LISTEN As Songstress KAT DELUNA Discusses Her Forthcoming Album, Her New Sound, ‘Kocktails With Khloe’ and SO MUCH MORE!

The performer Kat DeLuna is officially back in the music game with a brand new single called “What A Night”! Featuring Jeremih, the track was released just after the promotion of her latest single, “Bum Bum” which was a collaboration with Trey Songz.

“What a Night” is the proper lead single taken from DeLuna’s highly delayed third studio album “Viva Out Loud“, which should be released later this year. The track uses a sample of Four Seasons’ 1975 hit song, “December, 1963 (Oh What A Night)”.

Kat released her debut single “Whine Up“ in 2007 and it went on to become a commercial success, entering the Top 40 in numerous countries and topping the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart. The track was on her first studio album called “9 Lives”.

In 2010, Kat released her second studio album, “Inside Out”. The album spawned a number of singles, notably “Unstoppable“, “Push Push“, and “Dancing Tonight“ featuring Lil Wayne, Akon, and Fo Onassis.

Learn more about what Kat is up to now in the following All Access interview:

Well, thank you so much for your time. How is 2016 treating you so far?

I have not yet been able to feel 2016, because I feel like every day of it, I’ve been busy with the whole project, but I do have to say, it’s been amazing. I am a very much a positive person, a positive thinker, but it’s been amazing personally, work wise, and everything.

What do you think were some of the highlights of last year for you in your career?

Wow, that’s a very good question. I would say, to me again, because I am such a positive thinker, everything is a highlight for me. I’m like the happiest person ever. If you ever meet me, if you gave me an ice cream as a gift, I would be like, “This is the best gift ever.” I would have to say one of the biggest, let me not say biggest, because I don’t want to say that. I would say one of the pretty moments, the awesome moments for me were when I released ‘Bum Bum,’ which is a part of this actual album that’s coming out soon.

We don’t have a date yet, because it’s in the final process, but you’ll definitely be one of the first people to know! Yeah, that was amazing because of all the work that was put towards it. To me, like an artist, this is what people don’t get, your album or your single, it’s your baby. I put a lot of work towards it, and then being able to record the actual song that’s going to be released right now, which is “What a Night,” with Jeremiah, and then being able to see it come into … How they say, it’s like, boom, this year. For me those are big highlights. People won’t get to see it, but if I could ever just explain it, it’s just the hard work that I was able to put towards it.

People usually don’t like to say hard word is good, but I love to be able to work hard for something, because … especially once I see the final product, or whatever happens, I know that it came from my heart, and it came from my hard work.

It means more when you finally get it, when you finally achieve what you were working hard for.

Exactly. Yes, and then let’s talk about career wise, and being able to visit my fans. I was doing a lot of promo on the radio last year, concentrating and refocusing myself. It’s been a while since I had been to Japan, for a tour of Japan, Asia, and then Cambodia, and that was insane. In Cambodia, I did a huge show for charity. It was televised for an hour and it was amazing.

I love it. That’s great. Now, I haven’t heard ‘What a Night’ yet, but I’ve heard ‘Bum Bum.’ The first thing that caught my ear was that it’s a lot slower than your previous songs. Was that an intentional move that you made, or you were just feeling that? How did that all happen?

I go more by what I’m feeling, what I feel, and I feel then it becomes an intention. I just feel as well like music is a way that you think, that your feeling is your expression. It’s so funny because, yes, a lot of the music in the past that have come from me has been upbeat and club music. Maybe this time, it’s where I am at a personal level, as a human being, and then also as an artist. I hate to say, and it’s funny, because The Kat DeLuna sound, which is what people always say, that club, Latin mix with a little bit of either hip hop, R&B, or just house, or whatever it is, but I just feel that.

To answer your question, it was not an intentional move. It was what I was feeling as an artist, and to tell you, because ‘Bum Bum’ was not planned, it just came out of nowhere. The same thing with ‘What a Night.’ ‘What a Night,’ actually to tell you the truth, the idea came from a trip I did in Tahiti. We were just dancing. I had a dance party. I did a little concert out there, and the production crew that was helping me, and being really nice out there said, “Why don’t you guys come over the house,” because they gave me this beautiful mansion, and I was alone. I was like, “Well, I’m in this beautiful mansion, and I don’t have anyone to hang out with. I’m going to throw a party, Dominican style.”

