Singer, Songwriter, One of the four finalists of 'The Voice USA' Season 17

Katie Kadan | Biography

Kadan released a self-titled album in May 2019

• By Reena Chikanbanjar
• Update : September 23, 2021

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Katie Kadan is a singer-songwriter and one of the finalists on Season 17 of NBC's 'The Voice.'

Who is Katie Kadan?

Katie Kadan is an American singer-songwriter. She worked as a vocal and performance coach for many years before starting her career as a singer. In 2019, she released her self-titled album that consisted of 11 songs. Kadan made it to the top-four finalists in season 17 of the singing competition show, The Voice.

Early Life

Katie Kadan was born on 4 March 1981 in Chicago, Illinois. She grew up singing and playing harmonies from a very young age. As per her website, Kadan started singing from the time she started talking. By three, she could play three and four-part harmonies. She then began performing with her mother and sisters in the church. Then, Kadan and her sisters helped her mother entertain at children's birthday parties. Her mother was a clown, and she and her sisters were the puppeteers.

When she was ten years old, she joined Chicago's All God's Children's Choir. She spent the next ten years singing in choirs and church.

Education

Kadan attended Moraine Valley Community College, where she studied music theory and theater classes. As per Kadan, she was afraid of failure while was in school. But after getting enrolled at Moraine Valley, she figured out she did not fail when she tried something new, including music. However, performing in front of the audience was not her cup of tea, but Kadan tried and kept getting better and better at it. 

Kadan enjoyed going to musical performances in college. She said about her favorite choir, which came from Africa, "It was beautiful and enriched the college experience to have that type of culture at the school."

At college, Kadan also had the opportunity to talk with Barack Obama, then United States Senator and former President, at the Black History Month event in 2005. When Obama asked her what she wanted to do with her education, she answered she wanted to change the world through music.

Career

Being classically trained in piano and voice, Kadan worked as a vocal and performance coach and taught keys for many years. However, it was not a fulfilling life for her. She wanted to bring joy to people through music, but she didn't know how to make it her career. 

At 30, while attending a class, when the facilitator asked everyone to share their dream, Kadan shared her desire to become a singer. The facilitator challenged her to perform at an open mic event. She then searched Google to find venues in Chicago with pianos. She found the Underground Wonder Bar and invited all her friends from her class to watch her perform.

After performing at the Underground Wonder Bar, Kadan received positive feedbacks and quickly started booking gigs. She performed at the bar over the years. During that time, she met and got the contact of musicians who had worked with singers B.B. King and Etta James.

Album

Kadan then released a self-titled album in May 2019. The album consisted of 11 original songs, including 'Got You To Blame,' 'Fire In Me,' and 'Dancing On The Floor.'

'The Voice'

After a stint in a singing career, Kadan was encouraged by her friend to try out for The Voice. She initially refused it as she hated competitions. But after someone from the show reached out to her, she relented. According to her, the opportunity came along at a time when she was mentally and emotionally ready. "A show like that can put a lot of pressure on a person. But I told myself, 'I'm here to have fun. I'm here to be myself. And whatever happens, happens," Kadan said.

Kadan participated as one of the contestants for Season 17 of The Voice in 2019 and ultimately made it to the top-four finale. After appearing on The Voice, she amassed loyal fans from around the world.

After 'The Voice'

After gaining popularity from The Voice, Kadan started performing at various events and shows across the United States. She performed at the Museum of Broadcast Communications and House of Blues in her hometown of Chicago. She also performed in Burlington, Nashville, Louisville, Killeen, and Victoria. 

The COVID-19 pandemic limited her to perform in the events, but she continued to connect with her fans through virtual shows, events, and concerts. She has been hosting an Instagram live stream event every week where she invites other people to sing with her. 

Upcoming Projects

Kadan will be a featured vocalist in the upcoming animated adventure comedy film Sing 2, which is expected to release on 22 December 2021. She will also be appearing in the role of Ellie Lyons in Jady Marriott Bar-Lev's upcoming film Music on the Bones. The film is in its pre-production phase, as per IMDb.