Amythyst Kiah Delivers Powerful Spin Of Katy Perry’s “Chained To The Rhythm”

“Chained To The Rhythm” completes her 4-track EP Pensive Pop, streaming now

Amythyst Kiah shares her brooding spin on Katy Perry’s “Chained To The Rhythm.” In a stark contrast to the infectiously-bubbly original, Amythyst’s more contemplative arrangement brings forward the track’s powerful inspection of American culture.  

“I remember watching the ‘Chained To The Rhythm’ music video and being blown away by a kind of infectious, self-medicated joy within an ever-colorful dystopia,” says Amythyst. “It actually inspired the poem that would later become ‘Fancy Drones (Fracture Me).’ I’ve always been fascinated by songs that you can shut your brain off to and dance, while also pointing out that something is terribly wrong. Breaking free of the cycle of mindless consumerism and incessant comparison and creating a life of meaning and some sense of purpose is a difficult task. And while the irony of a famous pop star on a Major Label singing and performing a song that questions the very listener that is dancing is not lost on me, we do each have to ask ourselves, “When will we have enough?”

This track completes her latest EP Pensive Pop (available digitally today via Rounder Records). With Pensive Pop, Amythyst further illuminates how her artistic prowess cannot be defined in a single style. This 4-track release – which features her renditions of Tori Amos’ standard “Sugar,” Joy Division’s “Love Will Tear Us Apart,” and Green Day’s “Hitchin’ A Ride” – highlights the iconoclastic alt-rock and hard-hitting, diary-like songwriting that first sparked her artistic passion and shaped her musical palate. 

On the EP, Amythyst adds: “The songs on Pensive Pop were chosen before the title, before any real concept came to light. Quite simply, I chose songs that I love and wanted to see if I could keep their integrity while also matching a sound that's authentic to me. I enjoy games and this process was like a puzzle. The common themes throughout this record address the lamenting external factors that can impede us on our journey in life and the struggle to accept and work through those challenges. Fear is at the center of all of these songs: fear of rejection, fear of change, fear of sobriety, fear of living in the present. Pensive Pop is my reinterpretation of pop/rock songs in order to bring more attention to the stories being told.”

The tracks of Pensive Pop and of her 2021 Rounder Records debut Wary + Strange – which was lauded by The New York Times, NPR Morning Edition, Pitchfork, Rolling Stone and more - are just a selection of her setlist for her U.S. and European tours this Summer and throughout the rest of the year. Kiah – who was recently named one of CMT’s Next Women of Country - just recently capped a run of shows with The Who and will be headed out on the road with CAM this year. 

Kiah – a Grammy-nominated songwriter – was recently featured in Amazon Music’s For Love & Country documentary and one of the faces of Gibson’s Sister Rosetta Tharpe & Generation Acoustic campaigns. 

UPCOMING TOUR DATES:

Saturday, August 13 - Guster's On The Ocean Weekend - Portland, ME

Wednesday, August 17 - Paradiso - Amsterdam, Netherlands

Friday, August 19 - Rootsy Summer Fest - Falkenberg, Sweden

Saturday, August 20 - Osterlen Americana Festival - Loderup, Sweden

Sunday, August 21 - Purbeck Valley Folk Festival - Wareham, UK 

Monday, August 22 - The Black Box - Belfast, UK 

Tuesday, August 23 - Whelan’s - Dublin, Ireland

Thursday, August 25 - Tønder Festival - Tønder, Denmark

Friday, August 26 - Tønder Festival - Tønder, Denmark 

Saturday, August 27 - The Long Road Festival - Bottesford, UK

Sunday, August 28 - Shrewsbury Folk Festival - Shrewsbury, UK 

Monday, August 29 - Shrewsbury Folk Festival - Shrewsbury, UK 

Thursday, Sept. 8 - Hopscotch Music Festival - Raleigh, NC

Saturday, Sept. 10 - Mountain Song Festival - Brevard, NC 

Thursday, Sept. 15 - Scoot Inn - Austin, TX&

Friday, Sept. 16 - The Echo Lounge and Music Hall - Dallas, TX& 

Friday, Sept. 23 - Neighborhood Theatre - Charlotte, NC&

Saturday, Sept. 24 - Variety Playhouse - Atlanta, GA& 

Sunday, Sept. 25 - Ryman Auditorium - Nashville, TN&

Thursday, Sept. 29 - World Cafe Live - Philadelphia, PA&

Wednesday, Oct. 5 - Patricia Reser Center for the Arts - Beaverton, OR

Friday, Oct. 21 - Brooklyn Folk Festival - Brooklyn, NY

Saturday, Oct. 22 - Kennedy Center - Washington, DC

Sunday, Oct. 23 - Metro Gallery - Baltimore, MD

Monday, Oct. 24 - Webster Hall - New York, NY&

Friday, Nov. 4 - Carnegie Hall - New York%

Friday, Nov. 11 - EFG London Jazz Festival: Jazz Voice, Royal Festival Hall - London UK

Saturday, Nov. 12 - EFG London Jazz Festival: Bush Hall - London, UK 

Sunday, Nov. 13 - The Jam Jar - Bristol, UK

Tuesday, Nov. 15 - The Voodoo Rooms - Edinburgh, UK

Wednesday, Nov. 16 - Day & Night - Manchester, UK

Friday, Nov. 18 - Privatclub - Berlin, Germany

Saturday, Nov. 19 - Kranhalle - Munich, Germany

Sunday, Nov. 20 - Legend Club - Milan, Italy

Tuesday, Nov. 22 - Point Ephemere - Paris, France 

Friday, Dec. 2 - Only The Wild Ones Weekend 2022 - Puerto Morelos, MX

& denotes show with CAM

% denotes show with Our Native Daughters