I invited everyone, and we threw a party. One of the songs that was playing was ‘Oh What a Night.’ It’s by the Four Seasons. It’s funny, because I finished growing up in Newark, and they’re from Newark. I didn’t know that till a little while back, maybe a week ago. I was like, “Oh my gosh, play this.”

So it came about that way. They put on a song. They’re like, “Kat, I bet you don’t know this song,” so then they played it. They played it in English, but I was like, “Wait a minute. I’ve heard this song before in Paris.” It’s in French, because they remade it, so I was like “Oh my gosh.” I came back, and we started working on it, and I worked with this amazing group of producers. They’re just these amazing producers in the UK, and they’re called Beat Freaks. We were able to create it, and then we called up my boy who I love, Sam Hook, who is a writer, and then together, we created it.

Originally said I wanted to make it a big pop song, and they were like, “No Kat, we should flip this. Why don’t you do it like hip hop and R&B which is kind of like where you’ve been going.” In a way, how you’re saying, it’s a new sound for me, to put it sonically, musically, but if you know me, and you go to karaoke with me, I’m like jumping everywhere.

Anyway, it ended up being amazing, and Jeremiah ended up on it. We ended up contacting him, and he’s so amazing and nice. I can’t wait for you to hear it. I can’t wait for everyone to hear it. It’s one of those songs that you cannot turn your head to. It doesn’t matter who records that song. People are going to love it, no matter … Even if you’re a fan, you’re not a fan, you’ll be a fan!

Well, I love the Four Seasons, so I’m sure that I will enjoy it for sure.

Let me tell you, I feel like this songs were not planned, and that’s why, because again, … Like what you said, ‘Bum Bum,’ ‘What a Night,’ these are songs that came from the feeling, from the heart, about the feeling. I know my fans have been waiting. I love them so much, The Lunatics, they’ve been so supportive. I know they want answers but some things, you just have to let them come.

Like you were saying, I’m not going to tell you which sound I took to be my main sound when it comes to, in my album, but it’s actually going to be like you said, like “Wow, Kat, we didn’t expect that from you,” but it’s logical, because I’m a grown woman now. We go through different … We have our wake up song. We have that one song we get ready to, or that song, when we break up with a dude, we’re going tonight, so it’s a bunch of fun stuff. Also besides that, it’s a lot of fun music in there, so I’m excited.

Do you think that what drives you to make music has changed over the years? I mean, you’ve been in this industry a long time. Has what motivated you changed at all?

I like your questions. I actually love your questions. These are real questions. Actually, I feel that every day, as a human being, I’m able to say that, because I’m very in touch with who I am as a human. Even as a person, forget the artist, every day that comes in your life, a new day, your perspective changes. At least, I see that. Yes, you have colors of what you learned yesterday, but every day, you deserve yourself, so of course, I will say that everything matters.

Before I get into the studio, if I’m either going to sing, or if I’m going to go and write, or even to give an idea, I always sit down, and I think about myself. I think, where am I at now, what would I want … What I want people to know, not what I want people to like, because you can’t … If you go by that, you’re not going to create anything that has you in it. Yeah, definitely I will say … I don’t know exactly … If you’re going to ask specifically, but I would just say, just like a soul.

I am a girl that … I will say, I am considered successful. I will say that, but I’m very ambitious. I have not yet reached, of course not, my peak, where I think I will successful, Grammys, and who knows, maybe one day, an Oscar, or through my music, where I will be able to trust people. I will say in general, I love what I do, and I’m blessed to be able to do what I do, but it has not been an easy road. Everything I do, it comes with how I work. That’s why I love it every day, when I wake up, that I am able to still do what I love to do.

That’s all you can ask for. Looking back on your career, you have worked with so many incredible artists. Do you have a collaboration that stands out to you as a really … a favorite one, or just really memorable?

Oh my god, I learned so much from every single person that I worked with, that it’s so hard to really answer that question, but I will say, maybe working with Jeremiah. Again, I’ve learned from each one of them, but ‘What a Night’ is so special, because for me, it was something that I had not done before, even the way that I am flowing with my voice, and the way that Jeremiah and I sing together … because in reality, I would say it’s a duet, so the way that we flow in this, for me, it was an experience. It’s funny, because I went in the studio three times, and I really blew it. I was like, “No, I don’t like the way I sound.” I learned about myself, and I learned about myself musically, so I would say, to me, it was interesting, let me say that, and it was awesome, because it was a challenge.

I’m waiting here to one day do a feature with a female, because I’ve done nothing but features with males.

