Kate Voegele on making a difference with her music & how 'One Tree Hill' changed her life!

Kate Voegele joined 'One Tree Hill' as Mia in 2008./website photo

When One Tree Hill jumped ahead four years for its fifth season, there were many new gains that came along with the forward plunge. One of those gains was a young new musical talent from Cleveland, Ohio by the name of Kate Voegele. Voegele joined the Tree Hill cast playing a role not too far from where she had been just a few years earlier as a new artist trying to get the songs she's written heard. Three years later, the only thing that hasn't changed is that Voegele's still young, but her music is definitely being heard and liked! She's released two albums, successfully toured, and become an established actress on One Tree Hill. The very sweet Voegele took time out of her busy schedule recently to chat with me about the many valuable ways One Tree Hill has influenced her life, the drama ahead for Mia, and the most rewarding and challenging parts of being a songwriter and singer! Just like when listening to Voegele's music, one thing is also clear when listening to her speak about her passion and dedication to her art, it's going to allow her to be around for a very, very long time.

How have you been since you wrapped filming for One Tree Hill?

Kate-I moved out to LA and I'm loving it. I've just been basically doing a lot of writing and kind of getting ready to make a third record which should be really fun. So I've just been doing a lot of writing on my own and also running around town writing with a bunch of other people, meeting with a lot of artists. and just trying to get acquainted in this LA scene, or whatever you want to call it. It's pretty cool though, there's a lot of great people doing a lot of great things so it's been really fun for me.

You know I do miss Wilmington. I miss everybody. But it is nice to be out here and be kind of focusing on my music a little bit.

What would you say first sparked your interest in music? Was it something you always had a passion for?

Kate-I always loved music for sure. I always knew when I was a kid if it was between being a musician and an athlete I definitely had a better shot of making it as a musician or a singer of some sort. I've always been an artsy kid, just always had a passion for music. I started playing guitar and writing songs when I was 15. I think what mainly sparked my interest was just the fact that I grew up listening to Cheryl King, Joni Mitchell, and James Taylor, and was just always inspired by that sort of organic art, and organic songs and just very natural songwriting that came out of some of those artists. You know being 15 all of a sudden I was like man you know I'm in high school, so much stuff is changing in my life, with my friends, it was a great release. It was a great way for me to make sense of everything that was going on in my world.

What are you mostly inspired by when writing your songs? Is it personal experiences? Friends? Because you definitely have really great lyrics in your music.

Kate-Aw thank you. Yeah it's anything and everything. Definitely I'm inspired by my personal life. I think it's impossible not to be. So I definitely end up writing about that a lot. But at the same time traveling I think is really inspiring and I do a lot of that. It's been really cool because it perpetuates your creativity being in new places and meeting new people. And then it's also kind of a storytelling process. Sometimes you tell a story about yourself and sometimes it's about somebody else. Sometimes it's real, sometimes it's imaginary. That's kind of what makes it fun is that it's different every time.

How was it when you first joined One Tree Hill?

Kate- It was so much fun. It was definitely amazing because I was definitely imitated going in because it was my first acting gig ever and I was just like oh my god! Like obviously I got this part for a reason, but I don't really know how it works on set, I don't know anybody here and so I didn't know what to expect. You know I'm a kid from Cleveland, Ohio and so I was like is this going to be super Hollywood, is everybody going to be what people typically think actors and actresses are like. I was just blown away because everything that I was sort of apprehensive about was wrong. Everybody on that show was just so incredibly sweet and just so welcoming, really helped me kind of learn the ropes and figure out my way around a scene and how the whole thing works. It was a funny first day getting ready. I was like OK well I don't know what I'm diving into. But it was just like a completely different perspective. They're just incredible.

What has been your favorite story line with Mia?

Kate- What I really enjoyed with Mia was I think everything. The storytelling from the standpoint of showing fans how an artist goes about making a record to the struggles, and the victories, and everything like that was really cool. I mean we've kind of done that two times and it was amazing. But I really loved in the beginning just sort of the arc of her starting out so nervous and so vulnerable as this young girl who's never played in front of people before and doesn't really have the confidence to get up there and play her songs. And then, you know when we played that show at Tric the first time, and I played my song 'No Good' from my first record. And it was so cool because I've been there. When I was 15 I was so terrified to get on stage and kind of out of nowhere I was like where does that come from? So I could sort of channel that and I understood where she was at. It was fun to kind of grow as Mia into this really confident performer.

I heard from some of the other cast members that there's going to be some drama ahead for Mia.

Kate- Little bit of drama! (Laughs) You know I can't really give it away but I definitely will say that, you know I think that the next couple episodes were fun because it's a little something different for Mia. Because a lot of times it's like music or she and Chase have just been making out and running all over the place and being crazy. So it was kind of cool because I got to play some different emotions that I haven't necessarily explored as much on the show. So it'll be fun!

