoughts on stepping back from performing in the future to focus solely on songwriting? What excites you about this possibility?

I think I might always perform a little, but I would like for it not to be the driving force behind it all. I really don’t want to have to focus on looking good in front of a camera (I am very awkward and a bit goofy if I am honest in real life) and content etc as that is what it seems to be about these days. I just want to write music and ‘find a home’ for the music and see someone else bring it to life in their own ways. The thought of being able to make a living from something that I could spend every moment of every day doing just because I love it, is also great. But if I lived the rest of my life never making a cent from writing music, odds are you’ll find me at 99 years old still writing music.

How do you ensure that the stories and emotions in your songs resonate with your audience?

In a way I don’t… I’m not sure how that might come across, but I don’t think about who will listen to it when I am writing it. At all. But I think as an average human being, there are a lot of stories and songs I write where hopefully people can think and say ‘oh yes, I have felt that way!’.

What do you look for in an artist when you're considering co-writing or giving away one of your songs?

I hate to say it, but I do look for their voice. Their tone and their ability to create emotions in their words and voice. I don’t care about how many followers / how many streams you have. I only want them to be able to portray the song correctly.

What are your goals for your music in the next few years, especially regarding songwriting and collaborations?

Every time I release a song, I focus on a list of artists in my head that I am inspired by and I would say are ‘within my reach’ of asking to collaborate with and I reach out. I have tried reaching out to some bigger names, but gosh, I don’t even know how to go about getting their attention, and to be honest they probably have a thousand songwriters vying for their attention.

I think for me, music release over the next few years is important. But mainly connections, I want it to be a long career in music - so I am focusing on meeting good, honest and fun people to connect with!

How do you envision your career evolving as you focus more on songwriting and less on performing?

Right now the two worlds are so combined it is hard to think about it being any different, but I would love for it to evolve to a point where I don’t have to keep up with the whole visual content side of things, because that really is a bit overwhelming for me, I can just be sort of hidden away, write great melodies, write great songs, connect with artists (on a friendship level too and evolve that way) and help them with their music. One day, I hope I’ll have enough experience and guidance that I can help new artists.

Are there any specific artists or producers you'd love to work with in the future?

I have a few in mind, but I get nervous even saying it out loud because that seems like such a high standard to ever reach! But gosh, if I could dream beyond reality it would be artists such as Alexandra Kay / Abby Anderson / Carrie Underwood. Their songs are real and are so packed with emotion and stories, I can’t get my head around how much their lyrics actually make me feel involved with their music!

How do you stay motivated and passionate about songwriting, especially during challenging times?

I think because songwriting is an outlet for me, I tend to write even more during those challenging times, even if the songs will never make it further than just sitting on my piano in my little lyric book. But motivation in the music industry is a hard one, you have to realise things don’t have overnight, or at least for people like me, it’s about the little steps, the right steps. When I feel disheartened or that what I want to achieve is not going to happen, I look back at the last year and remember how happy those little moments of success did make me feel, and that’s enough for me to get me back on track. I don’t give up easy! But I’m also far from perfect, believe me, there are a lot of times music does bring me down too and the unrealistic expectations and the feeling of not being as good as others.

What advice would you give to aspiring songwriters who are just starting out?

Don’t stop. And once you get started, do not EVER compare what you are doing to others. If you go down the rabbit hole looking at other artists and negatively reflecting on yourself, you might never come back up. Stay consistent, keep writing, and keep putting it out there.

What do you hope listeners take away from your music, both now and in the future?

I hope they realise that I’m really just your average person, and if I can do it, they can do it too. Even if it doesn’t ‘amount to much’ in the eyes of stardom, it still means something.

You can check out more of Karra Rhodes on her website, Instagram, and Spotify!

Website: Karra Rhodes

Instagram: Karra Rhodes (@karra_rhodes) • Instagram photos and videos

Spotify: Karra Rhodes | Spotify