Kaitie Sly wrestles with self-doubt when she should be proclaiming her Brilliance in her solidly splendid new single — premiering exclusively on Tinnitist.
The latest preview of the B.C. singer-bassist’s upcoming sophomore album Forgotten Memoirs, Brilliance takes you back to the ’90s indie pop-rock of bands like The Breeders. As Sly lays down a massive low-end groove with the help of thumping four-on-the-floor drums, wiry guitars and a chiming melody, her angelic, layered vocals carry on a self-deprecating conversation with the little voice inside her head:
“I could never wear these clothes (You’re awful)
That look would never work for me (True)
This dirt and sweat that’s on my face (You’re tarnished)
Wipe it away with my sleeve
Song could never come from me (No talent)
I have no gift for poetry (Sad)
My words are unbearable (Incompetent)
I can carry no melody.”
Clearly, she doth protest too much. Especially for someone with her skill set and experience. The Vancouver bassist has been plying her trade for nearly 30 years, carving out a career as a session, touring, and performing musician. She started young — playing bars across B.C. before she was even a teenager and touring internationally in high school, hitting legendary venues like Liverpool’s Cavern Club and sharing the stage with icons like Motown’s Martha Reeves. Being able to work the gig and touring circuit at such a young age helped sure that for Kaitie, music wasn’t just a passion; it was her path.
Her melodic basslines serve as the emotional anchor of her cinematic and eclectic music, which combines elements of jazz, rock, world music and sound design that will take you on a sonic journey to other worlds. Formally trained in music from some of North America’s preeminent institutions, her long list of awards and accolades demonstrates her artistic prowess and technical ability as a bassist, vocalist, sound designer, producer and songwriter. She was artist-in-residence at Lobe Studio in 2021, and at Monom in Berlin in the spring of 2023, where she developed two spatial sound compositions.
After years as a go-to session bassist, Kaitie stepped into the spotlight as a solo artist, with her upcoming album Forgotten Memoirs dropping shortly. Now, as head of bass for Musora’s PlayBass platform, she’s not just making music — she’s shaping the next generation, inspiring more women and girls to pick up the bass and own their sound. If that doesn’t qualify as brilliance, it will do nicely until the real thing comes along.
Check out Brilliance above, hear more from Kaitie Sly below, and keep up with her on her website, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.
