THE 10 Qs SERIES
Tune-In on Saturday September 30th at 10pm CST for a special mix from Karen
Born and raised in Consett, County Durham, up in the North East of England, this talented singer-songwriter started her journey to stardom on TV. As a teenager, she gave her all in the BBC’s Eurovision: Your Country Needs You competition, but, unfortunately, she didn’t make it.
In 2013, she tried her luck on the 10th season of the famous British show, The X Factor, but once more, she didn’t make it to the top, much to the disappointment of many viewers.
But wait, there’s a twist to the story!
Harding’s performances on the show caught the attention of the English electro duo Disclosure and Grammy-nominated producer MNEK. They were so impressed that they scooped her up and signed her to their Method Records label. Together with MNEK, she dropped her first single in 2014, “Say Something,” which turned out to be a total banger in the deep-house genre, going platinum in no time!
Fast forward nine years, and the moment we’ve all been waiting for is finally here! Karen Harding is gearing up to drop her first album, ‘Take Me Somewhere,’ and it will hit the airwaves on September 29, 2023. “This body of work has been a long coming, so I’ve been making sure all the songs can transport listeners somewhere,” the singer said.
Karen Harding recently unveiled her fourth single from the album “Wrong Places” on September 1, 2023. This track follows the hit singles “Other Side of Love,” “Wings (I Won’t Let You Down)” with the awesome Armand van Helden, and “Back to You.” And the party doesn’t stop there – mark your calendars for a special DJ set by Karen on Saturday, September 30, at 10 pm Central. It will be a musical extravaganza you won’t want to miss!
To learn more about Karen Harding, including her thoughts on the future of dance music, read our full interview below.
Q: Before we dig in, what's next for you?
I’ve been working really hard on my debut album , Take Me Somewhere’ . This body of work has been a long coming so i’ve been making sure al the songs can transport listeners somewhere.
Q: What are your thoughts on the meaning of success, and how do you define success for yourself?
The meaning of success has changed gradually over the years. I’ve been releasing music and earning from it since 2014 and that within itself is a huge achievement and one I would count as success. I’ve got a family now and I feel lucky to be able to spend time with them and do what I love for a living.
Q: What's the most ridiculous thing you've ever bought?
I’m sure i’ve bought some ridiculous things in my time what gets me is why I keep clothes that i’ve ordered knowing i’m never going to fit in them! I should just send it back but i’m always full of that positive mental attitude when purchasing!
Q: What's the most memorable fan encounter you've ever had?
I love my fans, they’re amazing and I wouldn’t be where I am without them! There was this beautiful couple who paid for an all expenses trip to fiji for me to sing at their wedding, I had such a great time and it was an honour!
Q: Where and when would you go if you could travel back in time to any moment in history?
If i could go back in time I would certainly go to all the gigs of my favourite artists who I love and aren’t around now. There’s so many but Whitney Houston would be top, alongside Michael Jackson!
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Q: If you could only listen to three songs for the rest of your life, which ones would you choose?
If i could only listen to 3 songs for the rest of my life they would have to be: 1. Chaka Khan – Feel for you 2. Mariah Carey – Fantasy 3. Karen Harding – Wild Wild Water, on the album. I had to put one of my own alongside because i’m so proud of it and the moment I was in when we wrote it.
Q: What is your philosophy on happiness, and how do you strive to maintain a sense of happiness and well-being?
Happiness is totally subjective and think what is important to your sense of happiness is to not compare where you are with other people. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not easy to do, social media is always showing the shiny parts of peoples lives but we gotta live off of socials and just enjoy who and what is around us. I like to stay active and enjoy the outdoors but also love a good dancing session in a club (these are very inspiring, especially if i’m in the studio the next day!).
Q: How do you see dance music evolving in the future?
I see dance music evolving in the future, it’s always changing an evolving. I love to see how it changes year to year but i’m just gonna keep doing what i’m doing! Vocals in dance music will always live forever meanwhile certain kicks and snare sounds will always change.
Q: If you could switch lives with any other celebrity for a week, who would it be?
OOO if i could switch lives with any other celebrity for a week it would be Jazmine Sullivan! If i had the chance to sing like that for a week I would take it!
Q: What's the weirdest thing you've ever Googled?
The amount of stuff I google on a daily basis is ridiculous! One minute it’s ‘who called me on…?’ to the next ‘how much is a flight to (.. some sunny location on my bucket list)?
