Texas-born country artist Kaitlyn Kohler wants you to know she'll meet you where you are, with open arms, no matter what. Kohler, the daughter of a Navy Pilot, was born in Corpus Christy but spent her earliest years moving around until finally settling in Beaumont, TX. She learned quickly that home, like faith, follows you wherever you go. 

Kolher, who proudly considers herself a nerdy introvert and bibliophile, has had a life-long obsession with Star Wars, and a perchance for curating nostalgic finds has influenced her vintage eclectic style. "There's just something about collecting other people's stories. Whether it's a thrifted coat, an old record player, or a dusty book, things are richer when they come with a past." 

Kohler studied vocal performance at Dallas Baptist University, but her love of music dates back to early childhood. "I got my first keyboard when I was six, at the general store on the base we lived on when my dad was stationed in Japan. I would teach myself how to play by following the light-up keys. I loved listening to the classics, especially female artists like Etta James, Sara Evans, Faith Hill, Dolly Parton, and Linda Ronstadt." For Kohler, the four pillars of a good life have always been family, friends, music, and church. Her path to music, however, didn't come without its bumps in the road.

Kohler struggled with severe anxiety disorder as a child, making many things in her life very difficult. "I was very quiet and shy, a real bookish type. I used to be unable to sing even in front of my family, forget other people." She planned to attend college to study marine biology or research psychology, but her heart was pulling her in another direction. As she often did, she looked to her faith for an answer and felt an overpowering calling and a clear sense of purpose to follow the music and use it to spark light and joy in others. "The motivating question in my life has always been, how can I be a light to those around me, and what can I do to make the world a better place before I'm gone?"

In recent years, Kohler has been making a name for herself in the country music scene, releasing six singles, four of which broke the top 10 on the Texas country charts. Her single "Break Another Heart," co-written by Nashville veteran Bobby Terry was the first to reach #1 status, followed by "I'm Not Crying." She has been twice nominated for New Female Vocalist of the Year and Female Vocalist of the Year for the Texas Regional Radio Awards. She's written and recorded with renowned songwriters Buck Johnson, Charlie Midnight, Dean Dillon, Marla Cannon Goodman, and Joyce Simpson.

Her upcoming single, "Everywhere I Go," co-written by Charlie Midnight (James Brown, Joni Mitchell), Andi Zack, Buck Johnson (Aerosmith, Carlos Santana), and produced by Johnson, is set to release on June 16. For Kohler, the song is about keeping love close at heart, no matter how far away you are.

"One of my favorite quotes is by Dave Grohl, 'You can sing a song to 85,000 people, and they'll sing it back to you for 85,000 different reasons.' I love this song because it really lends to that. It's a beautiful expression of a relationship with someone you love, but everyone has their own idea of what that love is. Like an old heirloom, we all come with unique experiences, stories, and everything that life has thrown at us. We all may be singing to different people for different reasons, but we're still singing together. Music unifies us like nothing else in the world can."

She hopes the song inspires others to search for meaning and awe in life, no matter what they're going through.