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Photography credit: Lava Dreams
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Blues has always been more than a genre—it’s a pulse, a heartbeat, and a declaration of emotion that transcends time. From the smoky clubs of Chicago to the sun-baked stages of Texas, the blues thrives on energy and soul, on musicians who don’t just play notes but inhabit them, commanding attention with every riff, growl, and bend.
Artists who bring this combination of fire and feeling create an experience that’s impossible to forget. Think Stevie Ray Vaughan, whose blistering Texas blues guitar could set a room alight, but whose playing always carried the weight of emotional truth. Or Buddy Guy, whose stage antics and fearless improvisation made every performance feel like a moment of revelation. Their energy isn’t reckless—it’s purposeful, a conduit for the raw human experience that is at the heart of the blues.
Women have also made their mark in this high-octane tradition. Susan Tedeschi and Katy Guillen are perfect examples, blending technical mastery with emotional intensity. Tedeschi’s vocals soar while her guitar riffs drive forward like a force of nature, and Guillen’s guitar and voice pair swagger with vulnerability, proving that the blues can be both fiery and heartfelt.
The magic lies in the union of soul and performance. These artists don’t simply play their instruments—they make them extensions of their own emotions. Every slide, every punchy chord, every note held just a fraction too long tells a story of love, loss, joy, or defiance.
High-energy, soulful blues is about more than flash—it’s about connection. It’s the shared moment when a guitarist bends a note and the crowd feels it in their chest, when a vocalist’s cry becomes the audience’s catharsis. From classic legends to modern innovators, these musicians remind us that blues is alive, vibrant, and utterly unstoppable.
In a world increasingly dominated by precision and polish, it’s the raw energy and soul of these blues artists that keeps the genre electrifying and essential. They don’t just play the blues—they live it, and in doing so, they ensure that every stage, every club, and every listener feels the fire.
Our Opinion: Katy Guillen Brings Fire and Soul to Modern Blues
At Guitar Thrills Magazine, we’ve always believed that the heart of the blues lies in energy, authenticity, and emotional truth. Katy Guillen embodies all three. From her blistering guitar riffs to her commanding vocal delivery, she brings a swaggering soul to every performance, reminding us that blues isn’t just a genre—it’s an experience.
What sets Guillen apart is her ability to balance technical mastery with raw feeling. She doesn’t play for show; she plays for connection. Whether performing tracks from Heavy Days or Another One Gained, her music hits with both intensity and intimacy, pulling listeners into every note, every lyric, and every groove.
In our opinion, Katy Guillen represents the future of blues. She honors the tradition while forging her own path, proving that high-energy, soulful blues is alive, vibrant, and very much worth celebrating. She’s not just continuing the legacy—she’s making it her own.
ABOUT KATY GUILLEN
Katy Guillen is a Kansas City–based guitarist, singer, and songwriter who has quickly become a rising force in modern blues-rock and roots music. She first gained attention with her band Katy Guillen & The Girls, a high-energy trio known for fiery guitar work and soulful songwriting, and now fronts Katy Guillen & The Drive, a collaboration with drummer Stephanie Williams that sharpens her sound into a blend of blues, rock, and indie grit. Guillen’s guitar playing is rooted in blues but infused with rock urgency and indie textures, while her vocals deliver both power and vulnerability, allowing her songs to move fluidly between swagger and intimacy. Praised for her authenticity and dynamic stage presence, she brings an honest, lived-in feel to both recordings and live shows. With notable releases like Heavy Days (2020) and Another One Gained (2022), Guillen has solidified her position as part of the next wave of blues-rock artists, bringing a fresh, female-led perspective to a genre often dominated by men—all delivered with undeniable swagger and soul.
INTERVIEW WITH KATY GUILLEN AND GUITAR THRILLS MAGAZINE
Guitar Thrills: Origins – How did your journey in music begin, and when did you realize the blues and rock were the sounds you wanted to dedicate yourself to?
