UK emerging artist Alex Kate releases new single Don't Hold Back

Leading towards the release of her new EP Rebel For Love, out 14 October, Alex Kate is happy to share another single Don’t Hold Back ahead of its release and available to listen to here. Don’t Hold Back follows her previous releases, One Plus One and Summer Wagon which were both critically acclaimed by media in the UK and across Europe.

The making of Don’t Hold Back pushed Alex out of her comfort zone as she says: “I wrote this song during a monthly course with Charlie Puth. He had set us a task to build a track then write the melody and the lyrics last. I usually write songs the other way around, but this way pushed me out of my comfort zone and enabled me to flow in a different way.”

The actual story of the song may be one for people to resonate with: “I didn’t know what was going to happen, but went with the flow and the main hook popped into my head. I had been processing a pretty painful friendship breakdown, which seemed so alien to me, as you are taught about romantic breakups, but not friendship break ups. I hadn’t known how to react to the situation, especially as I have been taught to turn the other cheek as I have been brought up in a christian home (my dad is a vicar!) everything inside of me wanted to fight back, but I realised that it was just going to be a waste of my energy, so instead I wanted to say to this person who had hurt me deeply ‘don’t hold back, because then I can say that I am a champion.’” As I wrote it and sung it into the mic for the demo, it was almost cathartic and I had a eureka moment, that I can only be truly hurt, if I let people hurt me.

Her producer Jorgen Manke added some finesse to the project, but a lot of the instrumentation stayed similar to the original demo.

Alex Kate filmed the visualiser in Capetown in December on a very windy day on Noordhoek beach. She then recorded the instrumentation in Norway in April. Finally she recorded her vocals with Vocal Producer Ashton Foster in London. “In a world where we can be so divided it is so fun to think that this song has been a little international collaboration.”

The experience of learning from Charlie Puth left a lasting impression on Alex, she states: “If you’re an artist, I would highly recommend these monthly courses, you might surprise yourself with what you came up with.”

In order to celebrate the release of her new EP Rebel For Love, Alex will be hosting her EP release party on the 13 October at St. Peters in Notting Hill. Tickets available here.

Listen to Don’t Hold Back here