Sensitivity is a strength—so says Katie Stump, also known as BLÜ EYES. With a musical pseudonym borne out of light sensitivity (blue eyes being the most affected), and vulnerable, soul-baring lyrics, Stump is here to encapsulate the tenderness of the human experience. On her new EP The Last Songs I’ll Write About You (out May 5 on VERSION III), she blends her signature bedroom pop production with issues of loss, identity and abandonment.

Stump grew up in a musical family and looked to her parents as inspiration, from singing at the dinner table to full ensemble productions for every holiday. After attending the University of Southern California for pop performance, she continued performing and playing in bands throughout her early twenties. In addition to her time on stage, she began to develop her production skills. “I've always had an interest in production, but I only had male role models to look up to,” she says. She bonded over the shared interest with women in her graduating class and began to work on solo music under BLÜ EYES, releasing her first EP healing hurts in 2022. (blueyesmusic.com)

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