Kathy Katouzi Breaks the Silence with Debut Album 'I AM'

From Tehran to Toronto, the rising indie-pop artist transforms fear into fearless self-expression.

Toronto-based Iranian artist Kathy Katouzi releases her debut album 'I AM' - a self-produced manifesto of liberation, raw emotion, and radical honesty. Born and partially raised in Iran, where women’s creative expression is often suppressed, Katouzi’s music is a reclaiming of voice and identity. “In my country, creativity was taken from women, not provided,” she says.

Now, having taught herself music production from the ground up, Katouzi uses her art to explore everything once forbidden - sexuality, vulnerability, ambition. Each track on I AM is a layered emotional landscape, with jagged effects, blistering vocals, and bold experimentation that channels her influences: Charli XCX, Brakence, and Jeremy Zucker.

But Katouzi’s music isn’t just about sound—it’s about survival. She started out posting covers on Instagram in 2019, gradually learning to produce her own tracks, and by 2021, was crafting a sound that is uniquely hers: abrasive, melodic, and fiercely authentic. The album captures her transformation—from silence to defiance, from fear to fire.

More than a debut, 'I AM' is a declaration. It’s the sound of a woman taking up space, on her own terms. It’s a rallying cry for anyone who’s ever been told to stay quiet. And it’s a promise: that vulnerability is not weakness - it’s power.