Catie Turner is living the dream currently on tour with her roommate turned best friend, Sophie Holohan. The duo are taking on Turner’s ‘Comedy & Tragedy’ tour with enthusiasm and excitement. Following the release of her newest EP Comedy & Tragedy: Act 1, ex-American idol contestant turned indie popstar, Catie Turner, is touring her music across the country.
The first act of the night was Baby Fisher. He walked on stage, carrying himself high and wearing an outfit of a cabby hat, bell bottom jeans, and a jacket out of the 70s. He played a mix of indie pop songs, indie folk songs, and even threw in a blues song he used to play in a blues band. His swagger on stage left the audience wanting more. This eclectic mix of genres kept the audience on their toes and got them excited for the next act.
The next act, Sophie Holohan, floated on stage and spoke to the engaged crowd in a soft voice. Sophie was born in Evanston, making this Chicago show extra special for her. She opened with the hit single “Cognitive Dissonance,” singing about the disconnect between emotions and reality. She captured this perfectly: “Was it real or a dream?/Can I trust what I see?/When I’m torn at the seams/How can I make believe?” In her other songs, Holohan uses word play to capture emotions of grief and loss of a loved one in her song “Good Mourning.” She captures the essence of this terrible feeling by singing “It’s not good mourning and maybe it won’t ever be.” She loves using wordplay, which is present in her song butterfly effect, demo: “Sometimes I sit in our bed and think/If that butterfly never made me spill that drink/Would you find your way to me?/Was it fate or the work of the theory clearly.” All of her songs encompass the fragile nature of growing pains and how people going through them can heal into a healthy adulthood.
Catie Turner finally took the stage after Holohan had her moment in the spotlight. A vanity mirror, a wired telephone, and a spinning wheel were used as props throughout the show. As an ex- American Idol contestant placing in the top 10, she has a natural drive for stardom. Turner was seen by some fans dancing in the balcony above the stage. Turner’s presence affects her fans greatly, leaving a lasting mark on their hearts.
Like Holohan, growing pains and hurt feelings are a main motif in her songs. In “Hometown”, Turner sings about the discomfort she feels as an adult returning to her hometown: “Even though it’s my hometown, I only feel safe in my room.” Turner also reveals some of her mental health and physical health concerns in Comedy and Tragedy upon finding out her dad had cancer: “I tell him that he’s getting skinny/Just had to go and steal my thunder/As the sick one in the family/I’m the daughter with the eating disorder.” She, like many other people, revert to using humor as a coping mechanism: “I keep using comedy and maybe that’s my problem/That I make light of the tragedy/But this time I don’t want to/’Cause what a cruel reality that this song outlives my dad/And there’s no joke I can make to bring him back.” In her song “Nothing”, Turner sings “I have 99 problems and I make up every one of them,” showing the problems that anxiety and overthinking can cause. Catie is incredibly candid about her mental health and her daily struggles, allowing fans to have a deeper connection with her music.
In Chicago, the future of the music business flourishes. Baby Fisher, Sophie Holohan and Catie Turner are all bright, young musicians whose artistry will allow them to stand out in the industry.
Keep up with Catie Turner: TikTok // Instagram
