There is a difference between acknowledging the sadness in the world and allowing it to become the only thing we see. For Kitty Beach, that distinction became the foundation of THE WORLD WE LIVE IN, an EP born from frustration with the negativity that seems to permeate modern society, but ultimately driven by a desire to remind listeners that there is still beauty worth holding onto. Through conversations about grief, self-reflection, loneliness, love, and the contradictions of human nature, Kitty Beach explores what it means to exist in a world that can be devastatingly cruel while remaining capable of extraordinary goodness.
The project began with an experience that left Kitty Beach questioning the messages we consume through music and media. After reaching out to arrange a video interview to discuss their music and upcoming shows, they were asked what subject they wanted to explore. Their answer was straightforward: the lack of positive messages in today’s media, particularly in music. The response they received, suggesting that positive messages were primarily found in superhero movies, only reinforced the very concern they had hoped to discuss. When the conversation shifted toward another topic, Kitty Beach ultimately decided to cancel the interview.
What could have remained an uncomfortable exchange instead became the spark for something more meaningful. Encouraged by a friend to turn that frustration into songwriting, Kitty Beach began developing the ideas that would eventually shape THE WORLD WE LIVE IN. Rather than simply documenting everything that feels wrong with society, the EP became an opportunity to challenge those feelings and consider what we might lose when negativity becomes the loudest voice in our lives.
Although much of the project confronts difficult realities, Kitty Beach never loses sight of the message they want listeners to carry with them: the world is still a beautiful place, even when it doesn’t always feel that way. Across the EP, Kitty Beach examines the complicated relationship between sadness and healing, the fear of losing someone before they can truly see us, the pressure to conform, and the expectations society places on love. Their perspective is refreshingly honest, particularly in their willingness to question whether every painful emotion needs to become something productive and whether people should be defined by their worst mistakes.
At its heart, THE WORLD WE LIVE IN is about finding a way to remain hopeful without pretending that suffering doesn’t exist. It is a reminder that acknowledging darkness and believing in something better do not have to be mutually exclusive.
Sadness, Self-Reflection, and the Search for Something Better
Is “Sad Songs” about trying to understand sadness, finding comfort in it, or something else entirely? Do you think being sad is something we should always try to escape? How has your relationship with sad music changed?
Kitty Beach approaches sadness from a perspective shaped by the sheer amount of negativity surrounding us. From the news we consume to the stories we watch and the music we listen to, difficult emotions and painful realities are never far away. While sad music can offer comfort and make people feel understood, Kitty Beach believes there is also a risk in allowing that sadness to become something we continually revisit without finding a way forward.
“Sad songs is about all the sadness that is unfortunately everywhere in today’s society. Our books, music, movies, tv shows, news, schools, work places etc. and for that reason, I think it should be escaped as much as possible.”
That perspective doesn’t dismiss the importance of sad music. Instead, it raises an interesting question about the relationship we develop with the things we consume. Sometimes, hearing someone else articulate our pain can make us feel less alone. Other times, repeatedly surrounding ourselves with sadness can make it more difficult to step outside of it.
Kitty Beach recognizes both sides of that experience, explaining, “When it comes to sad music, I can’t deny that it can be healing for so many, but it can also make you incredibly sad.”
For Kitty Beach, that realization has helped establish a creative purpose: making music that offers something beyond an acknowledgment of how difficult life can be.
“I find the latter to be more common nowadays, and so I really aspire to make music filled with positive messages.”
It is an important distinction. Rather than suggesting that listeners should ignore their feelings, Kitty Beach wants to create music that encourages them to see beyond those feelings, too. There is room to acknowledge heartbreak, grief, frustration, and disappointment without allowing those experiences to define our entire outlook on life.
In that sense, “Sad Songs” becomes more than a commentary on the prevalence of sadness. It reflects a desire to change the conversation around it. Kitty Beach understands that pain is part of being human, but believes that music can also help us remember that there is more to life than what hurts.
What does the phrase “fading away” mean in the context of your song? Have you ever felt disconnected from the person you were becoming, and how did you find your way back?
The idea of fading away carries a deeply personal weight in Kitty Beach’s songwriting. Rather than using the phrase solely to describe someone drifting emotionally, they connect it to the experience of watching a loved one weaken mentally or physically as they approach the end of their life.
