Ohio native gets big break with record deal

Voegele appeared Monday at The Basement in Columbus.

While early adulthood is a stressful experience for every twenty-something, just imagine living as up-and-coming singer Kate Voegele.

The Cleveland native's biggest concerns are not that difficult class or dramatic dating woes but mulling over her just-released album and upcoming tour dates all over the country.

Even though Voegele might look like a traditional college student; think again. Her experience in the music industry surpasses the repertoire of musicians twice her age, which makes her wise beyond her years and is reflective of the once-in-a-lifetime experience she is living.

"It is sort of crazy because it is happening pretty fast," Voegele said.

Although she has been performing all of her life, Voegele released her debut album "Don't Look Away" May 22 through MySpace Records. The eclectic mix of rock and pop hooks combined with insightful lyrics has received rave reviews.

Nationally recognized as a rising star in the music industry, Voegele's album features the songs "Only Fooling Myself," which won the USA Songwriting Contest, and "I Won't Disagree," which won first place out of 4000 entries as pop song of the year at the New York Songwriters' Circle.

"We had been planning for the album and talking about it for over a year," Voegele said. "It is like a wedding. You build up all this anticipation for one event."

After recording an early demo with her father as a teenager, Voegele performed as the opening act for John Mayer when she was 16 and soon after played at two consecutive Farm-Aid concerts. She has also opened for Dave Matthews Band, Howie Day and John Mellencamp, all before turning 20.

A former student at Miami University, Voegele took a break from studying art following her sophomore year to focus on her dream career in music.

"I started out taking this one day at a time, but now I'm putting school on hold for this," Voegele said. "I want to make a career out of this and build up a fan base."

Despite touring across the country most of the year to promote her album, Voegele resides in Oxford, Ohio, where she lives with college friends and tries to maintain the semblance of a normal life. Even though she is increasingly busy with her rising music career, her friends still remain her biggest fans.

"If I'm at home, my friends are in the first row," Voegele said. "I have incredibly supportive friends."

Coming home also means performing for local fans and proud Ohio residents. One reviewer, Chad Malone of themediafix.com, said that Voegele might be "the greatest thing to come out of Ohio." She will defend that title when she performs July 23 in Columbus with Tyrone Wells and Ernie Halter at The Basement.

"I'm excited to go back and see people," Voegele said. "I love being in different places, but it is fun bringing the tour back home."

While Voegele may not be a typical 20-year-old, her catapulting stardom more than makes up for her anything but normal life.

Kate Christobek can be reached at christobek.2@osu.edu.