Kate Voegele

Kate Elizabeth Voegele was born on December 8, 1986, in Bay Village, Ohio. She began her musical journey early, learning to play guitar at age 15. Her official musical debut came in 2003 with the release of her extended play, “The Other Side.” This EP garnered local radio airplay for the song “Top of the World” and allowed Voegele to perform at various venues. During this initial period, she shared stages with artists such as John Mayer and Counting Crows and performed at significant events like Farm Aid in 2004, alongside Willie Nelson and Neil Young. Her early work also saw her songs, including “Only Fooling Myself” and “It’s Only Life,” featured in television series like ‘Clubhouse,’ ‘The Ghost Whisperer,’ and MTV’s ‘Newport Harbor: The Real Orange County.’ Her songwriting talent was recognized when “Only Fooling Myself” won the Pop category of the 2005 USA Songwriting Contest, making her the youngest artist to achieve this honor in any category. In 2006, her song “I Won’t Disagree” was a winner of the New York City Songwriters Circle. These early achievements led to her signing with MySpace Records, a division of Interscope Records, after being approached by MySpace founder Tom Anderson.

Voegele’s career progressed significantly when she signed with Interscope Records in 2006. Her official debut studio album, “Don’t Look Away,” was released on May 22, 2007. The album debuted at number 63 on the Billboard 200 and eventually peaked at number 27, selling over 250,000 copies. This period also marked her acting debut as Mia Catalano in the CW television series ‘One Tree Hill,’ starting in January 2008. Her role in ‘One Tree Hill’ provided a platform for her music, with many of her songs being featured on the show. The album was re-released with new cover art and acoustic tracks to coincide with her television appearance. Her single “Only Fooling Myself” peaked at number 37 on the Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks chart, and her cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” charted at number 68 on the Billboard Hot 100, marking the first time any version of the song appeared on that chart. She continued as a recurring cast member on ‘One Tree Hill’ for four seasons until 2011.

Following the success of her debut, Voegele released her second studio album, “A Fine Mess,” on May 18, 2009. This album debuted at number 10 on the Billboard 200, achieving her highest first-week sales of 37,000 copies and becoming her highest-charting album to date. The album’s lead single, “99 Times,” reached number 22 on the Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks chart. She released her third studio album, “Gravity Happens,” in 2011 through ATO Records, which peaked at number 53 on the Billboard 200. Following guest appearances on shows like ‘The Wendy Williams Show,’ ‘The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien,’ and ‘The Bachelor,’ she released the “Wild Card” EP in 2014 and her fourth studio album, “Canyonlands,” in 2016. In 2017, Voegele released the single “Shoot This Arrow,” which addressed sexual harassment, including allegations against ‘One Tree Hill’ creator Mark Schwahn. She has continued to collaborate with other artists, including Tyler Hilton on the song “When the Night Moves” in 2019, and Bien for “The Best Part (French Version)” in 2023, showcasing her ongoing musical versatility and adaptability.