In Year Three of primary school, Katie Mitton began playing the keyboard. A year after that she started the cello and began writing her own songs. Anyone could have told you this young girl had a hidden talent that was just beginning to blossom in the midst of the small town of Felixstowe.

17-year-old Katie Mitton joined True Cadence at 14 and has since flourished in its light, being immersed into a brilliant community and grabbing opportunities by the helm. Katie has now achieved her dreams of performing on the West End and studying Musical Theatre full-time. This is how it all began.

Katie has always had a love for performing music: from being in The Wizard of Oz when she was 9 to the moment her future in music clicked into place at her children’s choir. ‘The woman running it told me I should get singing lessons and work hard at this and make something of it’. This act of kindness led to Katie realising her love for singing as she knuckled down to pursue her dream.

Luckily for Katie, she was receiving support from all around her. Although her parents did not play instruments themselves, Katie was always surrounded by music in her lively household with her two instrument-wielding sisters. The impact they have had on her pursuit of a music career does not go unnoticed by Katie. The battle against the trials and tribulations of the music industry becomes easier with them behind her: ‘It feels like instead of me fighting to make this happen for me it feels like me and a team of other people’. From finding opportunities to driving to dance lessons and coming along to gigs, Katie notes every moment from her parents and is fuelled by it.

True Cadence Founder and CEO, Manny Loveankh, speaks of the importance of support when entering the music industry: ‘As educators, our work is profoundly enriched when parents actively participate in their children’s learning journey. Their involvement not only supports personal and professional growth but also strengthens the entire community. As the saying goes, “It takes a village to raise a child”, and by working together, we become part of the solution, ensuring that every young person reaches their full potential.’  

I liked that feeling of knowing that I had created something

Furthermore, Katie adores her heritage and continues to view herself as ‘just a girl from Felixstowe’. She gains further encouragement from her local town as many members attend her gigs and performances, bringing in support from every direction. All of these people have been and continue to lift Katie to reach her dream. And the next step in that journey came from True Cadence.

At the beginning of lock down, Katie decided to take the leap and start sharing videos of her singing on social media. This led to her being made aware of the Music and Mindfulness programme with True Cadence at just 14 years old. The online programme aimed to bring young people together in a time of separation and keep music in their lives. What was also achieved was the elevation of Katie Mitton’s passion.

‘The first Zoom call was my 14^th birthday, and I remember going on Zoom and having a really nice time and just thinking, I can’t wait for the next Zoom call so I could see these people again’. It was on this call that Katie met Manny, who took Katie under his wing after being moved to tears by her first performance. From then on Manny has guided Katie in her music career, tailored her programmes because of her distance from London and got her brilliant musical opportunities.

True Cadence’s Music and Mindfulness programme taught Katie about collaborative songwriting. It gave her a great sense of accomplishment to have created something from scratch but also boosted her confidence in her own abilities as she worked with other artists. True Cadence created an environment that encourages participants to adapt to one another’s musical process, bat ideas back and forth, and simply listen to one another. This proved to Katie that she was in the right place – amongst individuals who were as passionate about music as she was.

‘I liked that feeling of knowing that I had created something, and I had created something with other people. But it was especially good because it wasn’t just anything: it was a song, and it was music, and I liked that music was bringing me to new people.’  

As True Cadence became a larger part of her life, Katie became the youngest person to participate in The Expression Project at 15 years old: the programme was for 16-25-year-olds. But despite her age difference, Katie was not going to let anything stand in her way of achieving her life-long dream of performing in London.

Each True Cadence participant performed in front of the buzzing London crowd. This was what Katie had always wanted but the excitement and fear became difficult to balance. The transition from Felixstowe pubs to a London bar, paired with the pressure of having your family and fellow performers watching, caused Katie’s nerves to flair up before her performance. However, over the previous year, True Cadence had taught Katie to trust in her passion for music and have faith in her own abilities. So, pushing past her anxious thoughts, Katie stepped out onto the stage and sang her heart out – the nerves dissipated with every note.

Another project of significance was her contribution to the upcoming True Cadence EP, ‘Cause and Effect’. Katie’s collaborative skills continued to develop as she worked on the song ‘Boys Will Be Boys’ with two other participants. The song is one of social activism as it addresses sexual harassment. Katie was able to further her lyric writing abilities through this experience as she would write songs based on emotions but did not always know how to put those feelings onto paper in the perfect way. ‘When I was writing this song with the others, it really taught me how to think about how many different ways there are to say what you’re trying to say and what words and phrases have the most impact.’

As the projects came and went, Katie picked up a multitude of lessons allowing her abilities and relationship with music to develop: her confidence increased, she improved her lyricism and learned to collaborate with other artists. She found that the best way for her to learn was from other people. From live performing to songwriting, True Cadence has changed the way Katie sees and creates music.

Although we have seen Katie soar into the big leagues, she knows she will always have the support of True Cadence behind her. The uncertainties of the music industry can be daunting but having that sort of reassurance – along with her incredibly supportive family and hometown – makes all the difference. Even at college, True Cadence keeps in contact, continuing to provide opportunities for Katie and her career.

‘Having True Cadence there is that reassurance that if none of my other paths in life end up leading anywhere, I will always have the opportunities that I’ve had because of True Cadence. I’ll always have people like Manny who have helped me find opportunities. I guess it’s a reassurance that it’s going to be okay when I’m worried if I can make this into a career… You don’t meet many people in life that support you all the way.’

Where are they now?

At the time of this article, Katie Mitton is currently studying Musical Theatre at Italia Conti and is having a brilliant time. After the overwhelming feelings of moving away from home and learning to live alone, Katie feels she is thriving! Within a year, she has noticed huge improvements in her technique and confidence: ‘I think so much more of myself as a performer because I’m proud of myself and proud of what I’m doing.’

At the end of her time at college, she hopes to be signed by an agency through the Agent Showcases to then audition for musical theatre tours or cruise ships. The dream is to one day return to the West End. Nevertheless, Katie knows that as long as she is singing and performing, doing what she loves, she will be happy.