Country-pop artist Kat Velasco raises the bar with her empowering new single “Show Pony,” the lead track off her upcoming EP, Cowgirl Complex, due out next year. The track captures the liberating journey of shedding expectations and stepping fully into your true self. “Show Pony” is available now on all major streaming platforms.

“Show Pony” reflects the freedom that comes from letting go of others’ opinions and releasing anything that holds you back from becoming your true self. Growing up in a small town where image meant everything, Kat Velasco often felt confined by the pressure to be perfect for those around her. “‘Show Pony’ represents both my time in pageants and in the music industry; there’s a pressure to be perfect, to always look the part, smile on cue, and NEVER show any sort of cracks,” Velasco explains. That tension between composure and authenticity is mirrored in the song’s sound: lighthearted guitar strums and soft percussion meet intricate, emotionally charged vocals, creating a dynamic balance of polish and vulnerability. Produced by Johnny Gates and mixed by Caleb Fisher (Ben Rector, Cory Wong), the track was co-written by Gates and Kat Velasco, and features Kevin MacIntire (bass), Sam Hunter (guitar), Johnny Gates (acoustic guitar), Fred Eltringham (drums), Eddie Dunlap (pedal steel), and assistant engineer Joanna Finley.

Born in Columbia, South Carolina, country-pop artist Kat Velasco grew up surrounded by music. Coming from a family of talented vocalists, she found her voice early, singing by age five and performing in musical theater soon after. By seven, she had signed with an agency and was appearing in numerous stage productions. After stepping away from performing in her teens, Velasco spent her early twenties working in finance. When the pandemic hit, it served as a wake-up call — inspiring her to leave the corporate world behind and return to her first love: music. In 2021, she began releasing her own original songs, starting with her breakout single “Leave Me Wild,” which landed on Spotify’s New Music Weekly and Fresh Finds Country playlists and led to radio interviews nationwide. Now based in Nashville, Velasco has continued to make waves with tracks like “Call Me,” whose music video premiered on CMT, and her more recent singles “Name on My Phone” and “Paper Boy,” praised by CMA, Earmilk, Wide Open Country, Holler, and Live Nation’s Ones to Watch.

“Show Pony” captures the moment you stop trying to be perfect and start showing up as yourself. It’s Kat Velasco at her most honest and her most free. Stream and download “Show Pony” now available on all major platforms. Follow Kat Velasco on Instagram @kat.velasco.music and check out her website KatVelasco.com to stay up to date on her upcoming EP and live dates.