Kaat credits her friend Sophia helping to create that spark on wanting to model. They would do photo shoots together, trying out different angles and ideas. Her mother directed her to Kaat’s counselor from middle school Miss Jackson, who knew someone. She paid a visit and got connected to Caryn Models. They talked about goals, took some basic digitals, and signed Kaat when she was in 10th grade. She started taking it seriously after high school and decided to go to IMTA for music, modeling, and acting. She had to work 4 jobs to pay for this. After competing in 19 competitions and coming home with 10 medals, even winning first place in songwriting and second in singing. The experience netted a contract with New York Model Management Group, the production of two songs and music videos, and astute industry knowledge from her runway coach, Hannah Peltier.

The appeal of modeling comes from the concept that she gets to become the art. She’s the canvas for the artist, being used to express themselves and portray a message or vibe that they want to send into the world. The whole process becomes a beautiful collaboration between creatives.

Kaat shares that the feelings of being on a runway and being on a stage playing music have similarities. In both she’s instrumental in portraying a message and experience for the audience members. The goal is to reach people through the performance to sell something. In each, the voices shut off and her brain is silent. There’s a focus internally to create that vibe and goal for the art. Simply put, when she playing music, it becomes her art. What she wears is her choice and music comes from a more personal place from past hard times, stories, or from her friends.

Kaat grew up listening to Brandi Carlile, Lady Gaga, No Doubt, Adele, Aretha Franklin, Pink, Norah Jones, Eva Cassidy. That list of badass women in music are her heroes and in listening to “Monster”, you can hear pieces of them. The first lines have the attitude of Pink, the authenticity of Brandi Carlile, with the vocal tonal control of an Adele. Add in the breathy characteristics of Norah Jones and punk spin of No Doubt, and KAATWALK embodies that list of badass influences.

Kaat watched her mother heal her heartbreaks through music and as an artist, has learned to do the same thing. “Rum In Your Coffee” builds on that with a song about the devastation of a parent leaving. The beauty of KAATWALK comes with her ability to adapt to other emotions and musical collaborations. She can write rock music like her song “Hard to Love You” and “It Girl”, while switching to funnier folksy songs like “Just Kinda One of Those Things” or “Crying in My Canned Food.”

As a regular guest with Ty Pow + The Holy North, she matches the soul from Tyler Pautsch, while complimenting the more Americana, alt-country genre of the band. Her duo with multi-instrumentalist Marv Gohman (Marv & Kaat) elaborates on her skill to incorporate re-imagined options for performing her originals. Then you have her new collaboration with indie-alternative rock band Walking Phoenix, in which “Peace Of Mind” mixes her into the track seamlessly.

Peering at KAATWALK’s calendar of events, I’m reminded of that core of dedication and hard work mentioned in taking on 4 jobs to pay for a modeling pursuit. Kaat is constantly gigging, collaborating, and putting herself out into the Twin Cities, finding spaces to share her music. In following that passion, you can see the shift in clothing choices in whom she’s playing with. That communication and difference is reflected in the threads she wears.

Kaat is very inspired by Stevie Nick’s boho edgy vibe mixed with the absurdity of Lady Gaga’s mojo. At times there’s a 90’s Gwen Stefani duality between masculine and feminine styles. Kaat incorporates in corporate ties with crop tops. The capacity to realize the importance of fashion with music traces back to both Lady Gaga and Gwen Stefani.