How would you say you've grown as a person and artist since first joining One Tree Hill?

Kate- I think I've grown so much personally from that experience mainly just because the way that the show started out for me, it was kind of liking going to college, I was like okay I don't' know anybody here. I remember when I did go to college which was like two years before I got the role on One Tree Hill, it was crazy for me. I was like wow this is really fun but it's so weird because I kind of was starting a clean slate. I think just being on One Tree Hill has given me a lot of confidence. You know I was a confident kid when I went into it, it just kind of like put it up a couple extra notches because I just was like I had to just totally let go of the fact that I didn't know anybody. You know I had no idea what it was like to shoot a scene on a TV show before. It really kind of helped me from that standpoint now when I go into something that is new to me, it's a lot easier to feel like, okay this is alright. I'm going to learn, I'm going to figure it out. Even if I don't understand at first. So that was huge for me and definitely One Tree Hill was a huge part of that.

What's the most challenging part of being a music artist for you?

Kate- I think the most challenging part of being a performer is just making sure that people know that when you get up there every night, it's unique and that you care. Like a lot of people will be like oh it must get boring doing the same show every night and I'm like no I love it and I think that it's different every night. You know just kind of showing people your appreciation and your gratitude for their support is a tough thing because people are so cynical about it. They think ah well you know they're on TV or they're a musician, they probably don't care. Or I get people saying to me, you probably hear this all the time, and I'm like maybe but it doesn't matter, it's just as important as every other time somebody has said my song affected them. I always just strive to make sure people know that.

And what would you say is the most rewarding part of being a music artist?

Kate- Most rewarding part about it is having that connection with fans, being able to not know somebody at all and have written a song that has affected their life in a way. And all of a sudden you're kind of connected on this level where you're like wow I'm not the only one who's been through that. You know that's the most rewarding part, is just kind of being able to have a job that is purposeful because it helps people. Through your songs the day gets a little bit better. That for sure is the most rewarding part.

Who would you love to collaborate with on a song?

Kate- I've always been a really really big Sheryl Crow fan. I just respect what she does in a way that she just remains true to her music and sort of has just been real. She isn't trying too hard ever. She's just who she is and I think she's just incredibly talented, so that would be like a dream tour or co-writing or whatever experience for me. I think that she is just a bad ass.

It would be cool to see you and your co-star Jana Kramer sing a duet together or go on tour! Or Mia and Alex working on their music together.

Kate- Yes! I'm so excited for her because she's really really good. She's such a fun girl, she's hilarious and just a great, great person. I'm really excited for her because I think she's going to really well. She definitely deserves that shot and so I'm really excited to hear when she's done with her record and everything.

If you weren't singing, song-writing, or acting, what do you think you would be doing? What would Kate Voegele be right now?

Kate- Well I think mainly I'd be doing something else kind of in the artish world because I'm so passionate about just creative expression and I think that if I wasn't doing music, if I wasn't acting, I think that I'd be doing something with visual art. Mainly I'm getting more and more into the idea of trying to figure out a great philanthropy tool, that may be something that I start on my own. I think that kind of working in the arts is such an amazing place to be because you can kind of make a difference. And I think that no matter what I was doing I always want to make a difference in somebody else's life, even if it's really small. So working with kids. I love kids and I love showing people how being a musician and being an artist can sort of be a therapeutic release. So I think that I'd be doing something like that but maybe with art, something along those lines.

I ask everyone on One Tree Hill this question; if you could go back in history and spend a day in the life of anyone, who would it be?

Kate- Hmm, that's a really good question! I am a really big fan of C.S. Lewis. I obviously like all of his Narnia, but I also really like his philosophy. I'm a huge fan of just the way he writes, his work. I love his like theology. I'm like a nerd, I'm totally in to all that stuff. I would love to spend a day in the life of that guy because it would be brilliant.

What's next for you now? What can fans look forward to from you?

Kate- I'm working on a third album and I'm heading on tour with Jordan Sparks in June. Pretty soon there's gonna be some dates up and so people can come catch us live. Unfortunately we're not coming everywhere in the U.S., it's kind of a weird spread out tour. But it's going to be really fun. She's such a sweetheart, so talented.

I'm going to be making the record and documenting the whole process so people can check the website. I'll definitely be keeping people on the loop and sort of get some input from the fans about where to go with this record.

And if One Tree Hill is picked up for an eighth season, can we expect to see you back as Mia?

Kate- Oh absolutely yeah! I definitely will be back.

Check out Kate Voegele's official website for tour dates and all the latest on her new music!

Next week an exclusive interview with Bethany Joy Galeotti!

Check out the One Tree Hill Examiner for exclusive interviews with all your favorite One Tree Hill stars!

Photos copyright of the CW network and Kate Voegele's official website.