Pretty little Saturday, the new solo project of Kristi Knupp, celebrates her idyllic days living in Venice Beach, California.
By Graeme Smith
There she was part of the world that she describes as “a vibrant melting pot of people, art, and energy.” She lived there for ten years, and she describes them as the best of her life. “I’d wake with the sun, play beach volleyball with friends for hours, watch as many sunsets as possible, share family-style meals with travellers passing through, and rarely left my little ten-block radius of sun-kissed paradise,” she says. “I walked, biked, or skated everywhere. It was a simple, beautiful rhythm that didn’t need much planning, just presence.”
The artwork for her previous single, Long Overdue, even captures a Venice scene, but we’re talking about her latest release, Tangerine. It’s an intriguing track that sits somewhere between sour and sweet.
When the instrumental intro comes in, it’s tricky to know how to feel, a sentiment reflected by the lyrics.
“I actually wrote Tangerine while I was in Venice late one night, just experimenting with words in Ableton Live,” says Knupp. “At the time, I was thinking about my best friend’s daughter who was only 20 and about to have her first child. I found her courage so moving, and it got me reflecting on the challenges we all face at different points in life.
“From there, my thoughts spiralled into this bigger question of: who shows up for us during the darker days? The song became a way to explore those ideas—vulnerability, resilience, and connection—while also serving as a bit of self-reflection about my own ability to face things head-on.”
Their weighty topics are managed deftly through the track’s folk-infused pop. Knupp’s vocals really sell the emotion. They’re delicately delivered yet hold the attention firmly.
To create the track, Knupp worked with producer Patrick Doyle. The pair originally planned to record one song only but ended up an album. Joining her on the recording are Kevin Murtha on drums and James Eddington on guitar. “Overall, it was an experience I’ll always treasure, and honestly, I don’t think I’ll ever stop making music. I’ve definitely caught the bug,” says Knupp.
Alongside her passion for music, she has a passion for travel (great for touring) and has even had an earlier career in photography. Of those days she says: “Even though I was always surrounded by music and musicians, I held back from pursuing my own artistry for a long time mostly out of fear of failure. The pandemic changed that perspective for me, and I finally started writing and recording my own songs. It’s been the most humbling and rewarding creative pursuit I’ve ever taken on, and I couldn’t be happier that I made the leap.”
Knupp is now based in Asheville, North Carolina, on the opposite coast of America from California. The distance has not diminished her fondness for Venice Beach. In fact, it seems to have enhanced it as she looks back at her time there through her music. Her’s is a world that’s easy to get into, and I’m looking forward to seeing where her career takes her.
So, what is next for her?
“Right now, I’m back in the studio in Asheville … with my producer Patrick Doyle, working on my second album. At the same time, I’ll be continuing to release singles and rolling out my full debut album throughout the rest of 2025 and into early 2026.”
While we wait for the debut album, we can delight in Tangerine. The single is out now, and you can listen to it below.
Supported by Musosoup #SustainableCurator