“a loved one who is weakening mentally and/or physically (in other words dying/ fading away).”
It is a difficult reality to confront: the knowledge that someone we love may not always be here, accompanied by the fear that they might never fully understand who we are or who we hoped to become. Kitty Beach captures that feeling in a line from the chorus: “I want you to see who I once was and who I intend to be.”
As they explain, “I want my loved one to remember me for my potential before they die.”
There is something particularly heartbreaking about that sentiment. It speaks to the distance between the person someone has been, the person they are today, and the person they are still working toward becoming. We spend so much of our lives changing, making mistakes, learning from them, and trying to grow. Yet, when someone we love is fading away, there may be a sense of urgency to show them that our story is not finished. Interestingly, Kitty Beach’s own struggle with identity is rooted less in uncertainty about the future and more in confronting the past.
“I think I have more of an issue with the person I was (due to past mistakes) rather than the person I’m becoming.”
That admission brings another layer to the song. Personal growth can be difficult when we remain attached to things we regret. It is easy to look backward and allow previous decisions to influence how we see ourselves, even when we have worked hard to become someone different. For Kitty Beach, self-reflection is essential to navigating that tension.
“I believe lots of self reflection is the key to staying connected to the person you are, and the person you want to be.”
Rather than treating growth as a single moment of realization, Kitty Beach sees it as an ongoing process. It requires honesty about the past without allowing the past to become the only version of ourselves we believe in. And perhaps that is what makes the song so relatable: the desire to be understood, remembered, and recognized for more than the mistakes we have made.
The Contradictions That Make Us Human
What do you think we are collectively getting wrong about being human? What is one thing you still believe about people?
For Kitty Beach, understanding humanity means accepting that people are capable of opposing qualities at the same time. We can act out of self-interest while still feeling genuine compassion for others. We can make selfish decisions and later demonstrate extraordinary empathy. These contradictions are not necessarily evidence that something is fundamentally wrong with us; they are part of what makes human behavior so complicated.
“There are two things that ultimately make us human: selfishness and empathy. Which is funny, because they contradict each other.”
Kitty Beach believes both qualities have played a role in humanity’s development, but that problems arise when the balance between them becomes distorted.
“Humans as a species wouldn’t be where they are today without both of those qualities but the two have to remain well balanced.”
It is a perspective that challenges the tendency to divide people into simple categories of good and bad. We often judge others by their worst decisions, sometimes overlooking the circumstances, personal struggles, or opportunities for growth that exist beyond those moments. Kitty Beach is particularly firm in their belief that people should not be permanently defined by their mistakes.
“And even if someone demonstrates more selfishness than empathy, that doesn’t automatically make them a bad person. I actually refuse to believe that anyone is a bad person. Everyone makes mistakes, but everyone is capable of change.”
That belief is one of the most hopeful ideas threaded throughout the conversation. It doesn’t mean that harmful behavior should be excused or that people shouldn’t be held accountable. Rather, it leaves room for the possibility that someone can recognize their shortcomings, take responsibility, and choose to do better. In a world where people are often reduced to their worst moments, Kitty Beach’s willingness to believe in change feels especially significant. It suggests that empathy is not simply about being kind to people who have never hurt us; sometimes, it is about recognizing the humanity in others while still expecting them to grow.
That same willingness to look beyond appearances informs the EP’s broader message. If people are capable of change, then the world is not permanently locked into its current state. There is always the possibility of something better, even when the evidence around us makes that difficult to believe.
Choosing Authenticity Over Acceptance
Did you ever feel pressure to make yourself more understandable, acceptable, or easier for other people to navigate? How has pressure shaped your artistic identity?
Loneliness is a recurring reality in Kitty Beach’s life, but they make an important distinction between being alone by choice and experiencing loneliness despite wanting connection.
“I have always been a lonely person, but it’s never been by choice.”
It is an honest admission that gives greater context to their determination to remain authentic. Feeling disconnected from others can make the desire to fit in incredibly tempting, particularly when it seems as though changing certain parts of ourselves might make acceptance easier to find. Kitty Beach, however, has never wanted that acceptance at the cost of personal identity.
