“This One’s for You” is the title of the upcoming debut album of local songwriter Katie Dineen.The nine-track album shows off a variety of themes that every music lover can enjoy.
Support Local Stories. Donate Here.
“Some of them are more of a full band kind of leaning into indie rock. And some of them are much more stripped-down acoustic songwriter feeling,” Dineen said about the songs. “But I would say that all of the songs kind of live somewhere in that you know, kind of sweet, easy listening, songwriter…just ranging from that softer folky stuff to more full band rock influence.”
Dineen’s influences are wide ranging from the beauty of nature to the pain of heartbreak.
“I drew a lot of inspiration from nature,” said Dineen. “And then also processing feelings of love and heartbreak, I went through a breakup in the last year. And so, this feels kind of cliche, it's what all musicians write about, love and heartbreak. Also themes of slowing down, and I draw a lot of inspiration from the stream of consciousness in the very early morning.”
Other inspirations include Robert Heinlein’s “Stranger in a Strange Land,” as well as hearing other local folk musicians around the area such as Mike Potters.
When recording “The One’s for You,” Dineen called on the services of local funk band Nobius, as well as former bandmates from Monarch and the Milkweeds.Dineen spent several years building relationships with local musicians. She organizes the monthly Pensacola Singer Songwriter Rounds at The Handlebar.
RELATED: Gather 'round for the Pensacola Songwriter Rounds
“My boyfriend, Jacob Palmer, contributed a lot to the full band songs because he played electric bass and electric guitar on the more rock songs,” said Dineen. “There's a song called ‘Along for the Ride,’ that's really sweet, and he's kind of like a male harmony throughout that whole song. And I'm singing through a telephone microphone. A couple of the players from the band Nobius played on the album. The drummer Chris Cantin played on the rock songs. And then also Zach Callahan from Nobius played saxophone on ‘Heaven in the Now.’ A couple of my old bandmates from Monarch and Milkweeds played on the more folky tracks. My upright bassist, Jake Rabalais, played on ‘All the Little Things.’ (And) My producer Starlin Browning also played the shaker on a couple of songs.”
Recording an album wasn’t a longtime goal for Dineen. Songwriting was more of a personal exploration.
“It was only after exploring that process of songwriting and deepening it that I wanted the songs to live outside of whenever I decided to play them because it kind of felt like a disservice to the songs and also to people who it could potentially reach or help,” she said.
Connecting with people has been her goal when it comes to writing and performing. With the album, it’s a whole new way to connect with audiences.
“I'm so excited to let all the songs go live their lives, on the internet and be able to be streamed whenever they want,” she said. “I got to learn more about what I liked and what I didn't like, and you know, how to just trust my gut. And so now it just finally feels like it's ready. It just feels like a door’s opening, where there's just so much creative and musical potential.”
RELATED: Watch Katie Dineen's Tiny Desk Contest entry
What comes next for Dineen is more touring — across the state and beyond.
“I have been kind of making these breadcrumb trails out west,” said Dineen. “And have through like busking and just meeting people kind of randomly discovered a lot of little venues from here, all the way to California, and up into Portland, that I'd like to play. But I'd love to do a Florida tour. I'd love to get to know my state better. I'd love to do an East Coast tour. I'd love to do Europe or Australia. I have no idea where it goes. It's funny releasing music because now I can see where in the world my music is listened to and like a lot of it’s you know, here in Pensacola, a couple in New Orleans, a couple in Colorado, a couple in Australia, a couple in the UK. I think that is just the way I've been setting myself up in the last two years.”
Two singles from the album, “Invisible Strings” and “All the Little Things” are out on all streaming platforms now, with a third single, “Heaven in the Now” releasing February 24. You can catch Dineen performing regular monthly gigs either at Single Fin Café or during the Pensacola Singer Songwriter Rounds at The Handlebar.
“This One’s for You” releases May 2024.
