Katie Dineen: Folk-Pop in the Florida Panhandle

If you’re searching for a local indie-folk artist to amplify your Autumn playlists or capture those elusive mountain vibes in the beachy south, look no further than Pensacola-based songwriter Katie Dineen. 

Dineen’s interest in music began in her childhood home of Fort Walton when a chance experience at her school allowed her to try her hand at playing the guitar. Dineen grew up playing the piano, but something sparked when she played the guitar; so, as soon as she could, she begged her mom to let her exchange her piano lessons for guitar lessons. This decision began Dineen’s journey into songwriting, and eventually performing. 

After years of writing and playing in the comfort of her home, Dineen transitioned into live performance during her college years. While attending UWF, Dineen found that she had a knack for live performance through playing at Pensacola’s abundant open-mics. At first, Dineen opted to perform covers, but as she grew more comfortable, she began to present her original music. This progression eventually led to Dineen recording those original songs and pushing them out into the public sphere.

When listening through Dineen’s discography, it’s hard not to hear what sound Dineen aims to emulate, as well as where she finds her inspiration. With her earthy tone and raw, acoustic folk-pop instrumentation, listeners can easily pick up on one of Dineen’s biggest sources of inspiration: nature itself. Her lyrics often incorporate ethereal, environmental imagery which further solidifies her music’s granola-girl sound. Dineen’s lyrics also take on a uniquely nostalgic air, especially in songs such as Invisible Strings and Along for the Ride (which are my personal favorites of hers).

While she has always written with a hopeful and softly optimistic tone, Dineen’s songwriting has evolved throughout the years, both sound-wise and theme-wise. When she began finding her voice in songwriting, more often than not her songs would center around universal themes in her life such as love and heartbreak. Now, Dineen writes with a less personal focus, opting now to speak to a larger audience and explore the vast range of experiences and themes the world has to offer. 

Dineen’s goal to reach a larger audience bleeds over into her involvement in the Pensacola scene; while Dineen plays concerts at the local venues, she also hosts monthly songwriter rounds at the Handlebar, which are essentially “show-and-tells” for songwriters. Described by Dineen as similar to Nashville rounds, the Handlebar’s songwriter rounds allow a group of artists to present their original music to a listening room, while also having the opportunity to piggyback off of another artist’s song or play along with the current songwriter’s piece (with their permission, of course). The rounds are a great opportunity for songwriters to not only test out their songs in a public setting, but they are also a fantastic way for the songwriter community to bond and gain creative inspiration from other like-minded artists. 

Dineen is a must-see artist if you’re in the Pensacola area, but even if you’re not, keep an eye on Dineen’s schedule through her Instagram, @katiedineensings, as Dineen is planning on touring and playing in more songwriter's festivals in 2025. In the meantime, check out Dineen’s music on Spotify, Apple Music, or wherever you stream your music.

Connect with Katie at the links below:

Website: https://www.katiedineenmusic.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katiedineensings/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katie.dineen.568/