Kat Velasco Releases Dreamy New Single “Ventura Highway”

Kat Velasco is continuing to introduce listeners to the world of her upcoming debut album with her latest single, “Ventura Highway,” out now.

A breezy, mid-tempo track with a touch of Stevie Nicks-inspired energy, “Ventura Highway” feels warm, nostalgic and effortlessly beachy. From the moment the track begins, Velasco transports you straight to the California coast — windows down, ocean air coming through and nowhere in particular to be.

But underneath its easygoing sound is one of Velasco’s most personal stories yet.

“‘Ventura Highway’ is a song I have loved since I was a child,” Velasco shares. “After losing my brother Evans a year ago, it has taken on an entirely different meaning. Not only did my brother spend his final days in California, he absolutely loved it.”

Velasco’s delivery brings a softness to the track that allows its emotion to sit just beneath the surface. Instead of turning the song into something overwhelmingly sad, she holds onto the sense of freedom and hope that made her fall in love with it in the first place.

“There is something about the song that is so incredibly nostalgic and hopeful,” she explains. “It’s like being on the road with someone you love, though life is moving forward I’m always wishing I could stay in a moment with him forever.”

That feeling comes through in the music. “Ventura Highway” has a sun-soaked, almost dreamlike quality that makes it easy to picture exactly where Velasco’s mind is taking her. There’s a little Stevie Nicks spirit in the way the track floats between country, rock and coastal nostalgia, while still feeling distinctly like Kat.

“The imagery of California, the open road and sense of freedom completely embodies who Evans was and the way that he lived,” Velasco says. “Covering ‘Ventura Highway’ became my way of honoring him without making the tribute only about loss.”

That distinction is what makes the track hit. “Ventura Highway” isn’t only about losing someone; it’s about remembering who they were, the places that remind you of them and finding a way to carry those memories forward.

“It gives me peace in my mind to imagine him somewhere free and carrying him with me wherever the road takes me,” Velasco adds.

With “Ventura Highway,” Velasco gives listeners another look at the vulnerability and storytelling shaping her forthcoming debut album. It’s personal without losing its sense of freedom, emotional without becoming heavy, and the kind of song that makes you want to get in the car and head toward the coast.