Someone’s Got To by CATLEA Turns Pain Into Resolve

We all go looking for self-discovery. Sometimes in the kitchen, sometimes in the bathtub, sometimes beneath a deep blue sky that feels like a giant shield meant to keep us safe from harm. CATLEA found theirs inside a sentence: “If you won’t love me then I will.”

Simple words, huge job. That line became the backbone of Someone’s Got To by CATLEA, a deeply personal indie-pop song about dependency, self-sabotage and finally choosing the person in the mirror. Someone had to do it, after all.

The Words Came First

CATLEA wrote the song during a difficult period marked by addiction and a desperate search for validation. At first, the refrain sounded like hope trying to talk itself into becoming true. However, life soon forced the issue during a recording session in Barcelona. CATLEA arrived drunk, struggled through the session and eventually collapsed in tears.

That moment changed everything. CATLEA quit alcohol, replaced destructive habits with healthier rituals and walked away from toxic friendships. Months later, they returned to the unfinished choruses with a completely different truth behind their voice. And believe me, a return like this takes power, nerve and probably a long, uncomfortable conversation with yourself. I respect every bit of that.

As CATLEA explained, somehow, the song waited for them to catch up with their own words. “If you won’t love me then I will / I’ll be much better than I was before” somehow explains a lot. It starts with a broken heart and ends with a decision, and I think that transformation gives the track its real spine.

From Cincinnati to London

Born in Cincinnati and now based in London, CATLEA has always considered music as a bridge between isolation and belonging. They write across guitar and piano, design artwork and craft songs from layers of vocals, wordplay and close detail. Another thing I like is how the sound moves freely through pop, alt-indie, rock and electronic genres.

Someone’s Got To goes into an international story. CATLEA recorded it across Barcelona, London, Cincinnati and Israel with longtime producer Jason Boshoff, guitarist Oscar Garcia-Bragado and string musician Roni Seller. The vocal finds plenty of space to confess between the acoustic guitar, piano and sweeping strings, and that becomes another strong point in the mix.

Tonight, CATLEA celebrates the new single with a live show at London’s Hope & Anchor. Someone’s Got To is the first track from the forthcoming five-song EP Aftermath, which follows the concept album Language Barrier.

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I’ll definitely keep an eye on this upcoming EP – five stages of grief, five tracks, and probably at least one nervous coffee beside my speakers.

Follow CATLEA here and keep close to the Aftermath story. Someone has finally taken charge – and thankfully, they brought a guitar.