Katelyn Tarver
Tarver in 2023
Born (1989-11-02) November 2, 1989 (age 34)
Glennville, Georgia, U.S.
Occupations
  • Actress
  • singer
Years active2003–present
Spouse
David Blaise
​
(m. 2014)​
RelativesDrew Tarver (brother)
Musical career
GenresPop
LabelsDuly Noted

Katelyn Tarver (born November 2, 1989[1]) is an American actress and singer-songwriter.[2] She has independently released four EP's since 2011, most notably Tired Eyes in 2017.[3] She is also known for her recurring roles as Jo Taylor on the Nickelodeon series Big Time Rush, Natalie on the ABC series No Ordinary Family, Jesse in HBO series Ballers and Mercedes on ABC Family The Secret Life of the American Teenager.[4] She co-wrote "Crazy Stupid Love" for the British singer Cheryl which peaked at #1 on UK Singles Chart in 2014.[5]

Career

Music

In 2003, Tarver took part in the reality television program American Juniors, where she was one of the Top 10 finalists, before being eliminated from the competition on August 12, 2003.[6]

Tarver performing in 2011

On June 14, 2011, Tarver independently released her debut EP, A Little More Free, produced by Matt Grabe.[7] She was Honor Society's opening act on their June–July 2011 "Wherever You Are" tour.[8] Tarver also toured alongside the bands The Cab and Parachute during the summer of 2012.[9]

In 2014, Tarver co-wrote Cheryl Cole's 2014 single "Crazy Stupid Love".[7] Two more singles, "Weekend Millionaires" and "Nobody Like You" were released on the streaming platform SoundCloud in 2015.[10][11] "Weekend Millionaires" was re-released on iTunes, Spotify, and other digital retailers on July 28, 2016.[12] Another new track, "What Do We Know Now", was released in October,[13] followed shortly by the BURNS-produced "Hate To Tell You" the following month.[14]

In 2015, Tarver was featured on the Lost Kings track "You", which was released by Spinnin' Records as a single off their EP The Bad.[15] In 2016, Tarver released a cover of Jeremih's song "Planez".[16]

Tarver performing at the Bootleg Theater in Echo Park, Los Angeles in 2017

Tarver's second EP, Tired Eyes, was released on March 10, 2017.[3][17] Her song "You Don't Know" went viral on YouTube and amassed over 50 million views by mid-2021.[18] In 2018, Tarver released her third EP, Kool Aid.[3] The EP received positive reviews from multiple music review websites including Clash.[19]

In 2019, Tarver released five singles as well as her fourth EP, Kool Aid: Sugar Free (Acoustic). In 2020, she released nine singles including "Feel Bad". The music video of "Feel Bad" was directed by Se Oh and premiered on March 26, 2020, with Billboard.[20] Later that year, Tarver co-wrote Jake Scott's song "Like No One Does".[21] The single was released on April 7, 2020.[22]

In 2021, Tarver collaborated with Will Anderson and launched a side-project called REAVES. Their debut EP, The First EP, was released on June 4, 2021.[17]

Tarver was the winning songwriter on the Old Dominion episode of Songland, with her song "Young" being featured in a Jeep commercial in which Tarver also starred.[23][24]

Acting

On January 29, 2010, she made her acting debut on Big Time Rush as Jo Taylor, a girl the boys admire. Her debut episode was "Big Time Love Song" which aired on February 5, 2010. She developed feelings for Kendall Knight (Kendall Schmidt) and they started dating. But the world tour changed everything: Jo became a television star and Kendall became a pop star. On "Big Time Break-Up" which aired on June 25, 2011, she landed a role in a movie in New Zealand which would keep her and Kendall apart for three years. She returned in season 3's episode "Big Time Surprise", which aired on September 22, 2012.[4]

From 2010 to 2011, Tarver appeared as Natalie Poston in 5 episodes of the ABC series No Ordinary Family.[25] In 2012, she appeared as Mercedes in ABC Family's series The Secret Life of the American Teenager.[21]

In 2018, Tarver appeared as Jesse in 8 episodes of the HBO series Ballers. She was cast as Cydney Walker in the ABC Signature television pilot, None of the Above, in 2021.[26]

Personal life

Tarver married David Blaise on July 19, 2014.[27]

Filmography

Television roles
Year Title Role Notes
2003 American Juniors Herself Contestant (Top 10)
2010–2013 Big Time Rush Jo Taylor Recurring role, 34 episodes
2010–2011 No Ordinary Family Natalie Poston Recurring role, 5 episodes
2012 The Secret Life of the American Teenager Mercedes Recurring role, 8 episodes
2014 Dead on Campus Natalie Kellison Television film (Lifetime)
2017 Famous in Love Rachael Davis Recurring role (season 1), 5 episodes
2018 Babysitter's Nightmare Claire Carven Television film (Lifetime)
2018 Ballers Jesse Recurring role, 8 episodes
2019 Songland Herself Episode: "Old Dominion"
2020 Twentyfiveish Rosie Main role

