Canadian pop sensation, Kenzie Cates, has unveiled the music video for her latest single, “I Don’t Need U”, which poignantly recounts her harrowing experience of escaping an unsuspected cult.
The track, a testament to her resilience, newly found freedom, and the self-confidence she has tenaciously cultivated, is vividly represented in the visual narrative. In the video, Kenzie boldly confronts her former cult leader, simultaneously exuding an aura of newfound freedom and asserting her hard-earned confidence.
Directed and shot by Shiraz Higgins, the video intriguingly subverts Kenzie’s past ordeal. She is depicted leading a group of followers who bear an uncanny resemblance to her previous cult leader, effectively inverting the former power dynamic that once dictated her existence.
In this new paradigm, Kenzie wields absolute control, subjecting her followers to her will and reshaping them into unexpected iterations of themselves.
Kenzie Cates’ riveting talent and potent songwriting skills have quickly garnered international recognition. The British Columbia native landed in the top 10 of the Nashville Songwriters Association International Annual Song Contest this year, ranking within the top 1% of the American Songwriters Association’s annual competition.
Her accomplishments extend to the semi-finals of CBC/Toyota Searchlight Competition in 2021 and being featured in Yangaroo’s ‘New Indie Artist’ highlight at Canadian Music Week in 2019. The first single, “Ruin It,” marked her debut as a director, with a music video she shot and edited herself.
Her tracks have enjoyed extensive airplay across Canada, catapulting her to the third spot on Bellevue Radio’s Indie Chart. Furthermore, she attended Andrew Allen’s masterclass through the Songwriter’s Association of Canada and Judy Stakee’s songwriting retreat in Nashville, marking significant milestones in her career.
Kenzie started chronicling her experiences with abuse after exiting the cult in the fall of 2022. She released “Right About Me” in March, a composition widely lauded as a “masterful” depiction of the disorientation resulting from sustained abuse. By sharing her story, she hopes to raise awareness of the insidious prevalence of cults.
Discover the compelling narrative of “I Don’t Need U” by Kenzie Cates via the link below!
#Peace.Love.KenzieCates
