Katie Dempsey, better known by her nickname and stage name DEMPS is on the come-up in the world of country music. This single mom started out in 2020 as a music promoter on social media, especially TikTok. For fun, DEMPS would joke around with fans on TikTok live, singing along to songs. When fans started telling her she has potential to be a star, an independent label in Nashville called Mailbox Money felt the same way.
Soon enough, DEMPS found herself being offered amazing songs to call her own and finally record in a studio. Luckily, Demps already had a great network being in the music promotion industry, so opportunities came flooding her way and she now has her own single and more on the way. In early June her debut single “B*itch On Wine” came out and made it onto the Country Billboard Charts during CMA Fest.
DEMPS has been teasing clips from her new music video for her song “If You Were A Country Girl” that is set to release on July 19. Soon after “If You Were A Country Girl” is released, DEMPS plans to reveal a full EP. The EP will feature a lineup of star studded songwriters including Kelsea Ballerini, HARDY and more.
We caught up with DEMPS to talk about her transition from promotions to singing, her hometown in Florida, and how her daughter feels about her mom’s newfound stardom.
Tell me about your journey from being a social media personality to a country singer.
Wow, that’s kind of hard for me to answer. When I started this platform, it was just me shot gunning beers in cute outfits promoting music. I would always joke around and sing on live, being an entertainer. People were like, ‘You should come out with your own songs’ or ‘You should put out some music.’
I never necessarily thought it would be a career for me. It was almost as a joke. Then all of a sudden with promoting music, it kind of just transitioned into starting a music career, if that makes sense. It just slowly transitioned. I promote music, so why not put out music of my own now.
How did you get connected with someone to record it and songs to sing?
So as a music promoter, you just become friends with people at the labels over time. Mailbox Money Records is a small independent label here in Nashville. Sarah and Jimmy Robbins run it. I’ve done some promotional work for a few of their artists. They just emailed me one day and were like, ‘Demps, we would love to sit down and talk with you.’ I didn’t know what they were thinking.
I thought they just had more promos for me and they just wanted to discuss it in person. But they were like, ‘Demps, we know you can sing and we want to do a fun project with you.’ I was just like, ‘You know, I only do karaoke. I sometimes sing on live. I don’t know what you guys think I can do.’
Then they were pitching me songs. The first song that they pitched me was “B*tch On Wine” and my mouth dropped. I was like, ‘Oh my God, that sounds like a song that I would write.’ They said, ‘Let’s just try it out. You’ll get to meet Jimmy.’ At that time I did not know who Jimmy was. I didn’t know that he was such a big deal here in Nashville.
He’s written numerous number one hits and produced so many number one songs. So, after getting into the studio I just finally realized, ‘Oh, crap, he’s a big deal.’ It all started with just working with indie artists that were on that label. That’s how I got here. It pretty much just landed in my lap. I know that sounds so cliche to tell people, but it was an opportunity that was given to me. How could I not do it?
You recently put out “B*itch On Wine” and you’ve got a new song that you’re teasing as well. Tell me a little bit about the new song.
The new song is coming out on July 19th. It’s called “If You Were A Country Girl,” and it was co-written with Hardy and Jimmy Robbins. This song was recently pitched to me. The first time that I heard it, I was like, ‘Oh my gosh,’ because I’m a Plant City girl from Florida. Plant City is a small town. I call it the swamps. It’s country living pretty much, out there on a strawberry field.
This song makes you wish that a man never broke your heart. Being a single momma and everything, my relationships are not the best, but I think they’re getting better. I feel like this song just really spoke to me in a way like, ‘Hey, don’t mess with a woman who’s had her heart broken.’ So, I’m super excited that “If You Were A Country Girl” is coming out, because I know a lot of women will relate to this song.
Have you tried writing at all yet or had any writing sessions with songwriters in Nashville?
