Katelyn Tarver (born November 2, 1989[1]) is an American actress and singer-songwriter.[2] She has independently released four EP's since 2011, most notably Tired Eyes in 2017.[3] She is also known for her recurring roles as Jo Taylor on the Nickelodeon series Big Time Rush, Natalie on the ABC series No Ordinary Family, Jesse in HBO series Ballers and Mercedes on ABC Family The Secret Life of the American Teenager.[4] She co-wrote "Crazy Stupid Love" for the British singer Cheryl which peaked at #1 on UK Singles Chart in 2014.[5]

Katelyn Tarver
Tarver in 2023
Born (1989-11-02) November 2, 1989 (age 35)
Occupations
  • Actress
  • singer
Years active2003–present
Spouse
David Blaise
(m. 2014)
RelativesDrew Tarver (brother)
Musical career
GenresPop
LabelsDuly Noted
Websitekatelyntarver.com

Career

Music

In 2003, Tarver took part in the reality television program American Juniors, where she was one of the Top 10 finalists, before being eliminated from the competition on August 12, 2003.[6]

 
Tarver performing in 2011

On June 14, 2011, Tarver independently released her debut EP, A Little More Free, produced by Matt Grabe.[7] She was Honor Society's opening act on their June–July 2011 "Wherever You Are" tour.[8] Tarver also toured alongside the bands The Cab and Parachute during the summer of 2012.[9]

In 2014, Tarver co-wrote Cheryl Cole's 2014 single "Crazy Stupid Love".[7] Two more singles, "Weekend Millionaires" and "Nobody Like You" were released on the streaming platform SoundCloud in 2015.[10][11] "Weekend Millionaires" was re-released on iTunes, Spotify, and other digital retailers on July 28, 2016.[12] Another new track, "What Do We Know Now", was released in October,[13] followed shortly by the BURNS-produced "Hate To Tell You" the following month.[14]

In 2015, Tarver was featured on the Lost Kings track "You", which was released by Spinnin' Records as a single off their EP The Bad.[15] In 2016, Tarver released a cover of Jeremih's song "Planez".[16]

 
Tarver performing at the Bootleg Theater in Echo Park, Los Angeles in 2017

Tarver's second EP, Tired Eyes, was released on March 10, 2017.[3][17] Her song "You Don't Know" went viral on YouTube and amassed over 50 million views by mid-2021.[18] In 2018, Tarver released her third EP, Kool Aid.[3] The EP received positive reviews from multiple music review websites including Clash.[19]

In 2019, Tarver released five singles as well as her fourth EP, Kool Aid: Sugar Free (Acoustic). In 2020, she released nine singles including "Feel Bad". The music video of "Feel Bad" was directed by Se Oh and premiered on March 26, 2020, with Billboard.[20] Later that year, Tarver co-wrote Jake Scott's song "Like No One Does".[21] The single was released on April 7, 2020.[22]

In 2021, Tarver collaborated with Will Anderson and launched a side-project called REAVES. Their debut EP, The First EP, was released on June 4, 2021.[17]

Tarver was the winning songwriter on the Old Dominion episode of Songland, with her song "Young" being featured in a Jeep commercial in which Tarver also starred.[23][24]

Acting

On January 29, 2010, she made her acting debut on Big Time Rush as Jo Taylor, a girl the boys admire. Her debut episode was "Big Time Love Song" which aired on February 5, 2010. She developed feelings for Kendall Knight (Kendall Schmidt) and they started dating. But the world tour changed everything: Jo became a television star and Kendall became a pop star. On "Big Time Break-Up" which aired on June 25, 2011, she landed a role in a movie in New Zealand which would keep her and Kendall apart for three years. She returned in season 3's episode "Big Time Surprise", which aired on September 22, 2012.[4]

From 2010 to 2011, Tarver appeared as Natalie Poston in 5 episodes of the ABC series No Ordinary Family.[25] In 2012, she appeared as Mercedes in ABC Family's series The Secret Life of the American Teenager.[21]

In 2018, Tarver appeared as Jesse in 8 episodes of the HBO series Ballers. She was cast as Cydney Walker in the ABC Signature television pilot, None of the Above, in 2021.[26]

Personal life

Tarver married David Blaise on July 19, 2014.[27]

Filmography

Television roles
Year Title Role Notes
2003 American Juniors Herself Contestant (Top 10)
2010–2013 Big Time Rush Jo Taylor Recurring role, 34 episodes
2010–2011 No Ordinary Family Natalie Poston Recurring role, 5 episodes
2012 The Secret Life of the American Teenager Mercedes Recurring role, 8 episodes
2014 Dead on Campus Natalie Kellison Television film (Lifetime)
2017 Famous in Love Rachael Davis Recurring role (season 1), 5 episodes
2018 Babysitter's Nightmare Claire Carven Television film (Lifetime)
2018 Ballers Jesse Recurring role, 8 episodes
2019 Songland Herself Episode: "Old Dominion"
2020 Twentyfiveish Rosie Main role

