Catherine Landeta Delivers a Jaw-Dropping Debut EP: 'Desires,' a Bold and Brilliant Showcase of Vocal Power
- STAFF
- 6 days ago
- 10 min read
By: Staff
Explosive, magnetic, and vocally masterful—Catherine Landeta is a revelation on 'Desires'
We were thrilled to come across the artist Catherine Landeta and her latest EP release, “Desires”.
From the first listen, it was immediately clear that this project showcases a rare combination of vocal mastery, artistic ambition, and high-level production. Every track on the EP stands confidently on its own, but we selected a few that particularly captured our attention.
Starting with the magnetic opener, “I Wanna Be”. The song begins with muted, understated drums that lay a gentle foundation, paired with a soft, synth-driven vocal chorus that subtly invites you into Catherine’s sonic world. It's an immersive effect, one that quietly pulls you into a mood before you even realize it. And following that calm entrance is a sudden, intentional silence, a dramatic pause that spotlights Catherine’s voice in full focus. What follows immediately commands attention:
“I’ve never been the girl on everybody’s mind Always competing for what I feel is mine”
And just like that, we’re only thirty seconds in, and Catherine Landeta has already established herself as a force. Her voice alone is compelling, emotive, textured, and assertive, but it’s the way she handles vocal dynamics and stylistic embellishments that really seals the deal. She doesn’t just sing, she navigates each phrase with rhythmic sharpness and dramatic flair, flexing a vocal identity that’s powerful yet nuanced. She teeters between vulnerability and boldness, making each note feel intentional and alive. Catherine doesn’t stay in one lane, she stretches the emotional and sonic scope of her vocals, creating a push and pull that’s impossible to ignore.
As the track develops, the beat hits with more intensity, driving the song forward with an exciting rhythm full of intricate drum fills that provide a compelling contrast to her vocal phrasing. This interplay of textures creates a momentum that’s constantly evolving, adding a tremendous depth to the experience.
Throughout “I Wanna Be”, Catherine seamlessly shifts between airy falsettos, emotionally charged belts, and breathy, whisper-soft tones, all executed with control and finesse. What's striking is her ability to guide the pace and tone of the entire track. Rather than following the rhythm, she leads it. She directs the mood, manipulating tempo and feeling, making the track feel like it’s constantly shifting, even though it’s her voice doing all the work. That’s a rare skill, and it gives the track a hypnotic edge.
When the chorus arrives, it’s not just catchy, it’s emotionally invested. You can feel the stakes in her delivery. The lyrics feel less like a plea and more like a bold declaration. There’s strength in the vulnerability, and the overall effect is a love song rooted in conviction rather than fantasy. It’s pop music infused with purpose.
Around the halfway point, Catherine unleashes a series of vocal runs and power notes that continue to show just how much ground she can cover. From resonant chest tones to striking, elevated wails, there’s no hesitation. Every note feels like a decision, and each one lands exactly where it should.
We moved next to “Say What You Wanna Say”, a track that feels like a direct extension of Catherine’s personal philosophy. Here, she lays it all out: the desire for honesty, the frustration with emotional opacity, and the expectation for mutual respect. Vocally, she maintains the same high standard from the first track, but lyrically, there’s a sharper edge. She’s not just telling a story, she’s setting boundaries. The songwriting is smart and structured, and her delivery matches the mood. There’s a clarity and conviction that elevates the whole track, making it resonate deeply with anyone who’s ever felt exhausted by passive communication. It’s honest, relatable, and empowering, all without losing its musical charm.
We wrapped our listen with “On The Right Track”, a joyous, uptempo banger that instantly lifts the energy. From the jump, it’s pure movement. Bright, celebratory claps, infectious synth layers, and a beat that practically insists you get up and dance. It’s a full-body song, the kind that triggers muscle memory before you even know the words. But even here, in this high-energy space, Catherine’s vocal performance remains tight and expressive. She knows exactly how to match the bounce of the production with her own vocal rhythm, giving the track a kinetic boost that’s as fun as it is technically sharp.
What impressed us most about “Desires” is how cohesive and complete it feels. Every element, vocal arrangement, instrumental layering, mixing, and mastering, feels meticulously crafted. Yet it still breathes. It feels alive, raw in all the right places, and polished where it counts. The production across the EP is world-class, but never sterile. There’s heart in every layer, and the songs linger long after they end.
