Orlando singer-songwriter Cat Ridgeway is hard to ignore—and once you hear her music, you’ll understand why. Possessing an electric stage presence and an unquenchable passion for her craft, Cat blends indie rock and punk with subtle echoes of dream pop and folk. A self-taught multi-instrumentalist, she doesn’t just dabble—she commands guitar, harmonica, trumpet, trombone, drums, piano, mandolin, and bass, sometimes juggling three instruments at once during her live shows. Alongside her revolving band, The Tourists, Cat lights up stages with instrument-swapping antics, spontaneous jams, and an undeniable sense of fun.

Yet beneath the sweaty, unpredictable performances lies a serious commitment to songwriting—music that grapples with mental health, personal growth, and the fragile line between life’s highs and lows. Cat’s forthcoming album, Sprinter, sees her collaborating with all-star talent (including members of Ween, WHY?, Sylvan Esso, and Japanese Breakfast) and working with mixing engineer Dan Molad (Lucius, Coco). In this exclusive Grateful Web interview, Cat opens up about finding optimism in dark places, embracing a fiery new sound, and carving a path that’s as authentic as it is exciting.

Grateful Web: Your upcoming album, Sprinter, deals with themes like the fragility of human existence and mental health. How did writing it help you process those complex emotions, and what do you hope listeners take away from it?

Cat Ridgeway: As a songwriter, I don't like to wallow in my lyrics. I've always taken the stance that unless you're adding beauty or meaning to the world with a sad song, the heaviness is just self-serving. With that in mind, I felt the need to write my way to a thoughtful payoff or something humorous in the songs dealing with darker subject matter on this record. Forcing myself to find those buoyant ideas within the lyrics helped me flip the script in my own life. I hope anyone who listens will notice those undercurrents of optimism and resilience and can apply them to their own experiences.

GW: The title track was inspired by your late friend and the metaphor of running. How did you balance the deeply personal nature of the song with crafting something universal for listeners?

Cat: Unfortunately, my experience of being blissfully ignorant to my friend's struggle, and consequently shocked at the outcome, is not an uncommon one. Almost everyone who has lost someone in this way will agree that they either never saw it coming, blame themselves, or feel angry at the person they lost. I felt all of those emotions, and I wanted to capture that shared experience as best I could—the best lyrics are rooted in truth.

GW: “Epilogue” is described as a “stomp and holler-esque punk rock explosion” featuring an overdriven banjo. What inspired you to bring such an unconventional instrument into a punk context?

Cat: Years ago, my brother showed me the song “Talk on Indolence” by the Avett Brothers, and I loved the seamless blend of folk and punk they achieved. I also found the whole “yelling really really really fast” thing super fun, so we started covering it as a band. As our arrangement morphed over time, we introduced a dueling drum solo between me banging on the head of my banjo and our drummer going wild behind the kit. I got pretty attached to the dynamic high we would hit playing that tune, so I wanted to create a song of my own that scratched the same itch and gave us an excuse to keep the banjo/drum duel. Plus, I just really love folk punk as a genre.

GW: You’ve been described as an “indie rocker for overthinkers.” How do you channel that introspection into your music without overcomplicating it for your audience?

Cat: Editing is a skill that's taken me some time to really hone in on, but my God, is it necessary. Sometimes I have to start with a whole mess of words to get a complex idea across. If you have a huge concept in a lyric, that's fine, but if you can't whittle it down to something a fifth grader could read and understand, you're probably in trouble (there are exceptions, but I'm speaking generally). An unedited lyric has the same potential for awkwardly bombing as a horribly written punchline.

GW: Your live shows are known for their unpredictability, from instrument-swapping to mosh pits. Do you have a favorite moment from your performances that captures that spirit of spontaneity?

Cat: During our last Atlanta show, Nat (our drummer) hit my banjo so hard during our tandem drum solo in “Epilogue” that she knocked the bridge sideways, flattening the strings and making the banjo unplayable. I realized there was no way I could play the unison outro unless I figured something out fast, so I threw John a bass solo to buy time to grab another banjo and get it into the right key. Christian joined in with his bari sax, and it turned into absolute jazz/punk chaos as I tuned up. Once I was set—enough—I counted back in, and we landed on our feet. It was insane, but nobody missed a beat, and it was a great way to showcase the band.

GW: Having collaborated with artists like Shawn Mullins and worked with legends like Livingston Taylor, what’s been the most valuable piece of advice or insight you’ve gained from these partnerships?

Cat: One thing Livingston Taylor always says that has stuck with me is, “Make your audience feel smart.” That applies to lyrics, the way you tell stories during a show, and even how well you enunciate. If you set up a lyric or a storyline in a way that successfully leads your audience to the outcome, it’s so much more enjoyable for them—and for you as well. This is the art of crafting a show rather than just playing a list of songs in a particular order.

