Katharine McPhee Debuts New Songs in Nashville
Inside an inspiring week of writing, recording and spontaneous cafe performances with guest artists
Image: Instagram
A Week Of Songwriting And Recording
Singer-songwriter Katharine McPhee kicked off June with a whirlwind visit to Nashville, where she spent days holed up in the studio crafting fresh material. In an Instagram post, she wrote, “still reeling from a very inspiring week in Nashville after writing, recording and performing new songs for you guys! we’re just getting started…🚀🎵.” The caption thanked the Listening Room Cafe for hosting and sent shout-outs to collaborators Emmi Elliott and Nica Tnite.
Spontaneous Showcase At Listening Room Cafe
McPhee’s impromptu performances at the Listening Room Cafe—where she first teased her latest tracks—gave fans an exclusive peek at her evolving sound. Back in early May, she’d already teased the Nashville stop on Instagram, announcing, “I’m stoked to announce I’ll be hitting the stage at @listeningroomcafe on June 4th! Come get a little sneak peek of some brand-new music that I’ve been working on 😇.” Photos from the set showed McPhee seated at a piano, chin tucked into a microphone, as a packed house leaned in.
Those who attended were treated to a blend of polished ballads and more experimental roots-inflected numbers. McPhee’s longtime fans may recall her similar approach last year at Live in the Vineyard, where she debuted tracks alongside David Foster, but this Nashville run felt more intimate and raw.
Career Snapshot: From Idol To Broadway
Long before these Nashville sessions, McPhee rose to fame as the runner-up on American Idol’s fifth season. She parlayed that exposure into lead roles on television, starring as Karen Cartwright in NBC’s SMASH and reprising her range in Scorpion. On stage, she made her Broadway debut in Waitress, and this spring she’s been balancing concert dates—from sold-out theaters in Los Angeles to private performances for dignitaries like Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor.
Her discography spans pop, jazz standards and country-tinged releases. In 2019, she teamed up with David Foster for the well-received An Intimate Evening tour, and fans have been eagerly awaiting her next full studio album. The Nashville recordings may point the way toward a more Americana-infused direction.
Additional Instagram posts highlight McPhee’s busy schedule: she recently shared behind-the-scenes stills of late-night studio takes (“been hard at work in the studio lately 😣”), and snapshots from a stage coach–themed fundraiser she hosted with fellow moms. Yet it was the Listening Room moments that generated the most buzz online, with fans flooding comments to praise her vocals and cheer on the fresh material.
Looking ahead, McPhee has hinted at more live dates. She’s expected to announce further summer shows on her social channels, suggesting Nashville was only the beginning of this creative chapter.
Audiences who caught that Monday night at the Listening Room Cafe walked away humming lines from unreleased tunes—and now the rest of the world is waiting to hear how Katharine McPhee turns that week of inspiration into her next official release.
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