Katie Tupper finds balance between vulnerability and groove on “Right Hand Man” [Video]

In a world saturated with AI, explosive drum and bass drops, and vocals polished to oblivion with auto-tune, there’s still a light cutting through the noise. That light?

Katie Tupper’s smoky, soulful alto.

Born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Tupper is a soul, indie, and alternative R&B artist whose music feels both nostalgic and new. Her latest single, “Right Hand Man,” is a funky, refreshing reminder of what authenticity sounds like.

While her style may evoke shades of Olivia Dean and Charlotte Day Wilson, Tupper is firmly in her own lane.

From the moment it starts, a breakbeat kicks in—then drops out to make space for Tupper’s smooth topline melody—before returning alongside crisp funk guitar riffs. The tone leans alternative, blending a laid-back, free-flowing soul energy with lyrics that explore the pressure of a new relationship.

The instrumentation keeps things groovy, putting a bright, rhythmic spin on something deeper and more complex. It’s a striking contrast that works beautifully for an artist whose vocals shine no matter how heavy the subject matter gets.

Speaking on the meaning of “Right Hand Man,” Tupper shares, “This song is about the weight and pressures someone puts on you in a relationship—when you become someone’s only source of happiness and they’re vocal about it. It becomes a compromising place to be in and clouds your decision-making about the relationship. I’m a very independent person, and all of my relationships have been independent. This song was about the first time I felt someone acting co-dependent towards me and how difficult I found it.”

Katie Tupper’s debut album Greyhound is set to arrive on January 21, featuring “Right Hand Man” and other tracks that promise the same depth and emotional layers.

On her upcoming debut, Tupper shares, “Greyhounds that race on tracks are given these parameters and rabbit decoys to chase that are unreachable. If the front/fastest dog gets close to the decoy, it just speeds up to make them run faster. The dogs think they are chasing something reachable, but by design, it will always be slightly ahead of them. It made me think about my relationships and how I act in the world. I am often both the Greyhound and the decoy — chasing something unreachable and being the thing that cannot be caught.”