Empowered by clear ambitions – 7-time winner of the BC Country Music Association award Female Vocalist Of The Year award.
Her 2018 album “Under the Covers in Muscle Shoals” boasted hand-picked covers from the legendary Fame Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama.
In Canada, the album hit #2 on Billboard Soundscan and #4 on iTunes in its first week. Rolling back to 2014, her album “Cause a Scene” hit #1 in album sales and #40 on Billboard Soundscan in Canada in its first month.
Moreover, rolling back to 2014, her album “Cause a Scene” hit #1 in album sales and #40 on Billboard Soundscan in Canada in its first month.
But more than the numbers, when you watch or listen to Karen Lee Batten, what really strikes you is the magnetism…
of her voice and her stage persona
Karen Lee Batten started her musical journey at the age of 4, when she memorized her father’s vocals as she watched him in concert.
Inspired to develop her own voice, the British Columbia native of Abbotsford sang in choirs at the elementary and high school levels and entered vocal competitions using her favorite piece: Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You.”
These experiences marked the early foundation for the passionate vocal delivery and dynamic range that now define her style.
After bouncing between serving jobs, hosting karaoke shows, and performing intermittent gigs, an unwavering sense of purpose pushed her to devote full-time energy to music.
Empowered by sharper and more focused ambitions, Karen broke through as a Top 10 finalist on Canadian Idol, giving her immediate national recognition and an exciting industry entry point. Drawn to the country genre for its close-knit community and stylistic openness towards rock and soul elements, Karen Lee’s new pursuits led to her first album, “Every Moment,” and her first music video, seen on Canadian Country Music Television.
Matching her successful releases with a commanding stage energy, her music sent her to Rockin’ River, Merritt Mountain Festival, Gone Country, Sunfest, Williams Lake Stampede, a showcase during Canadian Country Music Week, and has made her an anthem at NHL, CFL, and MLS games.
Recently Karen shared her brand-new single “Too Strong,” now accompanied by the official music video directed by Meaghan Gipps.
Co-written by Batten, Jeff Johnson (Madeline Merlo), Mitch Merrett (Tyler Joe Miller), and Chad Kroeger (Nickelback), “Too Strong” was also co-produced by the CCMA-winning Merrett (Aaron Pritchett) and Johnson (Meghan Patrick).
Rooted in the country genre and carried by a pop rhythm and an empowering message of love, strength, and hope, “Too Strong” is a sparkling dress tailored for Karen’s gleaming silhouette. What’s further surprising here is the way she wears it. And the spark strikes precisely because of how her charming touch is the means to convey the significant delivery of the piece.
The composition is flawless. The quality of the production is stellar. Yet Karen manages to add a precious aura to the song, employing her artistic arsenal not to take center stage, but rather to give further breath and light to the release. The naturalness with which this magic happens is the cherry on the cake.
Sharing the backstory of “Too Strong,” Karen said: “This song is a testament to how music can develop almost by accident. Jeff Johnson had finished a long studio day when we started talking about life. By 3:30 AM, we had started recording into a phone. By the next morning, Mitch and Chad were adding their own ideas, and soon after, we had a complete song that was effortless and organic to create from start to finish.”
The creative “luckily fate” that gave birth to “Too Strong” seems to have given way to a new personal meaning for the artist, heralding the beginning of a new and exciting phase open to a new landscape.
“The heart of ‘Too Strong’ is about staying strong through the tough times in a relationship. With the challenges of our new reality, I feel that there is a deeper message about recognizing how strong we really are as humans. Whether that strength is there for us as individuals or to put into our relationships, we are too strong to give up. We must move forward.”
Karen Lee Batten will follow “Too Strong” with more singles and an EP due in 2021, also co-produced by Johnson and Merrett. 
Listen now to "Too Strong," the latest by Karen Lee Batten, available in streaming on all major digital platforms. Find your favorite one via https://biglink.to/too-strong
To know more about Karen Lee Batten and her music, find and follow Karen all over the web by checking the links below:
<\span>- .: Nova MUSIC blog // November 2020
You can also discover "Too Strong" and Karen Lee Batten music by listening to our playlist NOVA ERA, a weekly rotation featuring an eclectic selection of artists covered by Nova MUSIC blog.
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