North London-based singer-songwriter Thea Evans' playful, passionate, and raw lyricism has cemented her as a rising star and one to watch. Not only is she a musician, she also founded the collective ‘Dear in the Headlights’, which brings young creatives together to express themselves through art & music. Given her multifaceted talents as a young creator, we were eager to sit down with her for an interview.

Interview conducted by VoiceBox's Lauren Louisha

Note: Since conducting this interview Thea has changed her stage name to Kitty Churchfield

So Thea, let's start with a little bit about yourself and how you got into making your own music.

I’ve always been songwriting, for years I’ve tried to make songs. I started out doing musical theatre and was pushed towards classical music, but fell in love with solo songwriting very early on. I wanted to make things that were personal to me, and I’ve always written songs when I’m lonely. My family all love music, everyone in my family visits gigs/concerts or plays some kind of instrument. It’s just always felt natural to me I guess.  

You mentioned that you were pushed towards classical music – though you now make pop, would you say it influences your current sound? And what made you make the switch?

I think I was told I was supposed to be a classical singer because of my background. My mum, the best mum in the world, was trying her hardest to give me opportunities to sing. She couldn’t afford it, and she reminded me of that as I never practised but I joined a choir that did amazing things - we sang at the Barbican, the Royal Festival Hall etc. but, we didn’t really fit in. 

I trained with Jenny Lilleystone, an incredible woman. I did my classical grades and drove her up the wall by not practising. I was loud and obnoxious, selfish and lonely. To be honest, I wanted to be a musical theatre singer. But I always wanted to play these old, broken women. I always wanted to sing “Losing my Mind” from Follies; but the problem was I was like 17 and that singer was in her 40’s. The raw emotion of that song drives me massively. I think I connected to it because I was struggling with relationships and my mental health at the time, like a lot of teenagers do.

To be honest, with classical music, I was young, I was dumb, and to be honest, stuck out like a sore thumb. I was struggling a lot with socialising with classical singers. Despite not being neurodiverse myself, I grew up in a neurodiverse household, so you can imagine developing social skills took an extra minute. A lot of classical singers are very committed to their craft, but I was always most interested in writing my own music, doing covers, and making YouTube videos.

I also was a busker around the age 14, I’d go to farmers markets in posh parts of London, doing covers of songs by artists like Taylor Swift, Nina Nesbitt, and Paul Weller. I used these to save up for tickets to go to Summer Schools doing Operas (my parents said they wouldn’t pay for it every year so I had to put some towards it myself). The money wasn’t bad in nice areas, so I would give half to Parkinson's charities, which my Grandad struggled with. It was still pocket money in total, I was about 14 at the time, so even a tenner, twenty quid, feels like a fortune.

I finally stopped doing classical music when I turned 19, when I stopped coming to choir and doing lessons. I just realised it wasn’t for me anymore. I wasn’t committed to it, my mind was on other things. I found myself more interested in other drama music and dance clubs/classes, and gigging. Also just the normal late teen interests: dating, going to parties, making new friends.

You mentioned that you’re currently working on an EP release, have you got anything special planned?

Currently, I’m finishing off recording, mixing, and mastering, but the financial side of things is still in the way, unfortunately. This will change though, I hope so at least! I’m currently searching for management, so once I find someone good with that I will be off and away.

However, I have some really interesting video craft coming up. I’m filming with Alice Hollywood for reels and have a music video coming out featuring two amazing women, Nymfro and Jazz Phelps, filmed by Rakesh Jailty, with help from my loving partner Cam. This was filmed last year, however I had various blocks to put it out. Keep your eyes peeled for this summer though! It’s on it’s final edit FINALLY! I also want to just in general gig more, play more shows and maybe even busk or do the open mic circuit again.

You’ve lived in Bristol and London, what were the differences within the music industry that you noticed between the two cities?

I loved a lot about Bristol, and I love a lot about London. Bristol has a more grassroots feel to it. There are some amazing companies, collectives and communities in London, especially for artists, musicians, queer people and women.

