Kim Is Really Worth It

Kim Is Really Worth It

Bruce Von Stiers

Kim McClay is an indie singer/ songwriter. Her style of music has been called a mix of ‘90's alt pop with folk, jazz and rock mixed in to create a terrific, eclectic sound.

Kim has played at venues such as Birdland, Arlene's Grocery, 54 Below and Bowery Electric. Besides playing venues and writing songs, Kim has also performed on the theatrical stage. She was in a national touring company's run of A Chorus Line, where she played Maggie. Some of the other stage productions that Kim performed in were Thoroughly Modern Millie, I'll Be Home For Christmas, White Christmas and A Piece of My Heart.

In 2021, Kim released a critically acclaimed album, My Sanity. That was followed in 2023 by the hit single Comin' Home.

Kim has some brand-new music coming out. It is a five song EP titled Worth It.

The songs on the EP were written by Kim. Written with an acoustic guitar, Kim then brought the songs to her band to round things out. Dustin Beardsley is on electric guitar; Trevor Brown is on bass and Jim Bloom is on drums. Aside from playing with Kim, Bloom is a sought after gig and studio sideman, along with playing at venues such as the Kennedy Center and the Kessler in Dallas. Known for playing electric and upright bass, Brown has accompanied artists such as Kristin Chenowith, Meghan Trainer, Jennifer Hudson and Paul McCartney. Beardsley is a guitarist and trumpeter along with a producer and mixer. The EP was recorded at his studio, Rugby Road Studios. And the album is being released on the Rugby Road Records label.

The first song on the EP is Velveteen Girls. It opens with some power pop guitar. The beginning lyrics go right to the heart of the subject. That is, being taken for granted, not being seen for the real you and your worth. There is a spoken portion of the song that further enhances the theme, which is for girls, no matter at what age, to not be held to what others think they should be and not be afraid to just be themselves. The song was inspired in part by the story of the Velveteen Rabbit.

Firefly is the second song. It has an almost alt folk rock vibe. The song has some great guitar and drums built into it. The song is a kind of warning getting sucked into the orbit of someone who appears great, but who will leave you wanting.

In the title track, Worth It, Kim sings that she'll trade her wide-open heart if they'll just stay, and can they promise it will be worth it if they stay. The song has a solid pop rock sound and a heartfelt theme.

So Close is great lyrical anthem with some cool rock electric guitar at the back end. The song says that they got so close to the real thing, but they're doing it all wrong.

The EP closes out with Something Like Love. It is a beautiful song about unrequited love. Kim has stated that the song comes from her life experience as she cared for someone, and that because she couldn't adequately express her feelings they ended up with someone else.

I wasn't familiar with Kim McClay before listening to Worth It. But, as the saying goes, I became an instant fan. The music on the EP is great, blending alt pop, rock and a bit of alt folk. The lyrics are fluid and the vocals are terrific, especially some of the high notes in songs where you might not expect them. To seem kind of corny here, Worth It is really worth listening to.

Additional to this new music, Kim is in the midst of developing what she terms as a folk/rock musical adaptation of Little Women. Kim is also the co-founder of First Drafts, which is a monthly writer's room for new and emerging writers of all styles.

Worth It has an official release date of June 26th, 2026. It will be available on all of the major streaming platforms and selected music retailers.

To find out more about Kim McClay, visit https://www.kim-mcclay.com/

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