Up-and-coming county artist Katelyn Lehner, originally from Prince Albert but currently based in Saskatoon, recently released her first EP, “10 Bucks” and will be celebrating it with a release party this weekend in Saskatoon at the Capitol Music Club.
The album is a combination of all of the singles she has released in the last year. Lehner said the album release was part of her long-term plan.
“The plan was always to have this collective project be out in the fall time, which is now the winter time I guess. I wanted to kind of trickle those songs out as singles throughout. “Matter of Wine” was the first one to come out in April of this year and then “10 Bucks” was June, “This Bar” was in September and now here we are into November already.”
The EP was officially released on Oct. 28. Lehner said it was special to finally have the collection together.
“I have been wanting to have an album out and a collective project, to get some CDs printed and have multiple songs all on it,” she said. “I am super excited the EP is finally here.”
Saturday’s show will be both a release celebration and a party. Lehner will perform a full live show with her band, and Saskatoon singer Morgan Robertson will be the opening act.
Lehner plans to perform all the songs off of the EP, and then some of her favourite cover songs she’s performed over the past year.
There will also be brand new merchandise connected to the release available for the first time at the show.
“It is just hopefully going to be a really fun night,” Lehner said.
“I was throwing around the idea that I wanted to do a show and kind of event like this. I feel like this is a milestone in my career and that it is worth celebrating.”
Produced by Bart McKay (Brett Kissel, Don Amero, The Prairie States), the EP takes you through the ups and downs of love and relationships, while staying true to her previous Billboard charting single “Without You”.
“Bart is awesome,” Lehner said. “He is kind of the go to guy in Saskatchewan, especially for country artists. He is just so well versed and experienced and he knows how to make those crisp productions so I feel super fortunate to have worked with him on this project.”
Earlier this year, Lehner debuted at the Calgary Stampede as direct support for Blue Rodeo and played in front of over 33,000 people at the Saskatchewan Roughrider’s Labour Day Classic halftime show.
While there will be no release part in Prince Albert, Lehner said she’s eager to get back and perform in her hometown again.
“I know I kind of threw around the idea of maybe doing something in both places. As of now it’s going to be in Saskatoon but I’m sure I will be back in Prince Albert within the next few months and into the springtime, summertime for sure,” she said.
Doors open for the release show at 8 p.m., with the show at 8:30 at the Capitol Music Club located at 244 1st Ave North. Tickets will be available for purchase on her website, www.katelynlehner.com.
Lehner will also be celebrating the release of the EP by going live on Instagram Thursday evening at 9:30 p.m. CST.
michael.oleksyn@paherald.sk.ca