Widely regarded as the new the Sara Bareilles — which I, for one, believe to be a fairly fitting comparison — Kat Pace from Philadelphia is very much the girl next door who everyone would or should want to be friends with. The only difference being she’s a cracking singer-songwriter to boot.

Having earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre from the University of Maryland, Pace has always enjoyed being in the spotlight. Undertaking performances at the Kennedy Center and DC Capital Fringe Festival among others, she established herself as one to watch, and, since then, she hasn’t looked back.

Moving her interests away from acting towards performing music — rather than writing songs just for songs’ sake — she, instead, puts her heart and soul into every lyric she creates, as showcased via the material featured on her debut EP Survivor. With its focus on the emotional roller-coaster that can be a break-up, those looking for a ‘pity’ record need to look elsewhere, as this collection, instead, reflects the strength a person can have through difficult times. If there’s one woman who believes in girl power, it’s Kat Pace.

Title track “Survivor” — not to be confused with the Destiny’s Child song of the same name — gets things off to a fantastic start, hitting home the messages of strength, independence and courage that dominate the collection.

“Where To Find Me” showcases her impressive vocal prowess, and, although there is no weak number on the EP, closing song “Broken Heart Breaking” is perhaps the stand-out track, helped greatly by a ridiculously catchy chorus and beautiful melody.

Check out the video for “Survivor” below, and, for more information on Kat, visit her website, give her page a like on Facebook or follow her on Twitter. You can purchase her Survivor EP now on iTunes.