However, I found a more commercial side to London that I found a lot easier to work in, just because there’s always something going on. There are millions and millions of people here, so finding work feels a little easier. Because I was born and raised here, I was a lot better connected. I also have plenty of connections and friends through London's large warehouse living culture. Whereas Bristol is more centred on its free party and squatting scene.

Personally, I loved both, but I was a lot less connected in Bristol up until the end of my time there. I can see myself going back to see people, but at this point in my life, I need to educate myself and work more. I found this a little easier in London as I was already more established here. Here I was working in film, music, nightlife, and theatre, as well as Escape rooms and hospitality already.

Tell us more about Dear in the Headlights.

I started the Dear in the Headlights project in 2021. I have struggled with the relationships I had in my teens for a long time, it’s something I still take on and am dealing with today years after it ended. During lockdown, I found myself having the time to face my past properly, eventually growing and changing, processing what happened. Writing songs, poems, making art and videos.

I read a statement, I wish I could remember where from now, that domestic abuse was the “new pandemic” during COVID. I realised, with so many people stuck inside, I had the capacity to educate my peers on toxic relationships and abuse, the tactics, the terminology, and your own mental health, in a non-destructive way. This was during a time when TikTok and Instagram were taking off in a way that was bigger than ever. I was slowly growing my network, and warehouse living at the time, so I had the chance to build my network without heavy socialising. 

We ended up an online collective of 10-30 volunteers, eventually hosting a 5-hour charity livestream, making online artistic content and infographics, and hosting a gig with a band once the lockdown lifted. I took a break from the collective to focus on my own personal career, and am currently working on getting it going again as a small business, using drama and music to educate others on our individual differences/toxicity, whilst creating work in a healthy way. Giving people the space to have these conversations, and connect with themselves and others is something that is so important to protect your relationships with others in a professional and real-life sense.

How has studying at Central Saint Martins helped your development as a musician and performer?

For some context, last September, I came back to London with about £100 in my bank account, after a period that I found difficult to thrive in. Separated from creation, and pretty much all income by uncontrollable circumstances, I found myself in desperate need of creation and a wider network. I knew, that to reach my own personal goals, I’d have to study. So I joined as a mature BA student.

But, I’m so glad I waited to get some work experience and grow up before taking on my degree. In a world that feels increasingly difficult, each student arrives in that building and creates fantastic work, challenges each other, and grows into their craft and professional adult selves. I am truly blessed to be surrounded by people who are so talented, so interesting, and so much more mature than I was when I was a standard student age. A place like Central Saint Martins should never be easy, and with every unit, I’m seeing everyone here take their work a little further into their stride. 

I’m sure a feeling many of you can relate to is the mindset that, to a degree, nothing but our work, creating and our practises makes sense to us, and knowing that without it life doesn’t feel the same. It really does feel like a gift we have all given ourselves by showing up and putting the work in. 

Since starting, I have produced music, made films, directed and performed in live shows, and even learned a little costume and set design. I’ve worked on sync pieces and made a lot more friends. I have honestly loved my time there.

There are so many people in the arts, especially in London, but those people talk, especially as you become more successful. If you mess up, chances are you will at some point, be accountable, and do not run away from your wrongdoings. That’s how you stay working in the arts.

What can we expect to see from you next?  

I'll be performing in my first live performance in YEARS with Geisha Davis in GLITCH, which will be taking place on Sunday, July 28th at the Etcetera Theatre in Camden, and have a few industry faces in the audience.  Also, some really fantastic music coming up. I’ve been working with Penny Eau, Kostas Petsakos on one tune. There’s also been some great work with some other up-and-coming artists and producers. Some of these songs were ones I’ve written over the past 4 years that I loved to gig and can finally release. You may have seen my last single, Lonely in Bristol, has a really interesting teaser trailer, which gives a little wink to what’s to come. A lot of this piece will feature work I’ve made during my year and a half living in Bristol.

You can check out Thea's work here:

• Spotify
• Instagram 
• YouTube