Catlea Breaks Boundaries with Language Barrier

Fresh off the success of their Bones EP—which racked up over 2 million streams—Catlea (they/them) is back, and this time, they’re making a statement. On March 6th, they unveil Language Barrier, a debut album that masterfully blends indie pop and rock while delving deep into the complexities of communication, relationships, and self-discovery.

Lead single Why Them? sets the tone with infectious hooks and raw emotional depth, showcasing Catlea’s signature ability to craft music that resonates on both a sonic and lyrical level. Three years in the making, the album is a testament to their artistic evolution, shaped alongside industry heavyweights like producer Jason Boshoff (Ed Sheeran, Rufus Wainwright) and Oscar Garcia-Bragado at Room to Studios in Barcelona.

With over 10 million streams and critical praise from Notion, Wonderland, and Earmilk, Catlea is proving they can captivate both fans and critics alike. Language Barrier is more than just a debut—it’s a bold, unfiltered journey you won’t want to miss.

Your debut album Language Barrier explores the breakdown of a relationship and the struggle to communicate. How did your personal experiences shape the themes and emotions behind the record?

Honestly, the entire album is completely shaped and molded out of my own personal experiences. It's the entire story from start to finish about the process of a real relationship I was in, the emotions I felt, and the influences surrounding it. 

You spent three years meticulously crafting this album, working with renowned producers like Jason Boshoff. What was the most challenging and rewarding part of the creative process?

The most challenging part ended up being the finer details. Getting the song to sound exactly how I wanted, down to each individual note, was difficult at times to say the least. But it ended up being the most rewarding part too, because once each song was finally complete, there was an immense feeling of satisfaction that we had created something special.

Your music blends indie pop and rock with intricate storytelling. How do you approach balancing catchy melodies with deeper, more complex narratives?

I just write the way that I feel and communicate. These songs weren't just written about the subject matter itself, but also the way I was handling it at the time. I have a tendency to not always talk about my problems with the appropriate amount of gravity, but that ended up working really well for the sound of the album. If you read the lyrics on their own without the music behind it, you'd probably think the album itself would sound much sadder than it does!

With over 10 million streams and a dedicated fanbase, how has the response to your music influenced your growth as an artist?

It's definitely been deeply motivating. Having so much support and positive feedback has given me a lot of much-needed confidence and pushed me to create even bigger, better songs moving forward.

From anger to acceptance, Language Barrier takes listeners on a deeply emotional journey. If there’s one message you hope people take away from this album, what would it be?

These experiences aren't worth regretting, they're just something to learn and grow from. Even if right now you feel like nobody in the world understands what you're going through, you will get through it, no matter how messy, complex, chaotic, emotional, and painful it all is. You might even be able to turn it into something beautiful in the end.