“I have tried many tricks to fix that, but altering myself to fit in has never been one of them.”
They continue, “I would much rather be myself alone vs be like everyone else and automatically adored.”
That sentiment extends directly into their approach to making music. Rather than building an artistic identity around what other people might find most appealing, Kitty Beach prioritizes the freedom to create on their own terms.
“And So As an artist, I focus on making what I want to and when I want to.”
Of course, independence doesn’t mean being entirely free from pressure. A creative career comes with expectations, comparisons, and the temptation to measure success through other people’s reactions. For an artist trying to build something genuine, those outside voices can easily become distractions from the original reason they started creating. Kitty Beach acknowledges those challenges but remains grounded in their personal motivations.
“There are still various constant pressures I face in my creative career, but at the end of the day I’m doing all of this for me and no one else. If people like it, that’s a nice bonus. If they don’t, then I’m still round of myself and my achievements.”
That final sentiment captures an important part of Kitty Beach’s artistic identity: success is not simply about being understood by everyone. It is also about being able to look at what you have created and know that it reflects who you are. There is a quiet strength in refusing to abandon yourself for the possibility of approval. While loneliness remains something Kitty Beach has struggled with, it has not become a reason to sacrifice authenticity. Instead, that determination allows their music to emerge from a more honest place, one where creative expression is guided by personal conviction rather than the constant pursuit of acceptance.
Turning Frustration Into THE WORLD WE LIVE IN
Was there a particular experience, realization, or combination of moments that created this EP?
Sometimes, an artistic project begins with a carefully planned concept. Other times, it starts with a frustrating conversation that leaves someone unable to stop thinking about what just happened. For Kitty Beach, THE WORLD WE LIVE IN emerged from the latter. The turning point came when they reached out to arrange a video interview. Alongside discussing their music and upcoming shows, they were asked what subject they wanted to talk about. Kitty Beach saw an opportunity to address something that had been bothering them: the lack of positive messages in modern media, especially within music.
Their response was met with an observation that positive messages were primarily found in superhero movies. Rather than seeing that answer as a resolution, Kitty Beach felt it illustrated the very problem they wanted to discuss. The conversation eventually moved toward another subject, prompting them to cancel the interview. The frustration that followed could easily have remained just that: frustration. Instead, a friend suggested that the experience might become useful songwriting material.
“My friend suggested it could be good songwriting material, and it was. Thus ‘Sad Songs’ was born, along with the idea of creating a collection of tracks that reflect the current world we live in.”
What makes that origin story compelling is how naturally the EP’s central ideas developed from the experience. Kitty Beach was not simply upset about a disagreement over media. They were grappling with a larger question about the stories we tell, the emotions we repeatedly consume, and the kinds of messages that are allowed to reach people. The frustration became a creative starting point, allowing Kitty Beach to explore those concerns through music rather than leaving them as unanswered questions.
That process also demonstrates how songwriting can give difficult emotions somewhere to go. An experience that initially felt discouraging became an opportunity to communicate a broader message, one that could reach people beyond the original conversation. Rather than letting the frustration define the project, Kitty Beach used it to build something with a purpose. THE WORLD WE LIVE IN became a reflection of the present moment, but also a challenge to listeners to consider how they want to engage with the world around them.
Why We Don’t Have to Fix Every Feeling Immediately
Do you believe every painful feeling needs to be transformed into something positive, or can there be value in not fixing anger, sadness, and other difficult emotions?
Kitty Beach believes that the ability to experience a wide range of emotions is part of being human. Happiness is not the only feeling worth having, and experiencing sadness or anger should never be treated as a personal failure.
“Humans are have the capacity to feel such a wide range of emotions and nobody should ever think that feeling one in particular is wrong.”
That distinction matters, particularly in a culture that often encourages people to turn every difficult experience into a lesson, an achievement, or an inspiring story. While growth can emerge from pain, not every painful moment needs an immediate explanation. Sometimes, an emotion simply needs to be acknowledged before a person can determine what to do with it. Kitty Beach also recognizes that there is a difference between allowing yourself to feel something and remaining trapped in it indefinitely.
“But no one wants to be sad or angry forever, and so when that happens, the goal should be to feel happy again at some point.”
