Kat Riggins is doing her part to make sure that the Blues has a guaranteed place in the future of music.

Vizions of Rock: How did the band come together and how long have you been together?

KAT RIGGINS: I have been singing professionally for around 17 years, however; I only just started calling my bands Blues Revival around 5 or 6 years ago. I work with 2 arrangements of my Blues Revival band. One is based in Europe and the other here at home. I call them BOTH “Blues Revival” because it isn’t about the band or its members. The Blues Revival is about The Movement itself. Other than me, the one thing that they both have in common is that my agents are the ones responsible for the introductions for the most part! My agent here in the U.S. put me in touch with my American based band while my agent in Europe put those guys together on my behalf. I was very lucky in that both bands are a great match!

Vizions of Rock: When I listen to your music, I hear R&B, soul, country, gospel, hip-hop, and rock-n-roll. How would you describe your sound?

KAT RIGGINS: GREAT EAR! I’d say that my sound IS a bit of all of that! My parents had a very extensive music library and I loved ALL of it. So it’s no wonder that my music is seasoned with all of those flavors. To be safe, let’s call it contemporary blues. I love to rock out one minute and slow groove the next. I love to praise the Lord and I really dig a southern draw, but in everything that I do the BLUES is the roux. The flavors develop from there!

Vizions of Rock: You travel the world with the “Blues Revival Movement”, can you tell us more about your “Blues Revival Movement”?

KAT RIGGINS: It’s all about doing my part to make sure that the Blues has a guaranteed place in the future of music. My dream is that Blues music will grow past being a niche genre and claim its place on mainstream radio. The Blues Revival Movement is about introducing the masses to the sincerity behind this music in hopes that people’s awareness of the Blues and their respect for the Blues as the root of American music will increase as well as their respect for the influence of the Blues on music worldwide.

Vizions of Rock: As a follow up, how is “The Blues” perceived internationally?

KAT RIGGINS: In my experience, the Blues audiences overseas are as insanely devoted to this music as we are. In their Blues communities, just as in ours they support every concert, festival, competition and showcase around for the love of the Blues. It’s perceived as healing music!

Vizions of Rock: Who are your influences?

KAT RIGGINS: Musically, I have many influences. To name a few, there are Koko Taylor, Tina Turner, Denise LaSalle, Betty Wright, Gladys Knight, Janis Joplin, Sam Cooke, Mavis Staples, Ray Charles, Steven Tyler, Melissa Etheridge, Maya Angelou, Langston Hughes, Tracy Chapman, Ruthie Foster… Whether it was their voice, their lyricism, their authenticity or their energy, these souls and God are the reason for how I write and deliver music!

Outside of the music, my family…my ancestors continue to influence who I am and who I am becoming.

Vizions of Rock: How does your song come together, where do you get your inspiration?

KAT RIGGINS: I’m inspired by life happening around me. What I see, what I feel, what I experience… those are the things that I like to write about because those are the things that I can deliver from a genuine place. I might hear something on a television commercial or during a conversation or something that hits my ear like a good sermon. When that happens it’s usually because it triggers a feeling or a memory. That FEELING becomes the seed for a new song!

Vizions of Rock: As a follow-up, what is the creative process like when writing your songs?

KAT RIGGINS: After the seed is planted, I allow it to take root. Whenever that happens, I decide on a direction or a mood and the songs start to grow from there. I don’t typically set aside time to write. I don’t treat it like a job. For me, writing is almost as cathartic as singing! So, when I write it is because my spirit needs a release. So, I try to allow the songs to write themselves. Sounds corny, I know. Seriously though! Once I know the mood then I settle on a tempo to help set that mood. I sing a line over and over until it builds on itself to become two lines, recording as I go. Before I know it the song is written! Sometimes I’ll hear a guitar lick or a bass-line or what have you and since I don’t play, I’ll record that as well, by singing or humming it. I write it all down in my song book and date it so that I can track how long it takes from the time of conception for a song to make it to a record…If EVER. After that, I’ll send the recording to the musician I’m trusting with my music at the time and that person will compose around my lyrics and melody. Then after some tweaking here and there, the song will make it to the studio and voila!

Vizions of Rock: Do have any advice for up and coming musicians who want to follow in your footsteps, aside from “Stay in school” and “Don’t quit your day job”?

KAT RIGGINS: I would most definitely remind them that this business in THIS genre is not for the faint of heart. A person has to really love it and realistically be able to be 100% committed to keeping the Blues alive and thriving. If they are then my advice would be to set clear-sighted goals and work like hell to achieve them! I’d tell them that prayer works, but God isn’t a genie. You can’t just make a wish and wait. You gotta go out there and getcho blessings. I’d tell them that authenticity and honesty usually work best on stage. Audiences can tell if you’re just going through the motions. So, NEVER phone it in! Finally, I’d tell them that as an artist they have a responsibility to light up the dark. As Blues artists, we are medicine men and women! We are supposed to heal hearts and minds and mend broken spirits. That’s WHY this music exists in the first place. If this is the music you are called to make, then make sure that (as a person) you represent it well.

Vizions of Rock: Is there a message that you’re trying to communicate with your original music?

KAT RIGGINS: One of the things that I pray for the most is that I can somehow inspire people to want to be better people…Better to themselves, each other, this Earth and to God. So, I write with that prayer in mind in an effort to communicate love, joy, peace, strength, passion, compassion, hope and justice.

Vizions of Rock: What do you like best about being a musician and what is the worst part about being a musician?

KAT RIGGINS: The best part for me about being a musician is the feeling of knowing that I’m doing exactly what I’m meant to be doing! The stage is my sanctuary. This music is a haven for me. My friendfans and famfans are like batteries for me. They keep me amped up and energized. I LOVE that part… the ELECTRICTY!!!

Honestly, my least favorite part about being a musician, especially in this genre, is the obvious undervaluing of women in Blues and African-Americans in Blues. This is a touchy subject because I know that I risk losing some fans. I also know that my TRUE fans value fairness and equality as much as I do. The fact is that women and African– Americans are severely underrepresented in Blues music. Where we ARE represented, we’re often extremely underpaid in comparison to our counterparts for the same slot. I thank God for those few bookers, agents, djs, reviewers and festival promoters who give us our due. They are my hope for a positive change in the future of the Blues because they can enlighten their colleagues and encourage them to do better!

Vizions of Rock: What is on the horizon for the future?

KAT RIGGINS: My debut release on Gulf Coast Records drops on August 14th!!! The release party details are in the works. Hopefully, my fall dates for Europe hold up. If so, I’ll be premiering the new music there in October!

Vizions of Rock: Is there a tag line that describes KAT RIGGINS?

KAT RIGGINS: “If you are easily offended, this ain’t the show for you!”

Vizions of Rock: How can we find you music?

KAT RIGGINS: Feel free to follow me on Instagram and Twitter @KatRiggins or like me on Facebook @BluesRevivalMovement and @KatRigginsBluesRevival. Readers can also subscribe to my YouTube channel and sign up for my mailing list at www.KatRiggins.com. I look forward to seeing everyone at a Blues