Yeah, for sure. I was stalking you a little bit on Instagram, and I saw that you were recently on Kocktails with Khloe. What was that like, and how did all that happen?

Oh my god, that was awesome. Well, just to let you know, I don’t know if the interview will come out after, but it comes out next Wednesday, February 17th. It was amazing. They reached out to me to come and be in the show, and of course I said, “Hello? Yes. Why not?” The minute I get there, we just clicked. Khloe is an amazing person. She’s so sweet. The minute you get there, she makes you comfortable. She’s like, “What do you want to drink? What do you want to eat?” I do have to say the conversations in the room, they’re very interesting, and to let you know, we had Taye Diggs in the house, I can say that.

Oh and David Arquette, and many more but I do have to say that it was a very fun experience. I loved it, and hey, I can’t wait for you guys to see it. Maybe you’ll even see me in a different light.

This might be a hard question to remember, but do you remember the first time you heard one of your songs on the radio?

Yes, and one of the most memorable. Every time I hear my songs on the radio, I feel like every time it’s like meeting … You know when you meet that new guy that you like, or like that first love?

That’s how it is. I will have to say, the first one I remember is ‘Whine Up.’ It was so memorable to me and still is.  It was in Tucson and Tim Richards at that time, he was the PD there, and he is funny. He was asking me questions, “Oh, so how was it?” I was like, “It was great.” I said to him, “Thank you for having me. I’ll come back, and maybe one day, I will hear my song on your radio station.”

When I left the station. I was just starting to perform. I didn’t know. I didn’t expect anything and he says, “Oh, turn on the radio,” but he doesn’t tell me. As we’re driving, we’re on the highway, and Nappy turns on the radio. I am thinking that that’s a CD that Nappy had inside the car, because we had CDs. That was in ’07. I was like, “Oh, okay. Cool.” He’s like, “Oh, Kat, listen.” I was like, “Okay.” I was being nice. He’s like, “You don’t understand. Then he says, “Look, look.” Then I saw that it was the radio. Oh my god, he had to stop the car.

I came out, and I told everyone, “Turn on the radio. That’s my song. I’m the artist.” It was just nothing would ever top that, because that was my first single ever. It’s amazing, but every time I hear it, I get teary. I’m like a mother, and those are my kids.

I was asking on Twitter, your fans, to give me questions, and then the biggest question was, when can they see you live? Do you have any tour scheduled for this year or next year?

I don’t have anything locked down as a tour yet, but there will be so many chances when promotions come out. I know you know about these things. You are in the music industry. We do have plans, but as of dates, as of right now, we don’t have any dates set in stone.

Definitely just follow me on my social networks, social media, and of course, I will make all my announcements. I just need to say that I love them, and that definitely this album will come out here in the States. Other than that, I definitely did it for them. I want them to know that I saw musically, more than anything else. To me right now, anything that has to do with … Not that it doesn’t matter to me, but I just wanted to be that singer for them.

My final question is, where do you think that you are happiest, on stage performing, recording in the studio, doing promo events, interviews, or somewhere else? Where do you think you are the happiest?

Wow, that’s one of the best questions ever. Oh my god. I would have to say, it’s not easy. I’m going to give you two, because I can’t just choose one. The happiest of course, has to be when I’m on stage. When I did this concert, people didn’t notice my shirt, for some reason, came off! Thank god, I had a sports bra under. I said, “Oh my god,” but I forget I am on stage, and I am someone else. I don’t know. That’s why I say it isn’t Kat DeLuna, it’s because my name is Kathleen, and I literally … I didn’t mind. I came and I walked I was right next door to one of the girls in production. I literally took her shirt off, and put in on on stage, and said, “Oops.”

I am trying to tell you that, because just seeing how comfortable I am on stage with my people. I am there to, like I said, to be the singer for them, so that’s why I love to be able to touch them musically. I forget about who I am on stage. When I record, I know that God brings us here for something, and I know that with me, it’s only a matter of time. It’s just to touch people through music, and let them know that life is … Yeah, sometimes it’s hard, but life is once, and you’ve got to live it to the fullest. Secondly, one of my favorites, when I’m most happy, but favorite place is in the studio, because that’s where I get to create for them.

Awesome. Well, thank you so much for your time, Kat. I really appreciate it. This was a lot of fun.

Oh, thank you. Thanks a lot, and again, thanks for the support. Thanks for all of the beautiful questions!

To LISTEN to the full interview, click below for the Soundcloud link: