#INTERVIEW Boots & Hearts presents Kaitlin Kozell

Kaitlin Kozell is a hard working musician from Mississauga, Ontario. A country singer-song writer with traditional and new style country influences; Kozell is a delight to be around, very cheerful and you can see the passion she has for music by just spending a little bit of time with her. The Xtra Mile got that chance so get to know Kozell a little better and chat with her, as she returned again to the Boots & Hearts Festival at Burl’s Creek Event Grounds.

How has you experience been so far at Boots & Hearts 2015?
Its been the best experience, yesterday performing on the front porch stage was just out of this world, I didn’t want to get off the stage…because last year I was in the Emerging Artist Award showcase, so when I got the call to perform my own set this year I was just elated my band and I have been really pumped, working really hard towards it so at the end of the set when I was saying my goodbyes and thank you. I was just really overcome with emotion…I’ve been looking forward to it for such a long time now, so it was amazing.

That brings me to my next question, I was wondering if you found the dynamic different this year from playing your own set, as opposed to being in the Emerging Artist Showcase?
Yeah totally! It was such a different experience, but had it not been for last years experience I wouldn’t have had this experience so they’re closely connected in that way. But it was really cool to have my own set and our band do our own thing, I feel so lucky to play with such talented musicians.

Who are you most excited to see perform this year at Boots & Hearts, or have you already checked out some performances?
Oh my god, the artists we’ve seen today have been incredible. I’m kind of fan girling right now because The Stella’s and Lennon and Maisy are right across from us right now, and we saw them today and they were the ones I was most looking forward to seeing, and it just blew me away!

Can you tell me the experience has been working along side the Global Angel Charitable Organization?
You know that sort of a fluke in the way it happened, but at the same time not a fluke because I believe everything happens for a reason and I just happen to be playing at a charity event that Global Angels was a part of and I performed my song ‘Angels to be Found’ and I got talking with the founder and we instantly connected and just though this would be a really cool fit; so I re- recorded the song and put it up on iTunes and all the proceeds from the sale of that song go to the charity and they do incredible work and they’re a little organization in Peterborough. They’re doing huge work around the globe and they assist in the facilitation of medical transport around the globe and its something that I think it’s a lot of people don’t think about until they’re sort of forced into a situation where they have to pay a lot of money for the transport of loved ones, to or from medical care. So I feel very honoured to be part of a charity that is doing such amazing work.

Country is such a huge and growing genre, what do you think differentiates you from other artists, and why should people check out your music?
Cool, good question! I feel that in my writing right now I’m sort of very geared to the new country sound, but growing up I played a lot of traditional country music with my grandmother, a lot of gospel music. Dolly Parton and Patsy Cline, so I find that in my overall sound some of that traditional sound still comes out because it’s what I grew up singing.

So people should check me out because I think I am a unique singer a little bit of traditional sound that comes out in my voice while singing new style country, and because I’m having a blast doing what I’m doing, so I want others to join in on that too.

We are from The Xtra Mile media outlet, how would you say you as an artist go The Xtra Mile?
Do you know what? I would go The Xtra Mile because I’m new at this, and there are fans out there that are so loyal, sending me sweet messages and I just try to go The Xtra Mile by acknowledging all those people and really appreciating all the people who have just been supporting you from the get-go. I think that’s really important, so any way I can do that, whether it’s at live shows or behind the scenes, on social media… Just any way I can connect with them and I would just go The Xtra Mile for those people.

Any last words for our readers?
I’m getting revved up to record my EP this fall, and it looks like I’m heading down to Nashville. So I’m really excited and I hope people follow and when my EP comes out that they hopefully get it and keep coming along for the ride with me because I have no intention of stopping.

Listen to Kaitlin Kozell’s debut single teaser for “Do It Again” below!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcfmqGaWBRY