Pop/Folk Artist Katie Ditschun Blooms With Emotion on New Single “In Your Arms” From There Will Be Flowers EP
With her heartfelt voice, tender lyrics, and a crystal-clear musical presence that echoes the spirit of Carole King and Sarah McLachlan, Alexandria, ON singer-songwriter Katie Ditschun returns with “In Your Arms,” the lead single from her EP There Will Be Flowers — both out now.
A graduate of Berklee College of Music, Ditschun is known for blending elements of pop, folk, jazz, and adult contemporary with remarkable sensitivity and soul. Her new single “In Your Arms,” available now on all platforms, marks the beginning of a new musical chapter — one rooted in resilience, vulnerability, and the enduring comfort of memory.
“When I wrote ‘In Your Arms,’ I was in a place of deep grief,” Ditschun explains. “My world had changed. I felt alone and wanted relief from that grief. The metaphor of being held once more by the person who could make all these worries, and all that strife fade, communicated this feeling perfectly.”
“In Your Arms” is a piano-based power ballad that balances fragility and hope. Featuring Ditschun on vocals and piano, Normand Glaude on bass, Justin Duhaime on guitar, and Valeriy Nehovora on drums, the song was recorded, mixed, and mastered at Morning Anthem Studio in Cumberland, Ontario. It delivers what Katie calls “nakedness” and “unmistakable vulnerability” — and yes, she set out to break your heart.
The single is part of her EP There Will Be Flowers, a five-song cycle where each track unfolds a different meaning behind the title.
“Flowers are often a symbol of hope, beauty, and remembrance,” says Ditschun. “They’re there when we celebrate, when we mourn, and when we strive to start over.”
The EP explores everything from joy and longing to grief and rebirth, featuring tracks like the soulful “Hold On,” disco-tinged “Tell Me Something,” and cathartic closer “Her,” written in the wake of her mother’s passing.
The working title for the EP was Made in the 70s, a nod to both Katie’s musical influences — Roberta Flack, Stevie Wonder, Queen, and Carole King.
“That era of music changed my life,” she says. “There’s warmth, groove, and storytelling in those songs that I’m always chasing.”
There’s a story behind each note Katie sings — from encouraging her son and his peers in “Hold On,” to finding the strength to stand up for herself in the fierce, 12/8 rock-inspired anthem “Free.” She brings all of these narratives to life with powerful vocals and a dedication to authenticity.
“’In Your Arms’ is not for the weak of heart,” she says. “And playing it live, I’ve seen it break people’s hearts, right in front of me.”
Ditschun continues to perform across Eastern Ontario and co-owns Seaway Valley Music Academy in Cornwall. With There Will Be Flowers, she offers music that comforts, challenges, and connects — like a bouquet handpicked from life’s most emotional moments.
Hi Katie! Good to see you again! Care to introduce yourself to the readers for those not familiar with your music?
Hi! I’m an independent musician based in Eastern Ontario. My music combines elements from folk, pop, jazz, soul, and various influences from my favourite singer-songwriters. I released my first album, Spare Skirt, in 2019, and more recently, an EP of original jazz music, One Voice, in 2022. My new EP, There Will Be Flowers, explores folk, funk, disco, and goth, with a 1970s feel to most tracks. I gig regularly in Cornwall, Ontario, and the surrounding area, and I’m also co-owner of the Seaway Valley Music Academy, where I teach voice and piano.
You’ve described “In Your Arms” as being born from deep grief. How did you know you were ready to write—and share—that kind of pain with the world?
We sometimes need a song that we can sit with and hold on to (or maybe it holds onto us?) when we’re feeling misunderstood, bewildered, and abandoned. Writing a song like “In Your Arms” offers me a sort of catharsis. I can let my feelings dwell inside me, examine them, try to understand them, and then give them words and purpose beyond the emotional swells inside me.
My songwriting process starts with what resonates within me, but then I expand beyond, hoping to connect with the experiences of others. It can be daunting and a little overwhelming to share my own fears and pain with the world. Even sharing my hopes and triumphs with others is intimidating. The thought of people knowing exactly how you feel can be scary. It leaves you vulnerable. So, in “In Your Arms,” I unveil my grief and sense of loss only slightly, hiding behind a seeming literalness that obscures metaphor.
How do you bare your soul without giving all your secrets away? I think “In Your Arms” successfully walks that fine line.
You’ve said that each song in the EP unfolds a different meaning behind ‘flowers.’ What kind of flower, metaphorically, does “In Your Arms” represent?
“In Your Arms” gives expression to the yearning that a lost lover may someday return, a fresh bunch of flowers in hand. It features a lot of suspended chords, however, giving the song a deliberately unresolved feeling. That parallels the way the character in the song will likely never know the whole truth about the feelings of the person they’re missing, or the situation they’re in. If I wanted to mix my flower metaphors, I could say that while she waits and wonders, she has become a bundle of delicate blooms standing in week-old water.
While “In Your Arms” is about missing someone, it conveys a message of hope. The person in this song is both alone and lonely, but she has the comfort of her memories and hopes that she won’t stay that way forever. It is up to the listener, depending on where they’re at in life and what they need at the given moment, to decide if her hope is naïve or not.
Every song on There Will Be Flowers shares a common theme. “Tell Me Something,” with its funky groove and fun disco bridge, reminds us that we can always find something in life worth celebrating with garlands and bouquets. The soulful “Hold On” reminds us that even when the world feels cold and harsh, we may trust that these inclement seasons will in time give way to springtime. With its unrelenting beat and visceral vocals, “Free” tells us that even the darkest wintertime of the soul shall pass, and one may precipitate a rebirth from within if one stays true to oneself. Even clippings grow new roots. The final track, “Her,” with its mournful cello and heartbeat percussion, brings consolation to one who has suffered a heart-wrenching loss. Funerals, after all, need flowers, too.
What role did your classical training and time at Berklee play in shaping the restraint and emotional intelligence in this EP?
My education in music is stylistically broad. I still have so much to learn, and that excites me. My classical training taught me rules and boundaries. Berklee taught me that breaking the rules is sometimes the way to go. It also taught me that I can only be myself. I think the restraint and emotional intelligence in There Will Be Flowers come from experiencing life. You think you know something until you realize that you don’t. You think you know people until they show you who they really are. You don’t know how something truly feels until you experience it for yourself.
While I keep learning the intricacies of music theory, I also keep being reminded that adding depth doesn’t have to be something complicated. Simple progressions and subtle melodies with crafted lyrics sung with purpose can be enough. I often tell my vocal students that if they can sing a difficult vocal passage, I will be impressed, but if they can perform a simple melody and make me cry, I’ll never forget it. In my both my songwriting and vocal performance, I try to make the uncomplicated unforgettable.
At a time when the industry leans heavily on production and trends, what does it mean to you to create music that intentionally sits with discomfort and depth?
Human beings are intrinsically deep. We have emotions that we can’t express with words, but we can still empathize and identify with each other. To intentionally sit with discomfort means you accept it, but don’t give in to it. It’s honest. While I do enjoy songs with a fantastic groove and a straightforward message, I like to push further with my lyrics. In the recording studio, I also deeply appreciate the value that other musicians bring. There is almost nothing like making music with other people.
I’ll be the first to admit that I have never been one to be trendy. Trends come and go, but the truth is that life is fundamentally trying and tumultuous, peppered with moments of wonder and joy. Acknowledging this is freeing – and offers lots to write about. For me, it makes sense to speak the truth regardless of what prevailing trends say, believe, or demand.
Thank you, Canadian Beats, for putting a spotlight on “In Your Arms” and There Will Be Flowers.