Katy Carr

Katy Carr

Katy Carr is a British singer-songwriter and musician based in London. She is known for songs about Polish history and performs as Katy Carr and the Aviators. She writes and sings in a folk-oriented style and works with themes drawn from history, particularly from Poland and wartime Europe.

Career and releases

Carr self-releases music on her own label. Her albums include Deluce: "Screwing Lies" (2001), Passion Play (2003) and Coquette (2009). Coquette is her third album and is recorded in a bedroom studio with producer Nick Crofts in Muswell Hill, North London, opposite the 1936 Grade II listed Odeon Art Deco cinema. The album draws on themes, stories, characters and music from Britain, France, Germany and Poland in the 1940s.

Performance style and instruments

Carr is a vocalist who accompanies herself mainly on a 1960s Wurlitzer electronic piano or a real piano. She also plays ukulele and banjolele, and sometimes performs with toy pianos.

Katy Carr and the Aviators

She uses the name Katy Carr and the Aviators for touring. Carr says the name reflects the way her line-up changes over time and describes her project as one that has moved in many directions. She also says that working as a solo performer gives her the chance to collaborate with many musicians and artists.

Recognition

Coquette receives strong reviews in the mainstream and music press, including a five-star review from Music Critic. Carr’s 2012 album Paszport, a tribute to those who fought in World War II, wins Best Concept Album at the Independent Music Awards in 2014. In 2016, she receives Poland’s Pro Patria Medal.