Sensitivity is a strength - so says Katie Stump, aka BLÜ EYES. With her musical pseudonym born from light sensitivity (blue eyes are the most affected), as well as her vulnerable, soulless lyrics, Stump is here to embody the tenderness of the human experience. On her latest EP, "The Last Songs I'll Write About You" (05.05.2023), she blends her signature bedroom pop production with themes of loss, identity and abandonment. Stump grew up in a musical family and drew inspiration from her parents - from singing at the dinner table to full ensemble productions for every holiday. After studying pop music at the University of Southern California, she performed and played in bands into her early twenties. In addition to her time on stage, she began developing her production skills. "I always had an interest in production, but I only had male role models to look up to," she says. The common interest connected her with women in her
Graduating class, and she began working on her solo music under the name BLÜ EYES. in 2022, she released her first EP, "healing hurts."
But while she was finding her footing as a songwriter and artist, she got caught in the vortex of a friendship. "It was just incredibly toxic," she recalls. This person, who was part colleague*, part mentor* and part friend*, played an important role in Stump's early career. However, Stump realized more and more that she was losing her own agency and individuality, not only as an artist, but also as a person. Trying to extricate herself from a difficult dynamic, Stump eventually broke up altogether. "Breaking up with this person was so much worse than any other relationship I've ever had," she says. "I had been so focused on making this other person's dream come true that I didn't ask myself if this was what I really wanted!"
Fortunately, Stump has been working a lot on her own dreams in the meantime. In "The Last Songs I'll Write About You," she takes listeners on a journey through the various stages of a toxic relationship, from initial rose-colored glasses to repressed feelings to stubborn anger. She cites the influence of Taylor Swift when it came to writing lyrics, especially in the sprawling final track, "The Last Song." And all of that is what makes BLÜ EYES so special. Including all the ups and downs of Stump's life can be emotionally exhausting, but ultimately she's glad she put every bit of herself into the music. "I don't want this EP to be just about that one person," she says, "I want it to be about the loss of identity with someone else." And on each of those points - her personal experiences, her self-produced sound, her narrative stories - the songs really shine. "I imprint myself on the music," Stump says. "Every single note you hear is from me."