Discovering Catherine Landeta for the first time was both exciting and surprising; we couldn’t believe we hadn’t heard of her sooner. Her ability to command a track vocally, write with such lyrical prowess, and execute with precision makes her a standout. She’s not just a great singer or a solid songwriter, she’s a full-package artist with vision, drive, and something to say. And when challenges inevitably arise, we’re confident she’ll bulldoze through them with focus and fire.
Catherine Landeta is the kind of artist you root for, and we absolutely are.
Catherine Landeta’s “Desires” is a spellbinding debut bursting with fearless emotion and powerhouse vocals
Catherine Landeta’s journey to 'Desires' didn’t happen overnight. This debut marks the result of years of self-discovery, study, and experimentation, an artistic evolution shaped by independence and raw determination.
Based in New York City, she brings a unique mix of theatrical background and DIY production grit to her music. After stepping away from a career in musical theatre that often required external validation, Catherine took creative ownership during the lockdown and began crafting her own songs from scratch. What started as a personal curiosity turned into a serious pursuit, beginning with piano sketches and GarageBand sessions, then expanding into Logic Pro projects and studio sessions with handpicked collaborators. She not only wrote every track on the EP but also co-produced them, worked with a range of producers to shape the final sound, and recorded vocals in both professional studios and her own home setup.
Some of her vocals, like the raw lead on “Say What You Wanna Say”, were recorded in her living room and left untouched in the final mix, capturing something real that polished takes often miss.
Catherine draws from pop titans like Whitney, Celine, NSYNC, and Britney, fusing that larger-than-life energy with her own flair for drama and storytelling. But her real breakthrough came when she stopped overthinking and started creating from instinct.
With guidance from her partner, a hip-hop beatmaker who helped her explore a freer, more intuitive approach, Catherine carved out a sound that’s wholly her own, genre-aware but emotionally unfiltered.
She brings all of that to the stage too, known for delivering fierce, theatrical performances that showcase not just her voice but her presence. This isn’t just a debut, it’s a full creative leap. And we can’t wait to hear more of Catherine Landeta.
You can find this release on any major platform, make sure to playlist, stream and share 'Desires' by Catherine Landeta.
DESIRES by Catherine Landeta
TRACK 1: Are You Playing
Something has been brewing in my mind
And I'm wondering if you are still mine
It's been seven hours since I got a reply
But I can see you're active online
I'm scrolling, scrolling seeing you posting all day
I'm tossin' and turning and it won't go away
I wonder if you still believe all those things you said
The last time you were lying on my bed
Are you (are you) playing with me
Playing with me, boy
Are you (are you) with someone new
With someone new, boy
You must (you must) be trippin', boy
Be trippin', boy
How could I let this happen another time
Not looking at all the obvious signs
You pushed me to the edge and you crossed the line
I reach out but you're so hard to find
It's all good because I'm moving on
I will forget how you did me wrong
You will be a meaningless blip of my past
I should've known this would not last
Are you (are you) playing with me
Playing with me, boy
Are you (are you) with someone new
With someone new, boy
You must (you must) be trippin', boy
Be trippin', boy
Are you
(Are you playing with me? Are you fuckin' with me?)
Playing with me
Playing with me, boy
Are you
(Are you with someone new? Fuckin' with someone new?)
With someone new
With someone new, boy
You must
(You are trippin', boy. Fucked with the wrong one, boy.)
Be trippin', boy
Be trippin', boy
Ooo, you are trippin', boy
You are trippin', boy
Ooo, you are trippin', boy
You are trippin', boy
TRACK 2: I Wanna Be
I’ve never been the girl on everybody’s mind
Always competing for what I feel is mine
I know I’m whining but this is my god damn truth
Searching for love against all of my wasted youth
You know I barely do this, but I’m asking for help
You know how much I hate this, but I can’t help myself
I’m at my breaking point now; I’m at my lowest low
Are you the one to choose me, or are you gonna go?
