Note: This album review may contain spoilers for One Tree Hill Season 6 up to the season’s penultimate episode.

I was first introduced to Kate Voegele; actress, singer via One Tree Hill. I have to give a lot of credit to shows like Roswell, Grey’s Anatomy, or The OC to name but a few for introducing me to musicians and bands that I might not otherwise hear; especially not on Australian radio! Some songs, if perfectly placed over, or in the background of a crucial scene will stay with me. So much so that if you name a song that has appeared on a soundtrack (or on fan-made soundtracks) I can tell you what scene it appeared in. Who doesn’t remember Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol when it appeared in the Season 2 finale of Grey’s Anatomy? I love music and the way it can be used to elevate a scene’s emotions and tone so much that even when I’m listening to a singer or band’s album; I may hear a certain track and then almost visualise what TV show that it could, or should be used in. I remember hearing Adele’s ‘Make You Feel My Love’ and just knowing that it was memorable, melodic, and gorgeous. Then.. weeks later; to hear it used in Brothers & Sisters I almost felt like it validated my existence! I was so rapt!

Meanwhile, back to the point of this post… Kate Voegele. Otherwise known as Mia Catalano on One Tree Hill. I don’t think I’d be very successful in trying to convey, or put into coherently descriptive words of what Kate’s voice is like. The fact that she plays piano and/or guitar only adds to her credibility and the fact that her voice so poignantly conveys just the right level of emotion, without ‘over-singing’ it or trying to be anything like what you’d hear on mainstream radio. You might compare her to Michelle Branch; but I think Kate has the edge, and range over Michelle. Her voice has a rich maturity which sounds well beyond her years would seem to convey.

Was she singer or actress first? Wikipedia says singer first. (I think the bigger stigma occurs when you are actress first then singer second; just look at Scarlett Johannsson) She was the first artist on Peyton’s Red Bedroom Records label and Peyton managed, and promoted her so well; she went on tour and was only a recurring character in the show. Kate’s character on One Tree Hill has been essentially a clever cross-promotion. The songs she sung on the show were to be available on her album (Don’t Look Away – 2008) yet she was singing as Mia, and she wrote the songs inspired by situations that arose on the show. It was genius! Or, in the example of this just finished season 6; she dedicated a song to Peyton & Lucas’ nuptials, as well as inspired by Peyton’s bravery in facing possibly fatality with the birth of her child, called ‘Sweet Silver Lining’ – a song I just cannot stop playing.

But so many people are looking at me to be strong and to fight
But I’m just surviving
And I may be weak but I’m never defeated
And I’ll keep believing in clouds with that sweet silver lining

It does seem like it was written for Peyton; its so cleverly woven into the script; but surely Kate didn’t write it for One Tree Hill. But it makes me think that she did.. and that is the power of music seen, played and heard on television.

One of the first singles from A Fine Mess played on the show was Manhattan from the Sky. A mid-tempo feel-good song introduced to One Tree Hill viewers as a song inspired by Chase (played by former Laguna Beach alum Stephen Colletti) and the way she felt about him. He felt insecure, wondering why a talented touring singer would ever be interested in him, and meanwhile she felt insecure about getting involved with someone that had dated Brooke Davis (Sophia Bush). Nonetheless, her new muse inspired her to write about thinking about someone that on the surface is confident,

You are my Manhattan from the sky
You look so neat and tidy when I’m way up high
But I know your streets are lined with a fine mess inside
I wanna come down and walk around your mind

Lyrically, Kate is so impressive, and I’m finding the songs on this album incredibly catchy; and not in the way that Britney Spears made If U Seek Amy catchy! I mean that from first listen; Kate has put together such a powerful, yet melodic and soft album that is such a hybrid of genres; how would I describe her? Folk? A spoonful of radio pop? Qualities of mainstream country? Other songs that stand out, and are played constantly on my purple iPod are Angel, Lift Me Up, 99 Times & Playing With My Heart. See, I practically named all the songs on the album. Its just that good. She is someone that would be amazing to see live; I can only hope she makes it to Australia one day! All I can leave you with is hopefully the need to immediately seek out Kate’s music; YouTube it, find her on iTunes.. do yourself a favour as the old cliché would be. Everyone needs to have a good melody or two to colour their day.

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