Katy: I started playing piano when I was around 6 and then guitar at age 8. My mom was my first teacher- she grew up playing folk music. I took lessons on both instruments for years and loved to practice. I would sit in my bedroom for hours playing guitar. Eventually, I went to my first blues jam when I was 14. That’s when music took on a whole new life for me- playing with new people, playing songs, I’d never played before, and playing in public. I was always shy and quiet as a kid, so this was a huge step for me. Those early days of going to jams and concerts with my dad were some of the most impactful of my life. I was hooked and had dreams of being on stage one day performing my own songs. Blues was the earliest genre that I identified with so strongly because I met so many great musicians through playing it and going to blues jams, people that encouraged, inspired, and taught me. My personal relationship with the genre has evolved over time as I’ve explored songwriting and production. It will always be part of my roots and the music that I play- it’s ingrained.
Guitar Thrills: Band Evolution – You started with Katy Guillen & The Girls and now lead Katy Guillen & The Drive. How has your approach to music changed with this new lineup?
Katy: The band evolution happened from wanting to continue onward professionally after KG & The Girls ended but not in the exact same way or with the same catalogue. I wanted to refresh everything I was doing artistically, and Steph and I knew we wanted to continue making music together. So, we decided to start with a slightly different name and a whole new catalogue of music. It felt liberating to start anew. I was writing more for myself and not for a style or any particular crowd. I started using it as a tool to heal, communicate, and process experiences and emotions more than I ever had before. My relationship with music became more personal, honest, and raw. I think that’s just something that naturally happens over time though. We’ve traveled to record every record that KG & The Drive has released, intentionally putting ourselves in new places with new people to create something new. The approach of being open to learning, ideas, and other perspectives has allowed us to be more adventurous and freer with creating- stepping outside of ourselves with the approach. It simultaneously brings us closer to what we do and create.
Guitar Thrills: High-Energy Performances – Your live shows are known for their intensity and emotional power. How do you prepare to bring that level of energy night after night?
Katy: We each have our own mental preparations we do quietly and to ourselves. Oftentimes I prefer to be around as few people as possible and in mostly quiet spaces. I like warming up vocally, stretching my hands, arms, and body, and moving around. We go into energy conservation mode a couple hours before shows and then when we get onstage, we just let it all out. Staying hydrated, getting enough sleep, and resting your voice and mind are all good things to keep you in shape on the road. Going for walks is also very helpful.
Guitar Thrills: Guitar & Vocals – You seamlessly combine technical guitar work with soulful vocals. How do you balance the two in songwriting and performance?
Katy: I started playing guitar before singing and writing, so I think the guitar parts will always find their way into my songs because guitar is the foundation of my musical upbringing. Also, I love guitar riffs that you can sing, and of course I love a good guitar solo in a song (especially one that you can sing). Songwriting is a craft I’ve dedicated a lot more time, energy, and attention to in the last few years. A more recent practice has been incorporating a few more melodic guitar solos into songs. Then there’s a few songs that don’t have any guitar solos, but the guitar is always the foundation of the song. All the songs start with acoustic guitar, my voice, and pen and paper. Performing live adds a whole new level to the songs. Since there are so many variables at shows, many of which are outside of your control, there will always be an element of rawness, spontaneity, and vulnerability that’s tapped into which can only happen in those environments. That’s part of what makes live music so special.
Guitar Thrills: Songwriting Process – When you write a song, do you start with a riff, a lyric, or a story? Can you walk us through your process?
Katy: I’ve written songs that started with all three (separately). My go-to and favorite process is to set aside dedicated quiet time to write with no goal in mind. Most recently, a lot of the writing starts with either a guitar riff or chord, or a melody in my head or a lyrical line, and then I just explore from there. Writing is something I go to when I’m feeling overwhelmed and anxious, but also something I go to when I’m feeling inspired, in love, and full of hope. It’s a therapeutic tool. On the flipside of that, the craft has been something I’ve tried to be more disciplined about in the last couple of years. We’ve had the opportunity to write with and learn from some professional songwriters, and I realized that I can also treat songwriting more objectively. This side of songwriting has been harder for me to understand, but there’s also a freedom in being direct and deliberate with writing. I’ve infused that side into my own style of writing, in hopes of improving and better understanding my process.
