Coloring Outside the Lines with Little Door
An inspiring conversation with the portal-opening musician about her career path, making her first album, and all things trippy!
By The Music Directory and Shanté Oct 06, 2025
Musician, writer, and mom Kate Ellen has a creative essence that invites you in with warmth and clarity. Her presence, even through virtual means, is calming and reassuring—being in her company makes one feel equally safe and seen. When I reached out to ask if she would like to be a part of my interview series forThe Music Directory, she was so kind and receptive. One email led to a few more and blossomed into a collaboration, including an interview exchange AND a songwriting challenge. I’m honored to feature her work throughout the month of October.
Kate’s artistic outlook is infused with intentionality and that shines through everything she touches. For instance, she has been very vocal about ditching both Spotify and her smartphone in pursuit of a slower pace and prioritizing human interaction. We chatted for a little over an hour and realized we have much in common. Of course, we both champion music and creativity, with considerable overlap in our preferred genres—namely, Kate grew up listening to a lot of hip-hop, reggae, and R&B with influence from her dad who loved jazz and her older sister who enjoyed anything new and cutting-edge.1 But the two of us also discovered that we both value meditative embodiment practices and studied topics like birth work, reproductive health, and herbalism.
In her past career ventures, Kate was a sex education teacher and case manager for HIV-positive women who pivoted into making fine and bridal jewelry; she owned a shop in Oakland, California before moving to Sonoma County. At present, she has transitioned from that business into making music. Musically, Kate considers herself a late bloomer—she’s releasing her debut album in her mid-40s and took her first vocal lesson in her 30s. The day that we chatted, she was preparing to attend a local open mic in Sebastopol, California. She’s found inspiration, encouragement, and community support as she further embraces her musicianship.
