Leah Kate is ready to prove to people that she is more than her viral hit single “10 Things I Hate About You” which broke her globally in 2022. The American singer-songwriter has just released her debut album “Super Over” which she explains as her proof to people that she has more to say and show the world. The confident body of work led by the singles “Happy”, “Space” and title track “Super Over” feels like a re-introduction to listeners as she delivers this polished and punchy sound full of energy and growth.

While Leah Kate was backstage getting ready for her headline show in Nashville, I had a chat with her via zoom about the confident energy behind her debut album “Super Over”, the process of bringing these songs onto the live stage, and discussed the legacy she hopes this record has for her. Check it out BELOW;

THOMAS BLEACH: We are officially in the debut album era of Leah Kate, and “Super Over” is an unapologetic collection of tracks that feels like an ultimate exploration of freedom and confidence. When you listen back to this body of work, what feelings do you experience? 

LEAH KATE: I would say it makes me feel very healed and empowered. There were moments throughout the creative process of this record where I was obviously not feeling healed or empowered, but through writing it, it’s taken me to a place of understanding. 

TB: Sonically It feels rooted in a bit of 2000’s pop-rock with some classic nostalgia and famous nods thrown into the mix. Did you specifically find yourself inspired by 2000’s music and pop culture when working on this record? 

LK: Definitely! A lot of the songs were inspired by vintage Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Charli XCX, Carly Rae Jepsen, and a lot of those pop queens. 

TB: You’ve experienced quite a bit of trolling on the internet, but as I said before, this record feels so confident and bold. Does it almost feel like a “watch me” moment to anyone who has second guessed you or tried to make you feel less than you are as you prove them wrong?

LK: For sure! Emotionally speaking, I feel like I’m in a way more confident place now. I was numb all of last year, but now I feel stronger than ever in so many ways. This record shows that I’m more than “10 Things I Hate About You”. I still love that song, and I love performing it, and I’m so grateful for all the support, but I am really excited to show the world that I’m more than just that song, as a lot of people only know me for it.

TB: The first song I wanted to talk about is “I Forgot”, which is an immediate standout on the album, with its anthemic pop-rock production that feels like it will be a new highlight in the live show. Can you explain the creative process behind this track and how it came together?

LK: This was a really hard song to come together. I was in my room in Hawaii and I couldn’t think of anything to write that day. I was going back and forth between a few different ideas, and somehow we just landed on the title ‘I forgot’. It’s obviously so simple, but a big theme in my life is not forgetting about people that I should. And there’s just something so cool about the simplicity about, “whoops, I forgot to forget you”. And I love the double use of I forgot, and it’s just super, relatable, and so me because I’m constantly like “why am I still thinking about you?”. I just feel like it sums up a lot of feelings for me. 

TB: Another anthemic track on the record for a different reason is the title track “Super Over”, which I described as the “baddie anthem” of 2023. The bad ass energy of this song is genuinely everything I need every day in my life. So where were you mentally when you wrote this song? Had someone just pissed you off? Did you have a bad day? Or were you just needing to write a strut down the street song that day?

LK: I was definitely in an unstable place when I wrote that song and I needed an anthem to cut somebody very specific off, and out of my life. When I listen to that song, it helps me go there. I’m like, “I don’t need you at all”. And I wrote that song with that direct intention in mind.

TB: “911” continues that “strut down the energy” – so do you remember some of the sonical references you had for that track? 

LK: Charli XCX and Robyn inspired “911” a lot. 

TB: While the record does have these big, playful, anthemic moments, one of the other big standouts is the vulnerable “Unbreakup”. This shows a different side of the breakup that we don’t often hear where you breakup with someone and then realise you fucked up and wish you had them back. Can you explain the studio session behind this track?

LK: That song was simply written off the idea of wishing you could go back and get back together with someone after a breakup. It is super simple, but I love the simplicity of it – “ I wish I could unbreak up with you”. I wrote that one crying on my floor. So it’s definitely a really special one to me, and I love that one a lot. 

TB: The lyric I loved the most from this track was “Wanted freedom so bad. But when I got it, it wasn’t all that”. I’ve been in this exact same situation last year and felt that truly to my core. 

LK: I love that lyric! I’m so sorry that you can relate to it though *laughs*, it’s definitely not a fun feeling. 

TB: And talking about lyrics I loved on this album, one of my other favourites was from “Bad Taste” with “Running back to you is my toxic trait” cause I have also done that. 

LK:  That’s the one I relate to most also. I feel like we have a very similar energy in that way. We clearly have a lot in common *laughs*. I’ll never forget writing that lyric.

TB: What song on the album went through the most versions to get it to where it is now on the record?

LK: “Desperate”! I re-recorded the vocals for it eight times because I didn’t sound desperate enough. And because the song is called “Desperate” I really wanted to make sure I sounded super desperate and that it perfectly represented that feeling. But for some reason it was really hard for me to replicate that feeling and sound while recording, so it took an unusual amount of time. It took around 6 months to finish. 

TB: A few days ago you just kicked off your first ever US headlining tour. So while you were preparing for the tour, what was the hardest song from the album to bring into the live space?

LK: They were honestly all so hard to sing at first. I had a mental breakdown the first day of rehearsal because I only had two days. And I was like, “Oh my God, all these songs are so new”. I hadn’t sung them since the studio versions months ago, so it was a lot to remember and get my head around. But I would say “911” was the hardest as the pre-chorus was so high to sing. When I first went into rehearsal I was like “Oh my god, I can’t sing”, but now after these three shows I’m like, “oh these are all so easy now”.  

TB: From the couple of shows you’ve played so far, has a song from the album surprised you with how the crowd has reacted to it? 

LK: “I Forgot”. People are obsessed with it!  

TB: Last year you came to Australia for the first time for some headline shows and to perform at the TikTok For You Fest. What was the biggest misconception you had about Australia that you debunked when you were here?

LK: Oh, I don’t like Vegemite. I don’t know why people think it’s good. I didn’t like it. So I’m going to have to go with that. 

TB: Can we expect another Leah Kate Australian tour on the horizon soon?

LK: For sure! I’m trying to get back there ASAP. So stay tuned! 

“Super Over” is out now!