GW: Winning Tegan and Sara’s cover contest early in your career must have been a huge moment. How did that experience shape your confidence and direction as an artist?

Cat: Oh man, I lost my mind when that happened. Tegan and Sara were one of my first favorite bands, so getting their seal of approval made me feel like I was really doing something right. Their album The Con is still a cornerstone of sonic inspiration for me to this day—I think you can really hear that in my song “Posture” on this record.

GW: Your pivot from Americana to a more fiery blend of indie-rock and punk is striking. What drew you to explore this new sound, and how does it reflect where you are now, personally and musically?

Cat: In all honesty, this is the music I always wanted to release. It feels more like coming back to myself rather than a new sound. I actually started writing some of these songs in my high school and college years. I definitely reached a level of genuine apathy toward what people expected of me musically on this album, which has been one of the most freeing journeys of my life. I dug my heels in and made the music I wanted to make, and I’m extremely proud of it.

GW: Mental health advocacy seems to be a recurring theme in your work. How do you navigate the responsibility of addressing such important topics in your music?

Cat: This is new territory for me... all I can do is speak as honestly as possible about my own experiences and try to raise awareness in doing so. As I’ve started to discuss it more, some truly incredible people and organizations have expressed interest in partnering with me. The potential of helping people struggling with mental health in tangible ways is arguably the most meaningful thing my work has ever brought about.

GW: With Sprinter featuring contributions from notable musicians and being mixed by Dan Molad, how did collaborating with such talent elevate the album’s vision?

Cat: Working with people who not only understood my influences but who are the influences made it so much easier to get what was in my head out into the console. My co-producer Mike (Tall Tall Trees) is one of my favorite artists, and I love the way he builds soundscapes—there’s so much character. He’s extremely musical and tasteful, and his ideas are always in service of the song, not the ego. He completely understood my vision and brought in players from projects I love (Josiah Wolf of WHY?, Claude Coleman, Jr. of Ween, and Adam Schatz of Sylvan Esso & Japanese Breakfast) to guide the songs in certain directions. Once Dan dug into the tracks and added extra effects and space—“sauce”—everything became even more cohesive, and I knew we’d made something really special.

GW: You’re a self-taught multi-instrumentalist who can play guitar, harmonica, trumpet, and more—sometimes simultaneously! How do you decide which instruments to bring into a song, and what’s your process for learning new ones?

Cat: Usually, I just play whatever instrument I wrote the song on, but after working with Mike, I’ve been reassessing that. I was stuck in a chord-based writing rut, and Mike helped me break out of it. Banjos are great for melodic riffs or percussive strumming if you want them to stand out, and guitars are great for rhythm, texture, or melodic lines. We’d just start plugging instruments into different effects until one of us went, “WOAH,” to decide things like banjo vs. guitar—if the sound doesn’t inspire you, why use it?

As far as learning instruments goes, I haven’t truly mastered any of them—I just approach each instrument like a curious kid and play around until something works.

GW: Your career has taken you from festivals to House of Blues stages. What’s the most memorable show you’ve played, and why does it stand out?

Cat: One of my favorite shows ever was at Kennett Flash in October of last year. The current band lineup had just formed, and it was only our fifth show on our first tour together. Earlier that day, we went apple-picking at an orchard, which was both wholesome and a great bonding experience. After a long soundcheck that let us really settle into the room, everything clicked during the show. We locked in on a level we hadn’t before—the chemistry was palpable. It felt like magic, and the rest of the band felt it too.

GW: What can fans expect from Sprinter that they haven’t heard from you before? Any surprises you’re particularly excited about?

Cat: This record digs much deeper lyrically than anything else I’ve ever released. I hope anyone who spends time with it feels like they’ve gotten to know me better. Sonically, it’s more experimental, and I love where our explorations took us. As far as surprises go, anyone familiar with my older stuff may not expect me to push my vocals into screaming/yelling territory on a couple of songs—but I do!

GW: What’s your ultimate dream collaboration, and why?

Cat: Funny you should ask because I’ve been geeking out over Santigold all over again lately. I’d love the chance to work with her. I think she’s a brilliant songwriter, especially with melodies and rhythms, and I love the way she blends alternative pop with a punk spirit. She’s extremely inventive, and I can’t name another artist quite like her,

GW: If you could describe Sprinter in three words, what would they be, and why?

Cat:

• Introspective – The themes are some of the most thoughtful I’ve tackled.
• Colorful – Mike pulled so many cool, adventurous sounds from us, and I have synesthesia, so each song genuinely has its own vivid hue.
• Sincere – This is the work that feels truest to me, and I mean every word I say within it.

Stay tuned for more on Cat Ridgeway’s upcoming album, Sprinter, and catch her and The Tourists live if you get the chance—you won’t regret it.