For them, the larger objective is not to eliminate every uncomfortable emotion but to maintain a perspective that allows life to remain enjoyable.
“Life is ultimately about enjoying it, and a lot of that enjoyment comes down to how you view things.”
That outlook is closely connected to Kitty Beach’s personal relationship with the world. Despite the negativity they see around them, they remain committed to appreciating what is beautiful.
“I love myself, and I think the world we live in is beautiful. That outlook has, and will continue to, help me enjoy my life to the fullest.”
It is a perspective that brings the EP’s central ideas into focus. Kitty Beach isn’t suggesting that optimism requires pretending suffering does not exist. Instead, they demonstrate that recognizing suffering and appreciating life can happen simultaneously. There is room to be angry about injustice, devastated by loss, or frustrated by the state of society without abandoning the possibility of happiness. Difficult feelings can tell us something important about ourselves and the world, but they do not have to become the only emotions we allow ourselves to experience. For Kitty Beach, choosing to appreciate life is not about denying reality. It is about refusing to let the worst parts of reality take everything else away.
Love Beyond Society’s Expectations
What does love represent to you in “A Love Song”? Do you think love is something we feel, something we choose, or something we have to keep learning?
Love can be one of the most familiar subjects in music, yet Kitty Beach approaches it with a refreshing degree of honesty. They openly acknowledge that writing about love presents a challenge, particularly when compared with how naturally more difficult emotions tend to emerge in their songwriting.
“I’m a bit of a hypocrite in 2 ways: 1, I can write a song about love (self love). 2, if I hate sad songs so much, why don’t I just write love songs?”
That self-aware humor introduces a more personal discussion about how love is understood and represented. Kitty Beach identifies as aromantic and explains that they struggle to write about romantic love because they do not know whether they have ever experienced it themselves.
“I struggle to write about the topic because I am aromantic and truly don’t know if I have ever been in love before.”
Their experience highlights an important reality: love is not a universal experience that looks or feels identical for everyone. Although romantic relationships are often presented as an essential milestone, people can build meaningful, fulfilling lives through different forms of connection, affection, and care. Kitty Beach also challenges the pressure to follow society’s expected timeline.
“The song also touches on society’s unrealistic expectations to fall in love, get married, have kids etc.”
Those expectations can make people feel as though they are falling behind if their lives do not follow a familiar pattern. But there is no single path that everyone must take to find happiness, and a person’s life does not become less meaningful because it looks different from what society expects. Kitty Beach acknowledges that love remains a beautiful part of life, even while questioning the assumptions often attached to it.
“At the end of the day, love means something different to everyone and is such a beautiful part of life. I want to encourage people to love themselves and the people around them unconditionally.”
That message expands the meaning of the song beyond romance. Love can exist in friendships, families, communities, and the relationship we build with ourselves. It can mean offering compassion, respecting differences, and allowing people to define fulfillment on their own terms. In the context of THE WORLD WE LIVE IN, this becomes another way of challenging the negativity Kitty Beach sees around them. A world that often encourages comparison and conformity can benefit from a more expansive understanding of love, one that doesn’t require everyone to live the same way to deserve connection.
Finding Beauty Without Ignoring the Darkness
You seem to recognize what is wrong with the world while still believing in better. How do you balance the two? Has making this EP changed which side you find yourself on?
One of the most striking aspects of Kitty Beach’s perspective is that their awareness of the world’s problems has not erased their ability to appreciate it. They are not blind to suffering, and they do not attempt to present the EP as an entirely positive collection of music.
“The wrongness of the world is constantly on display literally everywhere, and THE WORLD WE LIVE IN is one big reality check.”
With three-quarters of the EP’s tracks taking a negative perspective, the project does not shy away from confronting uncomfortable realities. Yet Kitty Beach explains that their underlying outlook remained positive throughout the creative process.
“but despite ¾ tracks on the EP being negative, I remained on the ‘the world is a beautiful place’ side of things for the entirety of this project. This is because I truly wanted that to be the ultimate message and take away for listeners.”
