We haven’t heard much from Black Belt Eagle Scout, the Swinomish musician known as Katherine “KP” Paul, in some time. Her previous album, The Land, The Water, The Sky, arrived in 2023. In 2024 she disclosed a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis, and her new single “Fantasy” marks the first release she has shared since that news. The track was crafted after an MS relapse, and its final production involved Claire Glass and Nay Mapalo, performers in the group Hikes.
“Fantasy” emerges as a lush, expansive song that grapples with the weight of external expectations and an evolving inner conversation, while also acknowledging KP’s growth beyond the molds others try to impose. There’s a playful moment when she belts out “Fuck you/ Fuck you ideals/ Fuck what you have to say/ I’m done with you/ I just want to be free/ And listen to the trees.” On the page this could feel sharp, yet KP’s delivery carries a sense of reassurance. The piece serves as a stark reminder that life surpasses the narrow scope the modern world often recognizes, and it evokes a desire to cast off the nonsense and walk among the trees.
In a press release, KP explained the song’s creation:
I wrote “Fantasy” during a time in my life when I was transitioning out of the nonprofit world and into making music full time. I was feeling really burnt out and disconnected from the work I was doing. Working in the Native nonprofit world, I often felt this pressure to be some kind of superwoman representing Native people, while also trying to fit into systems that didn’t always reflect who we are as Native people. I was at a point where I didn’t want to keep trying to fit into something that didn’t feel right for me anymore. I wanted to make music, feel free, spend time in the trees, and reconnect with myself outside of all those expectations.
Watch the video for “Fantasy” below.
