Cat Burns: “At 18 you think you know everything, and then 22, you realise you don’t know anything at all”

Multi-BRIT-nominated South London artist Cat Burns pens a love letter to early adulthood with her hotly-anticipated debut album, ‘early twenties’.

Words: Steven Loftin.

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Cat Burns is ready to leave herself behind. That’s not to say she’s abandoning ship; instead, she’s stoically focused on the horizon ahead. “I’m excited for that part of my life to be out and no longer mine,” she says of her debut album, ‘early twenties’. “Other people can have those songs and connect with it in whatever way they see fit.”

People connecting with her songs is exactly how Cat reached this point. Since her career found its feet after the 2020 success of her single ‘go’ and its defiantly heart-wrenching barefacedness, the multi-BRIT-Award-nominated songwriter has been on a bit of a journey. Couple that with navigating the titular age span, and it’s been a prime time for self-discovery – and she’s pretty confident in who she is now. “I’m a different person, more mature, much more emotionally regulated,” she laughs. “As much as I can be at 24!”

Reflecting on how much she’s grown, as well as how much she’s achieved, has been a formative part of this process. From that viral smash to support slots with Ed Sheeran and Sam Smith, Cat’s been on the up and up. But, most importantly, she’s been living and learning. “I haven’t written any new songs for over a year now,” she reveals. Instead, her time has been spent sitting with ‘early twenties’, and, well, existing in this fresh headspace of hers and seeing how it fits. “I’ve grown up so much that I’m excited to see what this person now has to say and how she has to say it.”

Cat is someone who’s always been about self-improvement. Since graduating from The BRIT School and being nominated in the BBC Sound Of 2023 poll, it’s all been about the ascension. “That’s always been my hyper fixation,” she says. Whether it was music or not, she reckons she was destined to have figured things out to this point. “Maybe there would have been another creative outlet for me to express some of that through,” she says. “But I think I would have always gotten here in terms of where I am physically and spiritually.”

But being able to hit play and hear her experiences played back to her has been handy for another reason. “With my neurodivergent brain, it takes ages for me to process things that happen to me,” she says. “So I think writing and having a period of time, or song that represents a period of time, where I’m honest and say everything as it is when I can look back at it a few months later and listen to it and be like, ‘Oh, wow, that was what I was experiencing, and that was what I was going through’. It helps me understand myself more.”

Being able to openly engage with and embrace her identity has been the most integral aspect of Cat’s journey. Understanding the self-reflection music could offer stemmed from hearing the likes of touring pal Ed, Tori Kelly and India Arie (who also features on ‘early twenties’) when she was a teen. Those linchpins were integral to Cat being able to process her inner workings. But, more importantly, they allowed her to see – or hear – what that could be. 

Her acoustic-driven pop’s charm is in its openness. “That stripped-back sound I’ve always felt the most connected to,” she says. “But I also gave myself the freedom to know that sometimes I might feel like I want to create a different vibe or something that has a bit more tempo. So I always kind of knew it lived within the pop space, but it took a bit of trial and error on where within the pop space I wanted to live.”

“I wanted the album to be about being in your early 20s, and the songs just wrote themselves”

cat burns

There’s a natural companionship between her music and Cat’s ease with being so open. “It’s easier for me to say things in song form than just normal words,” she says. “I think it’s easier to hide behind singing something super vulnerable than saying it, so that’s never felt uncomfortable. For me, it’s probably more uncomfortable for me to just say something that might be more vulnerable. That, to me, is what music is about. The artists that I love are the ones that just say it, and they’re honest, and that’s how I have always wanted to exist as an artist.”

The idea of encapsulating her pivotal eras in song was always part of Cat’s game plan. She’s “always had a fixation with age, and time and growing older,” ear-marking her early twenties for the spotlight. “I knew I wanted the album to be about being in your early 20s and everything that I’m experiencing,” she says. “And then the songs kind of just wrote themselves because I was just naturally experiencing things, and people around me were naturally experiencing things as well.”

Somewhat akin to Adele’s age-related release system, Cat’s future will encompass more than just these segments. It could be her next batch of years or centred around particular moments – who knows – but it’ll be undiluted Cat Burns. With a wisened tone, she explains there’s more for her to live. “I read somewhere that says at 18 you think you know everything, and then 22, you realise you don’t know anything at all. I definitely thought I knew more than what I actually do!” She laughs, “And I think now, at 24, there are more trials and tribulations to come.”

Cat’s rise stems from her ability to carve a relatable space for anyone to inhabit during their trials. Her stories of life feel familiar and wearable; it’s no surprise that ‘Go’ found its way to the masses on TikTok and a major label deal, accelerating Cat into a new realm. But she’s not one to let this get to her head. “I love music, and it’s my passion. It’s something that I’ve always loved since I was a kid, and it’s my dream. But also, it is a job – I don’t buy into my own hype,” she cooly quips. “I believe in myself, I think I am a good artist, but it’s a difficult one because as quickly as you come up, you come down.”

Being grateful for the eyes and ears upon her, Cat is a studious one, locked firmly on the prize. She adds: “I didn’t let that define or come into my worthiness as a person. I think that with all external things, which is why I think I’ve remained quite normal.” It’s why she’s still content with keeping a low profile and experiencing life through an everyday lens rather than acting like someone who’s played stadiums and seen viral success. “When I’m not doing music stuff, I’m at home, watching TV. I see my friends, but I live a very quiet, mundane life.”

Cat, however, is still an artist, and she’s also made a short film to go alongside the album. Starring India Amarteifio (Bridgerton), Samuel Bottomley (How To Have Sex) and Sam Reuben (Everything Now), bringing ‘early twenties’ to life is a dream come true, not only bringing this segment of Cat’s life to the screen but fuelling her ambitions for the future. “It highlighted to me more so than ever how much I want to keep doing things like that, how much I want to incorporate my love of film and TV with my love of music, and how I can improve each time…and how can I tell a really well rounded, crafted story and make it into a spectacle? How can I be even more dramatic about what it is I’m trying to say?”

“There are always ways to improve and to be better. But I think the album and the film is a great way to showcase to people what you can expect from me,” she adds. “Ideally, on a bigger scale each time. I want everything to feel connected and feel like a world that we’re existing in.”

This brings it all back to that connection Cat offers and, most importantly, knowing as the years rack up, there will be more to come. “The best songs I have yet to make because I’m ever-changing and ever-growing,” she says. “I’m excited to see what that is.” 

Whatever that will be, it’s rooted in a basic premise that involves Cat remaining honest and authentic to herself, which in turn offers the same up to any ears listening. “I always want to tell real stories and real experiences – that’s it, really,” she says. “I always want to be honest. That’s what I’ve learned about myself through the making of this first album and how I want to go on to create future music. Ultimately, my goal is to connect with people and inspire people but make people feel seen. That’s how I found myself.” ■

Taken from the August 2024 issue of Dork. Cat Burns’ debut album ‘early twenties’ is out now.