That contrast is central to understanding the EP. Its darker moments are not necessarily intended to leave listeners feeling hopeless. Instead, they help establish why hope matters in the first place. Without acknowledging the things that hurt us, it becomes difficult to understand what needs to change or why preserving our appreciation for life is so important. Kitty Beach’s belief in optimism also comes from having experienced a much darker outlook personally.
“I’m no stranger to hating everything and everyone, believing things will never get better. I unfortunately had this mindset for the majority of my youth while experiencing ill mental health.”
That history adds emotional depth to their commitment to positive messages. It is not a belief formed by someone who has never struggled to see the good in life. Rather, it reflects a perspective shaped by knowing what it feels like to believe that things will never improve. Their conclusion is grounded in the need for balance.
“I think life is all about balancing pessimism, optimism and realism. I believe the world is a beautiful place and is capable of being better because despite all of the bad, there’s still so much good in it.”
That balance allows Kitty Beach to acknowledge reality without surrendering to it. Optimism does not have to mean believing everything will work out perfectly, just as realism does not have to mean expecting the worst. There can be genuine problems that deserve our attention alongside reasons to keep moving forward. Ultimately, THE WORLD WE LIVE IN reflects that tension. It looks directly at the things that make life painful while asking listeners not to overlook the experiences, relationships, and possibilities that make life worth living.
The Losses That Hurt the Most
When you look at the world today, what hurts you the most?
When asked this question, Kitty Beach describes it as the most intense question they have ever been asked. Their answer is direct, deeply human, and difficult to ignore.
“In all honesty, people dying.”
They recognize that death is an unavoidable part of life, but what weighs on them most is the thought of people losing their lives prematurely and through circumstances that can be devastatingly cruel.
“I know death is just part of life, but I’m more referring to the horrific ways in which people lose their lives too early.”
Kitty Beach goes on to identify the many ways lives can be lost, including neglect, substance-related harm, war, vehicle accidents, murder, natural disasters, workplace accidents, medical conditions, cancer, and suicide.
“It makes me really sad to think about.”
There is no attempt to turn that sadness into an easy answer or a reassuring statement. Instead, Kitty Beach allows the gravity of the question to remain. Their response reinforces the compassion that runs throughout the EP, particularly the belief that the world can be beautiful while still containing circumstances that are deeply painful. It also brings the conversation back to the importance of empathy. Behind every statistic or headline is a person whose life mattered, alongside people who may continue to carry the effects of that loss. Recognizing that reality can be heartbreaking, but it is also part of remaining connected to the people around us.
In a project concerned with the messages we absorb and the world we collectively create, Kitty Beach’s answer is a sobering reminder that hope should never require indifference. Caring about what happens to others means acknowledging the pain that exists, even when we cannot personally prevent every tragedy.
A Reminder That the World Is Still Beautiful
What makes THE WORLD WE LIVE IN compelling is not simply its willingness to confront sadness, frustration, loneliness, and death. It is the way Kitty Beach uses those subjects to examine the beliefs that shape how we live. Throughout the conversation, they return to a handful of interconnected ideas: people are complicated, mistakes do not have to define us, authenticity is worth protecting, love does not need to follow society’s rules, and painful emotions deserve acknowledgment without becoming permanent homes.
These are not uncomplicated messages, especially when the world offers so many reasons to feel discouraged. Kitty Beach understands that reality firsthand, having experienced periods when believing in a better future felt difficult. Yet they continue to make music with the intention of offering listeners something positive to hold onto. That is what ultimately gives THE WORLD WE LIVE IN its emotional significance. The EP does not need to deny sadness to make room for hope. It can examine the darker parts of being human while reminding us that those parts do not tell the whole story.
Perhaps the most meaningful takeaway from Kitty Beach’s perspective is that we do not have to choose between acknowledging what is wrong and appreciating what is right. We can grieve, question, criticize, and struggle while still believing that people are capable of change and that the world is capable of becoming better. In a culture where negativity can feel inescapable, Kitty Beach is making a deliberate choice to create something that points in another direction. Not toward a world without pain, but toward one where pain is not the only thing we see. And sometimes, that reminder is exactly what we need.
Web links:
https://kitty-beach.square.site
https://www.instagram.com/kittybeach_?stkn=cTQydTVmdXI5NXpt&utm_source=qr
Leave a Reply