North East artist Katie Grace has just released live staple ‘Dead on the Floor’ after a stunning start to 2026 that’s brought sold-out shows, fresh awards nominations, new management and more. As an Alan Hull Award winner (2023), she’s also been backed by regional development agency Generator’s First Notes scheme (2024) and Sunday For Sammy (2025) on a journey that’s taken her across the UK. Lee Allcock caught up with Katie to discuss creativity, the North East coast, and more.
You’ve had a standout start to 2026 with sold-out shows, award recognition and new management. How would you describe this current moment in your career?
It feels very fulfilling to be reaping the benefits of a lot of hard work. So much of making music is about grafting to find gigs, funding and getting in front of as many people as possible, so it’s really nice to be at a point where some of that is paying off. I do love every stage of the process, but it can get a bit tiring feeling like you keep coming up against a wall. Being able to look around and see tangible results keeps me motivated, and I’m hoping this stage in my career is a really great jumping-off point for whatever comes next.
‘Dead on the Floor’ is your next single and the first glimpse of your upcoming EP. What does this track represent for you creatively and personally?
I wrote this song feeling quite hopeless about the state of my life. It felt lonely and impossible to get through, so rather than writing about all the things I wished I was, I just decided to write about everything as I saw it. Since moving to uni and playing this song with my band at shows all over the country, it’s become very clear that it’s actually very relatable for a lot of people, and it’s not just me who felt that way. I feel proud of writing a song that helps people feel seen. This EP is, like all my music, a very honest set of songs. They don’t always paint me in the best light, but that’s okay, because they really do represent who I’ve been over the past three or four years of writing them, and hopefully people can see themselves in the rest of the EP too.
Your songwriting has been shaped by growing up on the North East coast and the North Shields music scene. How much does that sense of place still influence your work today?
When I moved to London to study music, I thought I’d probably lose a lot of the attachment I felt to the North East. Nobody else on my course is from anywhere near there, and I thought that being unfamiliar with London’s music scene would be a disadvantage. But if anything, being from the North East has been one of my greatest strengths. The music scene at home is built on community, and it’s this wonderful group of brilliant songwriters and musicians all playing together, looking after the venues and the gigs. That attitude can feel quite different to the dog-eat-dog industry in the capital.
You’ve been recognised through initiatives like the Alan Hull Award, Generator’s First Notes scheme and Sunday for Sammy support. How have those opportunities helped shape your development as an artist?
I genuinely would not be where I am today without the Alan Hull Award. It meant I could record my first studio single, put on my first headline show, and purchase recording equipment that I still use every day. Those are all fundamental steps for any emerging artist, and to be able to owe it to a legacy as important as Alan Hull’s gave me a lot of confidence in my own music-making. The grant from Sunday for Sammy feels like a natural next step. It meant I was able to bring my London band up to record in Newcastle and to play Mouth of the Tyne Festival, a stage I had genuinely dreamed about playing ever since I used to busk on Tynemouth Front Street. Grants like these are beyond important for helping musicians take vital steps in their careers, especially these days when the cost of living is so high. I’m really proud that the North East has so many schemes and funds supporting its emerging artists.
You can stream ‘Dead on the Floor’ on all major streaming platforms now.