Guitar Thrills: Blending Genres – Your sound mixes blues, rock, and indie influences. How do you decide which elements to emphasize in a song?
Katy: The songs are led by the instrumentation, the arrangement, and the vocal. Certain elements can be amplified or focused on in production, like a solo section or hook. Overall, I don’t think about if I want a song to be more blues, rock, or indie. I don’t try to control that. We just want it to be the best sounding song it can be.
Guitar Thrills: Influences – Which artists, past or present, have shaped your sound the most, and what lessons have you taken from them?
Katy: I grew up listening to a lot of blues, folk, and roots music- Susan Tedeschi, Bonnie Raitt, John Lee Hooker, Jimi Henrix, Big Mama Thornton, Patty Griffin, BB King, SRV, Tomatito, Moraito. I got into flamenco guitar at a young age in addition to blues guitar. I’ve been inspired by so many guitar playing greats- Jimi Hendrix, John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters, and Susan Tedeschi to name a few. Plus, there were some amazing local players that I jammed with in Kansas City when I was younger- players who not only were great guitarists but were kind to me. Being around great players (and people) in real time makes so much more of an impact than listening to recordings (again with the power of live music). I think that goes more for guitar playing for me. When it comes to great songwriting, there are lots of records I regularly play to listen to the songs like Patty Griffin’s ‘Living with Ghosts’ or Bob Dylan’s ‘Blood On The Tracks.’ I was also strongly influenced by flamenco artists like Moraito and Tomatito. I studied flamenco guitar and got to see some great flamenco shows in my youth. My flamenco instructor was a very influential person in my playing and artistry. I’ve tried to take the bits of emotion from the people that have inspired me and make sure that’s something I’m always tapping into and bringing to my music.
Guitar Thrills: Stage Presence – What does “swagger” mean to you on stage, and how do you make sure every performance communicates authenticity and soul?
Katy: Swagger is confidence. In performances I want to bring our songs to life in a way that draws people in. While there’s an element of practice and precision to our shows, we both like to leave space for the emotion to seep through and that’s something that changes every night. It’s the wild card if you will. It’s easy to bring authenticity and soul to a show when the life of the music is what gives your life. Steph and I just love playing with and off each other. It’s part of what makes our relationship so special. Watching bands play should be like watching one living organism breathe.
Guitar Thrills: Recording vs. Live – How do you capture the raw energy of your live shows in the studio, and what challenges does that present?
Katy: We try to capture the connection and the chemistry, but some things are meant to be for live shows only. When recording we always track the foundational tracks together and live. Most recently, we tracked our album having just done a couple of takes per song. It was probably the most raw and honest tracking we’ve done because the playing was early in the song and instinctual.
Guitar Thrills: Future Plans – Looking ahead, what can fans expect next from Katy Guillen & The Drive, both in the studio and on the road?
Katy: Looking ahead, we’re releasing and touring on our album Make That Sound. It comes out October 17, and we’ll be taking it on the road for as long as we can. We’ll likely be writing a lot in between all the playing. For now, we want to focus on Make That Sound which we put all our love and energy into. We hope people enjoy it and come and celebrate with us at a show!
Conclusion
Katy Guillen isn’t just a guitarist and vocalist—she’s a force of energy and soul in modern blues-rock. With each performance and recording, she proves that the blues can be both fiery and heartfelt, honoring tradition while carving her own path. From the raw intensity of her live shows to the emotional honesty in her songwriting, Guillen reminds us that great music isn’t just heard—it’s felt. For fans of high-energy, soulful blues, Katy Guillen & The Drive are a band to watch, keeping the genre alive, vibrant, and undeniably thrilling.
