Meet Kat Riggins | International Blues Singer, Songwriter, and Recording Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kat Riggins and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kat, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
As “cliche” as it may sound, I know that this career pursued me. I have always been the creative type. I grew up singing, dancing, acting, painting, writing, and being expressive in the most colorful ways that I could find. Even my schooling was art focused. My Spirit has been guiding me toward a career in the arts my entire life! It has been relentless in its pursuit of me, regardless of my resistance. I personally haven’t always had the confidence in my own artistic capabilities that one would need to even consider building a life from them. While art has always been my love, my passion, my escape… and music has especially been my sanctuary, I haven’t always understood my voice. Outside of my vivid imagination and my wildest dreams, I never thought that anyone else would either, let alone that I’d make my living singing my own songs on stage in front of thousands, or on TV for millions! I knew that I wanted to be a healer. As a kid, I thought that meant being a doctor, but no matter what avenues I thought I was taking to get to that medical career, Life kept rerouting me back to the arts. Now I realize the kind of healing that I’m meant to do. An Artist is a truth teller, a light, a healer.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Much of who I am as an artist is firmly founded on the way that I was raised. Although I might not have had a tremendous amount of confidence in the quality of my voice back then, I was encouraged to be confident in the way that I used it. I used to compete in oratorical contests as a girl. You had to be able to effectively relate to what you were speaking about, and deliver it in a way which would be moving for the audience. This is a mentality that I still subscribe to. When I sing a song, especially one that I wrote, my prayer is that my audience “feels it”, whatever “it” is. That’s the part that I think excites me the most about my job! An artist is a truth teller… a light… a healer, called to make people feel joy, peace, emboldened, enlightened… heard… loved, I’m trusted to make folks feel something significant with the power of my voice and a pen. That responsibility is humbling. That’s why I’m so proud to be one of many who chooses to do that through this particular genre of music, because it ain’t for the faint of heart. The Blues is a uniquely American art-form, conceived in the United States south and born to a people desperate to feel something other than the helplessness that they must’ve felt back then. The Blues was that help. It was that hope. It is a healer in the form of a hootenanny! From traditional Blues to contemporary Blues, and everything in between, this music is relevant and worthy of being recognized as the muse to American music as a whole. So, it is important to me to continue to help it thrive. Like anything worth having, the work that it takes to overcome the challenges associated with doing so (especially in such an under appreciated niche), is worth it too.
I have learned that many of my most difficult challenges are internal. As a human being, I sometimes lean into fear and discourage MYSELF. My love of this music, and my dedication to what I’m here to do helps me to be able to get out of my own way and fully commit to my own mission statement. “Whether it’s your hips, your heart, or both… you will be moved at a Blues Revival.”

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Of course, one of the first things on the agenda when I’m showing off my hometown to a visitor is LIVE MUSIC!!! The really cool thing about Miami and the surrounding areas is that there is live music somewhere every night of the week. Some of my favorite spots to hit up are places where the food is also on point. Monty’s Sunset on South Beach is one of the first places that comes to mind. It’s kinda quintessential Miami in that it’s got a yummy raw bar, it’s set on the water under a tiki bar, and there is a freakin’ swimming pool in the middle of the restaurant! They have all different styles of music featured throughout the week (including Blues), and they’re walking distance to all of South Beach. A lot of the coolest stuff happens off of the beach, though. I encourage everyone visiting Miami not to get stuck on Lincoln and such. Venture out! Domino Park and that whole Calle Ocho area is party central on a Friday…especially if you wanna dance some salsa and merengue. Little Haiti has some of the best food for spice lovers, and OPAC in Overtown has some of the most inspired art in the city!
When I really wanna show off to out of towners, I expand our excursions to Broward and Palm Beach counties! Some of my favorite jam sessions have happened at Kelly Brothers and at Blue Jean Blues in Ft. Lauderdale. I’ve seen some of my favorite acts on stage at Crazy Uncle Mike’s and at The Funky Biscuit in Boca, and some of South Florida’s most gifted local artists have been featured on the walls of the Arts Garage in Delray, while some of the country’s most dazzling entertainers have graced it’s stages!
There is so much to do and never enough time, when it comes to “My City”! That’s why I wrote a song about it! Miami is heat, and passion, and history, and home. Of all the things that I do with folks when they visit me here, it’s the stuff not made by mans’ hands that I’m most proud to share… So, my biggest tip to anyone visiting South Florida is to make sure to PLAY OUTSIDE!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My village is massive, and I am so grateful! There is no way that I could do any of this alone. The amount of support and encouragement they give me is my fuel. From the agents and bookers to the publicists and promoters… from the magazines and radio stations to the photographers and fans… everybody who supports these Blues in any way deserves a shout out! These are the ones helping us to #KeeptheBluesALIVEandThriving . On a personal level though, other than my Spirit guides, guardian angels, honorable ancestors, and God almighty, of course… I’ve got shout outs galore! I have so much love and gratitude for Gulf Coast Records, for standing behind my voice and for encouraging me to just “make music that I’m proud of”. I also owe. a huge shout out to my manager, Dar Lopez. How this woman can be in so many places at once, and still find the time to help me, I will never know. What I know is that I can’t thank her enough. I gotta give it up for my kick butt bands , too. These beautiful groups of humans are a whole blessing on my life. The way they have my back on stage makes me feel so safe. I often find myself in awe of their extraordinary musicianship. They raise my bar!
On an even more personal level, there’s a whole host of family and friends who keep me lifted up in prayer. I’d be remiss if I didn’t shout them out. Every prayer invites a blessing that I am grateful to receive. The loudest shout out, though, has to go to my Earth angel of a wife, Victoria Nuñez. She deserves more than just a little credit and recognition in this story of mine. She is the one who ultimately urged me out of my own way! She was the loving kick in the culo that I needed to reroute me one last time, and get me on track with my purpose. Without her encouragement, I might still just be DREAMING of a career in the arts rather than living that dream.

Website: www.KatRiggins.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katriggins/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KatRigginsMusic

Youtube: https://youtu.be/0feF743T4WU?si=bZ-iUnn1P04VPGhB

Image Credits
1. Laura Carbone (cover photo with outstretched arms) 2. Nate Dow (top left tie dye) 3. Isaac Ridriguez (top right orange skirt) 4. National Women In Blues (red and yellow dress) 5. Anya Nibourg- Van der Schaaf (black n white image) 6. Herman Buisman (Blues Revival cover) 7 & 8. Sebastian Santiago (In the Boys’ Club and Cry Out covers) 9. Dennica Pearl Worrell (Progeny cover)