EXCLUSIVE: Catey Shaw Talks to Celeb Secrets About Her New EP “The Ransom”

25-year-old singer/song-writer Catey Shaw is taking her righteous place atop the music charts and proving why she deserves to claim that throne.

Her talents first came to light when her breakout anthem “Brooklyn Girls” went viral back in 2014 receiving criticism from both ends of the spectrum. Regardless of the death threats chucked her way, Shaw didn’t let that stall her momentum and continued to wow people with her music including her latest EP, The Ransom (available here).

Celeb Secrets recently spoke to the beauty behind it all to discuss her latest EP The Ransom, emojis, her favorite tattoo (so far), Lemon Heads, and much more!  For more information on Catey Shaw and her new EP, check out her official Facebook page here.

Celeb Secrets: What do you like to do when you’re not in the studio or on stage?

Catey Shaw: “Visual art is very important to me as well as music, so I spend a lot of time painting and drawing. I also really love to cook (and to eat), so I love being in the kitchen. Other than that, I play with my cats and work part-time at a restaurant.”

Celeb Secrets: What is the process like behind your music?

Catey Shaw: “You know, when I first got into writing I thought it would be just this fun series of “a-ha” moments. Like big moments of inspiration and then spewing out lyrics and melodies. It turns out it’s a lot more work than that. You really have to sit down and decide that you’re going to finish this song today, otherwise it’s just a bunch of voice memos with good starts of ideas, but no songs. Don’t get me wrong though, it is very fun, but there are moments where it takes some discipline. ”

Celeb Secrets: What inspired your unique aesthetic? 

Catey Shaw: “I’m not really sure. I have always been the way I am. I go through phases like everyone else, but at my core I have remained one person. I have always been interested in art history and fascinated with its subtle language. I have also always loved staring at the old Hollywood beauties with their classic style, put together, unique, but not beating you over the head with ‘I’m different’.”

Celeb Secrets: What emoji best describes your new EP? 

Catey Shaw: “The smiley face with sunglasses emoji, face with a confused look emoji, smiley face with heart eyes emoji, and fire emoji.”

Celeb Secrets: What is the one song off your EP that you’re most excited to perform live? 

Catey Shaw: “I’ve been performing most of them for a while now, but “Lovesick Jerk” isn’t in the set yet and I’m dying to do that one.”

Celeb Secrets: Out of all your tattoos, which one do you like the most and why? 

Catey Shaw: “How could you ask me to choose?! The Egon Schiele tattoo on my right arm is unfinished, so I’ve sort of been fixated on that until I can get it done. I love all of my tattoos though. They all have their own little stories and significance to me.”

Celeb Secrets: For our readers who have yet to hear your music, why should they check it out?

Catey Shaw: “Because it’s good! Haha no, I think I bring something different to the table in terms of pop music. I’m not going to make you work too hard to enjoy my songs (though there is ample opportunity to infuse and extract deeper meanings), there’s an immediacy to it that I think draws some people in.”

Celeb Secrets: Now that your EP is out, what is the next big project you’re working on?

Catey Shaw: “I’m writing an album with my producer/co-writer Jay Levine. I love the way we’re constantly raising the bar for ourselves, so (at risk of sounding like this is what I’m supposed to say about my music) the new stuff is really just the best work we’ve done yet.”

Celeb Secrets: Since we are Celeb Secrets, do you have a secret or fun fact about yourself that you’d like to share with us? 

Catey Shaw: “Well I don’t really have any secrets, I don’t want the stress of it. Fun facts? I talk to myself more than most people I’ve met, and my favorite candy is Lemon Heads.”