Discography

Tarver performing at the Troubadour in 2022

Studio albums

Title Details
Wonderful Crazy
Subject to Change[29]
  • Released: November 12, 2021
  • Format: CD, LP, Digital download, streaming
  • Label: Independent

Reissues

Title Details
Brand New Day
  • Released: September 27, 2006[30]
  • Format: CD, Digital download, streaming
  • Label: Trident Style Inc

Extended plays

Title Details
"I'll Make It Real/Lover Boy"
  • Released: December 15, 2005[31]
  • Format: CD, Digital download
  • Label: TC Music, LLC
"Chasing Echoes"
  • Released: March 6, 2007[32]
  • Format: Digital download, streaming
  • Label: TC Music, LLC
A Little More Free
  • Released: June 14, 2011
  • Format: CD, Digital download, streaming
  • Label: Independent
Tired Eyes
  • Released: March 10, 2017
  • Format: LP, Digital download, streaming
  • Label: Duly Noted Records
Kool Aid
  • Released: August 31, 2018
  • Format: Digital download, streaming
  • Label: Katelyn Tarver
Kool Aid: Sugar Free (Acoustic)
  • Released: March 8, 2019
  • Format: Digital download, streaming
  • Label: Katelyn Tarver

Singles

List of singles, with selected chart positions and certifications
Title Year Album
"Wonderful Crazy" 2005 Wonderful Crazy
"I'll Make It Real"
(featuring Aaron Agassi)
"Chasing Echoes" 2007
"Weekend Millionaires"[33] 2016 Tired Eyes
"Planez"[34] Non-album single
"What Do We Know Now"[35] Tired Eyes
"Hate to Tell You"[36]
"Love Me Again"[37] 2017
"You Don't Know"
"Never Fade"[38] 2018 Kool Aid
"LY4L"[39]
"Labels"[40]
"Kool Aid"
"Sinking In"[41]
(With Jake Scott) 		2019 Non-album singles
"Cynical"[42]
"Somebody Else"[43]
"Heaven"[44]
(With SJ) 		2020
"Feel Bad"[45]
"Made It This Far"[46]
"So Would I"[47]
"Young"[48]
"Side of My Heart"[49]
"Fall Apart Too"[50]
"Hundred"[51]
"Shit Happens"[52] 2021 Subject to Change
"All Our Friends Are Splitting Up"[53]
"Nicer"[54]
"Hurt Like That"[55]
"Year from Now"

As a featured artist

Title Year Album
"Broke"
(Joe Budden featuring Katelyn Tarver) 		2015 All Love Lost
"You"[56]
(Lost Kings featuring Katelyn Tarver) 		The Bad EP
"Another Universe"[57]
(BASTION featuring Katelyn Tarver) 		2016 Crystal EP
"Illegal"[58]
(Fareoh featuring Katelyn Tarver) 		Non-album single
"I'm Here Now"[59]
(Tawny Newsome & Alex Kliner featuring Katelyn Tarver & Paul F. Tompkins) 		2018 The Supergroup: Songs from Season 1
"Take Care"[60]
(Dillistone featuring Katelyn Tarver) 		2019 Non-album singles
"Walking on the Moon"[61]
(Leucadia featuring Katelyn Tarver)

Promotional singles

Title Year Album
"Lover Boy" 2005 I'll Make It Real/Lover Boy
"Careless Whisper" 2007 Wonderful Crazy
"It's Good" 2011 A Little More Free
"Nobody Like You"[62] 2015 Non-album promotional singles
"You Saxo Suelta"[63]
(with Esli Guzmán & Darek Sotelo) 		2019
"Cool"[64]
"Dionne"[65] 2020

Other appearances

Title Year Other artist(s) Album
"I'll Never Fall in Love" 2003 — American Juniors
"Us Against the World" 2009 Mitchel Musso Mitchel Musso
"What We're Told 2016 Everett Champion Aesthetic Sound
Life's a Cherry Pie 2020 Phil Danyew The Planters[66]

Music videos

As Lead artist
Title Year Director
"Wonderful Crazy" 2005
"I'll Make It Real"
(featuring Aaron Agassi) 		Treb Monteras II
"Weekend Millionaires" 2016 Chuck Willis
"Planez" Chuck Willis
"Hate to Tell You" 2017 Alejandro Reyes-Knight
"You Don't Know" Chuck Willis
"Never Fade" 2018 Luca Venter
"Labels" Nathan Presley
"Kool Aid" Luca Venter
"Sinking In"
(with Jake Scott) 		2019 Nathan Presley
"Cynical" Se Oh
"Somebody Else" Se Oh
"Heaven"
(with SJ) 		2020 Spencer Sutherland
"Feel Bad" Se Oh
"So Would I" Nathan Presley
"Shit Happens" 2021 Katelyn Tarver & Patrick Jones
"Nicer" Fiori
"Year from Now" Nathan Presley
As featured artist
Title Year Main artist Director
"You" 2016 Lost Kings

