Second Cup Cafe: Kate Voegele
Singer/songwriter and college sophomore Kate Voegele is no stranger to the stage.
Growing up with her musician father, the Cleveland native began singing and writing songs at a young age, which ultimately led to some high profile gigs.
When she was 16 she recorded some amateur demos with her father, which landed her an opening slot at a John Mayer and Counting Crows show in 2003.
Dubbed "the artist to watch in 2008," by Billboard, Voegele's career really took off when she received a message from her MySpace page asking her to join MySpace Records.
Slightly hesitant to sign with MySpace Records at first, Voegele decided to take a chance. She had a good feeling about the company and the direction her career would be going, and her career has been moving forward ever since.
Voegele recently appeared on the CW Network's hit TV series "One Tree Hill" as Mia, a member of Jason's (played by Kevin Federline) rock band whose talent was overlooked.
After the characters butt heads regarding which musical direction to go in, Federline's character is kicked out of the band, leaving Mia to shine. Discovered by Peyton Sawyer (Hilarie Burton), Voegele played her hit, "Only Fooling Myself."
"I went out to L.A. in August to audition for the role of a musician in the show. I knew that my music would be involved somehow," Voegele told Billboard. "I was able to have my first acting experience while promoting my first album."
Her appearance on "One Tree Hill" drew an even bigger audience to her music. Voegele's MySpace Records debut, "Don't Look Away," which is No. 4 on the iTunes Album Chart, entered Billboard's Top Independent Albums Chart at No. 7 and debuted on Billboard's Top Digital Albums Chart at No. 5.
Over the past couple of years, Voegele has shared the stage with music legends such as Dave Matthews, the Wreckers and John Mellencamp. She has also performed at two Farm-Aid concerts and played at many clubs and theaters to full houses, including performances with Ben Lee and Cary Brothers.
By Melissa Castellanos