For Kataria, “Trophia” is a symbolic reintroduction of who she truly is in a cutthroat industry.
At just 14 years old, she performed at Arizona State Fair, where her voice caught the ears of many, including Michael Jackson himself. After receiving musical mentorship from the “King of Pop”, embarking on international tours, and releasing her own works, Kataria took a step back from music. Now, she returns with a stronger confidence and a clear vision that is fully her own.
With “Trophia”, Kataria transforms into a mysterious alter-ego, though the bold essence of character is quite close to her true identity. With instrumentals that seamlessly switch between a fantastical orchestra to synth-pop, the song is a journey through the subconscious that ultimately reveals her inner power. The music video elevates the lyrical narrative with vibrant art direction, from its costumes and set design, to alluring vocals from Kataria herself.
Read more about her story that she shared with The Knockturnal below.
Photo Credit: Joseph Seif
This interview has been edited for clarity.
So tell me a bit about your journey into the music industry! I know you started off quite young, but where and when did your ambition to go into music come from? When did you start officially going for it as an artist?
Kataria: I think I started singing as soon as I could walk—my mom will tell you that. But I was very shy to start with, so I had my music teachers calling my parents to ask them, “Are you aware of her voice and her singing ability?” So it took a little bit of a push and a belief from my parents to kick that off. But once I got on the stage, and once I sang, once I felt the audience feedback, that whole experience kind of made me fall in love with it.
I know you decided to take a break for a while. If you don’t mind, was there any specific reason you decided to step back and if so, what called you back into music?
Kataria: The industry can be a rough place. It’s not easy, you have to definitely have a thick skin to sustain yourself. I think it was a series of deals just not materializing in a way that kind of meshed well with who I am as a person outside of being a singer. So I decided to pursue other dreams, which included finding true love and starting a family. With that, to my surprise, the man that I married heard my voice and he was like, “Wow, you need to sing. Now, you can do it for the pure art of it without anyone dangling any sort of deal or no-deal.” Now it’s for the art of it, so that’s how I came back.
To follow up on that, what has changed artistically, creatively, or mentally for you during this time away? What’s the biggest difference with approaching music since coming back?
Kataria: The difference, I would say, is that there’s nothing to lose at this point and I’m unafraid to just tell the truth. And I think when you tell the truth, it’s authentic and there’ll be no regrets.
Tell me more about “Trophia”; I know it’s a new era that you’re going into. Still pop—a little bit of a different vibe compared to your last single, “I Earned It”, this one’s a bit more bolder. How would you describe this track to people who haven’t listened to it and what does this song represent for you?
Kataria: “Trophia” goes hard! It’s definitely a fun beat, it’s a hard beat. Trophia [the character] is a villain, but she’s inspired by change. Kataria has learned to be ruthless and to take what’s rightfully hers. The only difference between Kataria and Trophia is that she doesn’t hurt others in the process, but she still unapologetically takes what’s hers.
The music video really captured that vibe. What was it like, shooting that? I know this was your first official music video that you’ve done, right?
Kataria: Yeah, my first music video as Kataria, definitely. It was so fun. I think everyone, from our director, Sam Fox, to the whole crew, they very much created this other-worldly universe that just felt like magic and it was just the perfect space to perform in.
You mentioned other universes and there’s a lot of this fantastical element to the song. Did you get any inspiration from other stories for this?
Kataria: I think just the whole feel of what things looked like in the ’80s and ‘90s, color-wise. It just looks a lot like it’s from that time.
Hearing you sing, I feel like I get a lot of Christina Aguilera vibes with your vocals. From your perspective, who are your biggest inspirations when it comes to creating music or singing?
Kataria: Christina’s definitely one of them. She sings with a lot of soul and I think I try to do the same. Growing up it was Mariah Carey, Céline Dion, Whitney Houston, and Michael Jackson. All of those vocalists definitely inspired me.
You mentioned Michael Jackson; I’m sure you’ve gotten a lot of questions about him in the past. From a different perspective a little bit, what is something that you’ve learned from the experience of getting to work alongside him that’s remained with you to this day?
Kataria: Aside from his artistry, of course, the biggest lesson I’ve learned is being humble. Just being nice.
And for the future, what do you have your eyes on, in terms of what you want to do next or what kind of music you want to make going forward?
Kataria: I want to keep living my truth; I want to be honest with my music and give people a relatable experience. And I want to start performing, singing live. That’s what we’re working towards.
Doing any tours, maybe?
Kataria: For sure.
“Trophia” is now available for streaming, with the music video out on YouTube.
