Trinidad & Tobago-born singer-songwriter Katiuska McLean is stepping into a new chapter with LoveLight, an artistic identity built around compassion, hope and the belief that caring for others can be a genuine source of strength. Having previously appeared on major television stages including The Voice of Germany and Supertalent, she is now using experiences from her own life to create music centred on the connection she once searched for herself.
Introducing that vision is ‘I Care’, an uplifting dance-pop single carrying a simple but emphatic message: “Caring is a Superpower.” Moving from vulnerability towards empowerment, the track combines Katiuska's emotive vocals with cinematic production and an increasingly anthemic sense of scale, while its accompanying video expands LoveLight into a broader world of visual storytelling.
So with the new single out now, we sat down with her to find out more about her origins and what has been inspiring her most over the years.
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What was the first instrument you fell in love with?
The piano. I first saw one when I was around ten or eleven and was immediately fascinated. What I fell in love with most was the sound — every key I pressed created a different note, and suddenly I could make music with my own hands. It felt like a little symphony beneath my fingers. I desperately wanted to learn, but lessons and having a piano were simply too expensive for us at the time.
What kind of music did you love when you were younger?
My first real connection with music was gospel music. I was around eight, living with my great-grandmother, who was normally very strict. But every Sunday after church, she would play gospel songs loudly, and I watched her completely change. She became peaceful, warm, loving and so much more present with me.
That’s when I first understood that when the right words meet the right music, they can touch a very deep part of the human heart — bringing out something warm, loving and peaceful within us, which we then give to the people around us. I remember wishing every day could be Sunday.
What was the first album you remember owning?
The first album I ever bought was Michael Jackson’s Dangerous. I bought it because of “Heal the World,” and I absolutely loved “Black or White” too. Michael Jackson inspired me enormously — not only through the way he sang, danced and performed, but through the messages in his music. Songs like “Man in the Mirror” and “We Are the World” showed me that music could bring people together, make us care about one another and inspire change. His music helped shape the artist I am today.
What is the one song you wished you could have written yourself?
For me, it would be “Heal the World” by Michael Jackson. The message in that song is so close to what I believe music can do — remind us to care, to look beyond ourselves and to make the world a little better through the way we treat one another. I love songs that carry something meaningful, and “Heal the World” says that in such a simple and powerful way.
Do you have any habits or rituals you go through when trying to write new music?
I usually start with a feeling. It might come from something I’ve experienced, a film, something happening in the world, or even what someone close to me is going through. I ask myself, “What is needed right now?” Then I press record on my phone, take the microphone and completely let go. I don’t know what’s going to come — my heart finds the words, and the melody comes with them. Often I know the song is finished when it moves me to tears, whether they’re happy or sad.
Who are your favourite artists you have found yourself listening to at the moment?
My taste is very open. At the moment I find myself listening to Coldplay, Benson Boone, Adele, Amy Winehouse and Miley Cyrus. I also keep coming back to “Always Remember Us This Way” and “Shallow” from A Star Is Born — I love the film and the emotion in those songs. And then there are artists I never really stop listening to, like Michael Jackson and Tina Turner. For me, it’s never about genre or generation — if a song makes me feel something, I’m in.
If you could open a show for anyone in the world, who would it be?
If I had to choose one artist, it would be Coldplay. There’s something about the emotion and connection they create with such a huge audience that I really admire. But my biggest dream isn’t only about sharing a stage with someone famous — it’s about sharing a message. I’d love to stand on a stage like Eurovision, where millions of people from different countries come together at the same moment. If I’m given a stage that big, I want to make every second of it mean something — to carry a message of love and care across borders and show how powerful we can be when we come together.
What do you find is the most rewarding part about being a musician?
The most rewarding part is the connection. When I’m on stage, it feels like we become one giant family. I love looking into people’s eyes, hearing them sing with me, seeing someone put a hand on their heart, or even watching the tears come. In those moments, I know the music has reached somewhere deeper. And I think there’s nothing more beautiful than being able to give something back through what I love. It’s almost like saying without words: I see you. I understand you. I feel you. I care. In that moment, we’re one.
And what is the most frustrating part?
The most frustrating part for me is how difficult it has become to be discovered. An artist can put so much time, money, heart and intention into a great song, a beautiful video and a message that could genuinely touch or help someone — and still, people may never get the chance to hear it.
Around 106,000 new tracks were being delivered to digital music platforms every single day — nearly 39 million in one year. How is one voice supposed to be found in an ocean that big?
And the music itself is already a full-time job: songwriting, recording, vocal training, band rehearsals, preparing live shows and performing. On top of that, artists are expected to be content creators, influencers and their own marketing teams.
Then you still need the right manager, the right team and the right opportunities — people who understand not only the music, but the artist and the intention behind it. Sometimes you need visibility for those people to find you, while you need those very people to help you become visible.
That’s the frustrating part for me, because I don’t want to be seen just for the sake of being seen. I want the music to mean something. Because somewhere out there may be someone who needs exactly the message you put into that song — and the real challenge is making sure it finds its way to them.
And what is the best piece of advice you have received as a musician?
The best advice I carry with me is: when something keeps calling you toward something that feels true to who you are and brings something good into the world, listen to it. I even wrote a song called Destiny’s Calling Me, because that’s what music feels like to me — not simply something I do, but part of who I am.
You won’t always know where the road is leading. Sometimes you’ll give everything and still wonder if you’re getting anywhere. That’s where consistency matters. Keep showing up. Every step teaches you, strengthens you and prepares you for something you couldn’t have been ready for before. Maybe the journey isn’t only taking you toward your dream — maybe it’s forming who you’re meant to become.
But don’t miss your life trying to reach the finish line. Treasure the dream, but treasure the journey even more. And if something good has been calling you for a long time, you don’t need to see the whole road. All you need is the courage to take the next step. Sometimes destiny doesn’t give you a map. It just keeps calling — and when that calling leads you toward something good, have the courage to answer.
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Katiuska McLean's new single 'I Care' is out now. Check it out in the player below.