I wanna be the one that you call up
I wanna feel worthy of your thoughts
I wanna see your name pop on my phone
I wanna be worthy of someone
Wanna be, wanna be, wanna be
Wanna be, wanna be, wanna be
Wanna be, wanna be, wanna be
Constantly craving for my time in the spotlight
Somehow I came to be one of your satellites
I’m waiting for you to wake up and realize
The feelings you have you cannot verbalize
I know I barely do this, but I’m asking for help
I know how much I hate this, but I can’t help myself
I’m at my breaking point now; I’m at my lowest low
Are you the one to choose me, or are you gonna go?
I wanna be the one that you call up
I wanna feel worthy of your thoughts
I wanna see your name pop on my phone
I wanna be worthy of someone
Wanna be, wanna be, wanna be
Wanna be, wanna be, wanna be
Wanna be, wanna be, wanna be
Wanna be, wanna be, wanna be
TRACK 3: Lo-fi Letter
They say that life is short but where does the time go
Wasting it all at a job that barely pays me dough
Clocking in and clocking out I wanna shut it out
Mmmm, I wanna shut it out
Oooo, I don't wanna go to work today and waste my life away
Oh, I’d rather lay here on my bed and look at the sky turning grey
Ooooooooooo
This is my lo-fi letter about how I hate my job
One day I’ll be so rich I’ll be on the very top
Until then I’ll make music and groove it out
Mmmm, I’ll groove it out
Yeah, I’ll groove it out
Oooo, I don't wanna go to work today and waste my life away
Oh, I’d rather lay here on my bed and look at the sky turning grey
Ooooooooooo
TRACK 4: Say What You Wanna Say
CHORUS:
Say what you wanna say
Don’t dance around it
Don’t be avoidant
Say what you wanna say
Say it now, break it down, boy
Say what you wanna say
Whatcha gonna say, I don’t got all day, get it squared away
Whatchu gonna sayyyyyyyy
I can see you holding back
I can handle it
You know me better than that
Know me better than that
It’s there right there on your lips
I see it peeking out
Our relationship breaking down brick by brick
Brick by brick
Speak now or forever hold your grudge
Forever hold your grudge
Because you certainly got me misjudged
Say what you wanna say
Don’t dance around it
Don’t be avoidant
Say what you wanna say
Say it now, break it down, boy
Say what you wanna say
Whatcha gonna say, I don’t got all day, get it squared away
Whatchu gonna sayyyyyyyy
This is your same old shit
Then you get mad at me
At the stuff you can’t admit
The stuff you can’t admit
Oh and honestly we’re better off
This way; I don’t do fakes
No more drama that you brought
No more drama that you brought
Speak now or forever hold your grudge
Forever hold your grudge
Because you certainly got me misjudged
Say what you wanna say
Don’t dance around it
Don’t be avoidant
Say what you wanna say
Say it now, break it down, boy
Say what you wanna say
Whatcha gonna say, I don’t got all day, get it squared away
Whatchu gonna sayyyyyyyy
TRACK 5: On The Right Track
No more holding back, on the right track
No more holding back, on the right track
I know you’ve been keeping up on me
I know you’ve got your eyes glued to me
Head spinning circles going round and round
Better stay straight before you drown
I see that you are going crazy
Thinking about me on the daily
What you gonna do with all that thrill
You are leaking all your chill
You’re thinking of me and it’s ok
Just stay clear and out of my way
Show yourself and we’ll take it from there
I might even let you stare
No more holding back
I’ll let you chase me
So show me you want it
Yeah, we’re on the right track
No more holding back
We’re on the right track
No more holding back
We’re on the right track
Turn it up before things fall flat
Pick up on what I’m getting at
Ok, so now I am listening
Lucky for you I look sickening
Say what you gotta say right now
Be yourself, I hope that you know how
So now you’re playing hard to get
You haven’t seen anything yet
We can keep this going forever
If we let go it would be better
No more holding back
I’ll let you chase me
So show me you want it
Yeah, we’re on the right track
No more holding back
We’re on the right track
No more holding back
We’re on the right track
Turn it up before things fall flat
Pick up on what I’m getting at
No more holding back
I’ll let you chase me
So show me you want it
Yeah, we’re on the right track
No more holding back
I’ll let you chase me
So show me you want it
Yeah, we’re on the right track
No more holding back, on the right track
No more holding back, on the right track