Songwriting credits

Year Song Artist(s) Album
2014 "Crazy Stupid Love" Cheryl Only Human
2018 "Young" Old Dominion Non-album single
2020 "Like No One Does" Jake Scott TWENTYTWENTY
2021 "Secret" Joshua Bassett Crisis / Secret / Set Me Free
"Set Me Free"
2022 "All in Due Time" Sad Songs in a Hotel Room

References

  1. ^ "Katelyn Tarver". Hollywood.com. Archived from the original on December 12, 2019. Retrieved January 15, 2017.
  2. ^ Abrams, Margaret (March 30, 2020). "Katelyn Tarver shares her favorite songs to keep you company". www.standard.co.uk. Retrieved on June 19, 2021.
  3. ^ a b c "Katelyn Tarver Takes On 'Labels' In Empowering New Song: Premiere". Billboard. Retrieved on June 19, 2021.
  4. ^ a b "Q&A: Katelyn Tarver on her mental health, trying new recipes during quarantine". April 27, 2020. Retrieved on June 19, 2021.
  5. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100 | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved on June 19, 2021.
  6. ^ Lo Grasso, Sandy, "Katelyn Tarver: American Junior to Idol", StarShine Magazine, November 28, 2005. Archived July 18, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ a b nylon,. "Katelyn Tarver Serenaded Us At #Playlisted". Nylon. Retrieved on June 19, 2021.
  8. ^ "Honor Society + Action Item + Katelyn Tarver + I Love Monsters". Vienna, VA Patch. May 9, 2011. Retrieved on June 19, 2021.
  9. ^ "The Cab and Parachute with Katelyn Tarver". Foxborough, MA Patch. June 19, 2012. Retrieved on June 19, 2021.
  10. ^ "Weekend Millionaires" – via soundcloud.com.
  11. ^ "Nobody LIke You" – via soundcloud.com.
  12. ^ ""Weekend Millionares - Single by Katelyn Tarver on Apple Music"". iTunes.
  13. ^ ""What Do We Know Now - Single by Katelyn Tarver on Apple Music"". iTunes.
  14. ^ "Listen: Katelyn Tarver - 'Hate To Tell You'", Clash Music, November 11, 2016.
  15. ^ Hartounian, Nanor. "Lost Kings Team Up With Katelyn Tarver On "You"". Nylon. Retrieved on June 19, 2021.
  16. ^ "Premiere: Katelyn Tarver - 'Planez' (Live Session)". Clash Magazine. Retrieved on June 19, 2021.
  17. ^ a b Garafano, Lauren. "11 Side-By-Sides Of The "Big Time Rush" Cast Then Vs. Now". BuzzFeed. Retrieved on June 19, 2021.
  18. ^ "Katelyn Tarver - You Don't Know". Retrieved on June 19, 2021 – via www.youtube.com.
  19. ^ "Katelyn Tarver's 'Kool Aid' Simply Sticks With You". Clash Magazine. Retrieved on June 19, 2021.
  20. ^ "'Songland' Winner Katelyn Tarver Confronts the Messy in 'Feel Bad' Video: Exclusive". Billboard. Retrieved on June 19, 2021.
  21. ^ a b choover@wacotrib.com, CARL HOOVER. "Songwriters Jake Scott and Katelyn Tarver meet new audience at Common Grounds". WacoTrib.com. Retrieved on June 19, 2021.
  22. ^ "Premiere: American Singer-Songwriter Jake Scott Roams Hawaii for Openhearted ‘Meet My Shadow’ Video -". May 21, 2021. Retrieved on June 19, 2021.
  23. ^ Buss, Dale (August 21, 2019). "Jeep's Hour on NBC's 'Songland,' And 90-Second Commercial, Elevate Brand Placement". Forbes. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
  24. ^ Fern, Celia; ez, (August 22, 2019). "Songland: Why Katelyn Tarver Might Look so Familiar". Oprah Daily. Retrieved on June 19, 2021.
  25. ^ "Quarantine Diaries: L.A. Pop Singer Katelyn Tarver". GRAMMY.com. March 24, 2020. Retrieved on June 19, 2021.
  26. ^ Porter, Rick; Porter, Rick (November 16, 2020). "Gregg Wayans to Star in Freeform Comedy From ‘Black-ish’ Veteran". Retrieved on June 19, 2021.
  27. ^ "Katelyn Tarver Ties The Knot With Fiance David Blaise". Contactmusic.com. July 28, 2014. Retrieved August 7, 2014.
  28. ^ "Wonderful Crazy by Katelyn Tarver". Retrieved July 24, 2021 – via iTunes.
  29. ^ "Subject To Change". Retrieved July 29, 2021 – via Twitter.