No. Not yet. I know that here shortly, I’m going to be starting to write my own music. I do have some things to say that I know a lot of people, not just women, will relate to. I’m very excited to dive into the songwriting. I have plenty of friends who are amazing songwriters that I can lean on to pick their brain on how to go about songwriting.
I mean, I used to write these little poems and stuff, but I never knew that poems could be turned into a form of songwriting. Being an artist stepping into this world is a whole new ballgame that I’m just trying to learn.
You grew up in Florida and you go back pretty regularly. Are there any off the beaten path places that you would tell people to visit in Florida?
People don’t know where Plant City is, and it kind of baffles me. It was a small town when I was growing up there, but now it’s become very commercialized. In Plant City, you can go pick your own strawberries. You see the beautiful orange groves, you can pick your own oranges. It’s just a small, wholesome town with fresh produce stands.
When you’re driving down the side of the road you see a family owned boiled peanut stand. I mean, it’s just good living out there. They have what’s called a Strawberry Festival. I’ll know I’ve made it once I play back in my hometown at the Strawberry Festival. I know it sounds funny, but I would feel like I’ve made it.
What’s your perfect day or night out in Nashville? Where would you go? What would you do?
My perfect night out in Nashville would be a little cliche. I promote Broadway on my platforms, but my typical night is just going to a rooftop hotel. I tell people this all the time, if you want a low-key night, I love to go sit at the W rooftop. You get the best sunset view, and you just sit there with a whiskey on ice and just watch the city lights come on as the sun goes down. That’s my favorite thing to do in this city. Just go sit at a nice rooftop and watch the sunset beam over the city.
Social media has become an essential tool for musicians. Do you think it can be too invasive and how do you handle it? How much is too much to share about your personal life?
Social media is a gamble, right? You put something out, they’ll either hate it or love it. You can never please anybody on social media. That’s just what I have to tell my followers. There are times where I would love to show what’s going on in my personal life so it can relate to other single mamas and just makes people feel like they’re not alone.
But sometimes I have to put up that boundary like, ‘No, this is my personal life. Not everything needs to be shared.’ I do try to be relatable to my single mother followers. When it comes to hate, I think that you are only granted maybe 80 years on this earth and I don’t want to be laying on my deathbed, full of regrets. We live such a short life and there’s no risk in taking chances. Just do it. Who cares what the haters have to say? They’re either going to love it or hate it.
How is your daughter handling you singing and this new star quality that’s happening?
Throughout the years having a social media platform, being down on Broadway, she was a little young, but I think she grew up with it. She was five when I started this journey. Now when somebody wants to take a picture with me, it doesn’t bother her at all. She won’t take photos. We’re very different. She’s very introverted, but she just loves to cheer me on.
I will never forget the first time I recorded “B*tch On Wine” and got the demo back. I played it in the car for me and my daughter. She looked at me, and it’s a feeling that I cannot describe. It was a proud moment, like, ‘Wow, that’s my mommy singing.’ It was very heartwarming to see that, to show her that you can do anything in this world. You just have to have the guts to go do it.
She’s eight now. I had her at a very young age. I got pregnant when I was 21. I had her at 22, so I didn’t really have a life in my 20s. I was so busy raising a baby on my own. Now that I’m stepping into my 30s, we pretty much grew up together. I tell people now that I’m 30, I’m starting to live now. I was just so busy raising a kid on my own and working multiple jobs before this whole social media thing.
What’s your perfect vacation?
My perfect vacation is turning off the phone, nobody knows where I’m at with my daughter. I’m on the beach with my toes in the sand, drinking a Gimlet. The phone has to be off.
You’re friends with Bunnie and Jelly Roll. I saw on your social media that you went to Bailee’s Sweet 16. Any collabs you’ve got going on with them?
Bunnie is so sweet. She’s such a supportive friend. I mean, obviously everybody knows her story and what she went through. She’s a self-made woman. She’s a supportive girl. She and I became really good friends over the past few years. We really connected on both of our pasts. She’s just been genuinely supportive of me. When it comes to future collaborations, who knows what the future holds?