  30. ^ "Katelyn Tarver - Brand New Day". September 27, 2006. Retrieved July 24, 2021 – via Discogs.
  31. ^ "I'll Make It Real/Lover Boy [CD Maxi Single]". Retrieved December 15, 2005 – via AllMusic.
  32. ^ "Chasing Echoes EP". Retrieved March 6, 2007 – via Spotify.
  33. ^ "Weekend Millionaires". Spotify. Retrieved July 28, 2016.
  34. ^ "Planez - Single by Katelyn Tarver". Apple. Retrieved August 19, 2016.
  35. ^ "What Do We Know Now". Spotify. Retrieved September 23, 2016.
  36. ^ "Hate To Tell You". Twitter. Retrieved November 11, 2016.
  37. ^ "Katelyn Tarver Releases "Love Me Again"". Beyond The Stage Magazine. Retrieved February 13, 2017.
  38. ^ "BLACKBOOK PREMIERE: Stunning New Katelyn Tarver Single 'Never Fade'". BlackBook. Archived from the original on July 25, 2021. Retrieved March 2, 2018.
  39. ^ "Katelyn Tarver Reveals New Single LY4L From Upcoming Album KOOL AID Out July 20". Broadway World. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
  40. ^ "Katelyn Tarver Takes On 'Labels' In Empowering New Song: Premiere". Billboard. Retrieved June 15, 2018.
  41. ^ "Katelyn Tarver Releases New Single "Sinking In" Featuring Jake Scott". Front Row Live Entertainment. Retrieved August 21, 2019.
  42. ^ "Katelyn Tarver - 'Cynical' music video". Coup De Main Magazine. Retrieved September 25, 2019.
  43. ^ "Somebody Else - Single by Katelyn Tarver". Apple. Retrieved November 1, 2019.
  44. ^ "Heaven - Single By SJ & Katelyn Tarver". Apple. Retrieved February 14, 2020.
  45. ^ "'Songland' Winner Katelyn Tarver Confronts the Messy in 'Feel Bad' Video: Exclusive". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  46. ^ "Made It This Far - Single by Katelyn Tarver". Apple. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
  47. ^ "So Would I - Single by Katelyn Tarver". Apple. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  48. ^ "Young - Single by Katelyn Tarver". Apple. Retrieved August 21, 2020.
  49. ^ "Side of My Heart - Single by Katelyn Tarver". Apple. Retrieved September 25, 2020.
  50. ^ "Fall Apart Too - Single by Katelyn Tarver". Apple. Retrieved October 23, 2020.
  51. ^ "Hundred - Single by Katelyn Tarver". Apple. Retrieved November 20, 2020.
  52. ^ "Shit Happens". Twitter. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  53. ^ "All Our Friends Are Splitting Up". Twitter. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
  54. ^ "Nicer". Twitter. Retrieved September 16, 2021.
  55. ^ "Hurt Like That". Twitter. Retrieved October 16, 2021.
  56. ^ "Lost King's Teams Up With Katelyn Tarver On "You"". NYLON. Retrieved October 23, 2015.
  57. ^ "Another Universe (feat. Katelyn Tarver) - Single by Bastion". Apple. Retrieved June 17, 2016.
  58. ^ "Fareoh Releases "Illegal" feat. Katelyn Tarver via Ultra Music". The Nocturnal Times. Retrieved October 14, 2016.
  59. ^ "I'm Here Now (feat. Katelyn Tarver & Paul F. Tompkins) - Single by Tawny Newsome & Alex Kliner". Apple. Retrieved July 16, 2018.
  60. ^ "Your EDM Premiere: Dillistone Drops Emotional Wavey Ballad, 'Take Care'". YourEDM. November 22, 2019. Retrieved November 22, 2019.
  61. ^ "Walking On The Moon (feat. Katelyn Tarver) - Single by Leucadia". Apple. Retrieved December 6, 2019.
  62. ^ ""Nobody Like You" by Katelyn Tarver". FreeBikeValet. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
  63. ^ "You Saxon Suelta". Spotify. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
  64. ^ "Cool by Katelyn Tarver". Apple. Retrieved March 8, 2019.
  65. ^ "Dionne - Single by Katelyn Tarver". Apple. Retrieved December 18, 2020.
  66. ^ "The Planters (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)". Retrieved July 26, 2021 – via Spotify.

External links

Songland
Authority control databases
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