Discography

 
Tarver performing at the Troubadour in 2022

Studio albums

Title Details
Wonderful Crazy
Subject to Change[29]
  • Released: November 12, 2021
  • Format: CD, LP, Digital download, streaming
  • Label: Independent
Quitter
  • Released: February 9, 2024
  • Format: CD, LP, Digital download, streaming
  • Label: Independent

Reissues

Title Details
Brand New Day
  • Released: September 27, 2006[30]
  • Format: CD, Digital download, streaming
  • Label: Trident Style Inc

Extended plays

Title Details
"I'll Make It Real/Lover Boy"
  • Released: December 15, 2005[31]
  • Format: CD, Digital download
  • Label: TC Music, LLC
"Chasing Echoes"
  • Released: March 6, 2007[32]
  • Format: Digital download, streaming
  • Label: TC Music, LLC
A Little More Free
  • Released: June 14, 2011
  • Format: CD, Digital download, streaming
  • Label: Independent
Tired Eyes
  • Released: March 10, 2017
  • Format: LP, Digital download, streaming
  • Label: Duly Noted Records
Kool Aid
  • Released: August 31, 2018
  • Format: Digital download, streaming
  • Label: Katelyn Tarver
Kool Aid: Sugar Free (Acoustic)
  • Released: March 8, 2019
  • Format: Digital download, streaming
  • Label: Katelyn Tarver

Singles

List of singles, with selected chart positions and certifications
Title Year Album
"Wonderful Crazy" 2005 Wonderful Crazy
"I'll Make It Real"
(featuring Aaron Agassi)
"Chasing Echoes" 2007
"Weekend Millionaires"[33] 2016 Tired Eyes
"Planez"[34] Non-album single
"What Do We Know Now"[35] Tired Eyes
"Hate to Tell You"[36]
"Love Me Again"[37] 2017
"You Don't Know"
"Never Fade"[38] 2018 Kool Aid
"LY4L"[39]
"Labels"[40]
"Kool Aid"
"Sinking In"[41]
(With Jake Scott)
2019 Non-album singles
"Cynical"[42]
"Somebody Else"[43]
"Heaven"[44]
(With SJ)
2020
"Feel Bad"[45]
"Made It This Far"[46]
"So Would I"[47]
"Young"[48]
"Side of My Heart"[49]
"Fall Apart Too"[50]
"Hundred"[51]
"Shit Happens"[52] 2021 Subject to Change
"All Our Friends Are Splitting Up"[53]
"Nicer"[54]
"Hurt Like That"[55]
"Year from Now"
"What Makes A Life Good?” 2023 Quitter
"Starting To Scare Me”
"Cinematic”
"Parallel Universe”
"Ignorance Is Bliss”
"Quitter”
"Friend Like You”
"Japanese Cafe”
"One Without The Other” 2024
"Revisionist History”
"Just A Person”
Title Year Album
"Broke"
(Joe Budden featuring Katelyn Tarver)
2015 All Love Lost
"You"[56]
(Lost Kings featuring Katelyn Tarver)
The Bad EP
"Another Universe"[57]
(BASTION featuring Katelyn Tarver)
2016 Crystal EP
"Illegal"[58]
(Fareoh featuring Katelyn Tarver)
Non-album single
"I'm Here Now"[59]
(Tawny Newsome & Alex Kliner featuring Katelyn Tarver & Paul F. Tompkins)
2018 The Supergroup: Songs from Season 1
"Take Care"[60]
(Dillistone featuring Katelyn Tarver)
2019 Non-album singles
"Walking on the Moon"[61]
(Leucadia featuring Katelyn Tarver)

Promotional singles

Title Year Album
"Lover Boy" 2005 I'll Make It Real/Lover Boy
"Careless Whisper" 2007 Wonderful Crazy
"It's Good" 2011 A Little More Free
"Nobody Like You"[62] 2015 Non-album promotional singles
"You Saxo Suelta"[63]
(with Esli Guzmán & Darek Sotelo)
2019
"Cool"[64]
"Dionne"[65] 2020
"The Only Exception 2022

Other appearances

Title Year Other artist(s) Album
"I'll Never Fall in Love" 2003 American Juniors
"Us Against the World" 2009 Mitchel Musso Mitchel Musso
"What We're Told 2016 Everett Champion Aesthetic Sound
Life's a Cherry Pie 2020 Phil Danyew The Planters[66]

Music videos

As Lead artist
Title Year Director
"Wonderful Crazy" 2005
"I'll Make It Real"
(featuring Aaron Agassi)
Treb Monteras II
"Weekend Millionaires" 2016 Chuck Willis
"Planez" Chuck Willis
"Hate to Tell You" 2017 Alejandro Reyes-Knight
"You Don't Know" Chuck Willis
"Never Fade" 2018 Luca Venter
"Labels" Nathan Presley
"Kool Aid" Luca Venter
"Sinking In"
(with Jake Scott)
2019 Nathan Presley
"Cynical" Se Oh
"Somebody Else" Se Oh
"Heaven"
(with SJ)
2020 Spencer Sutherland
"Feel Bad" Se Oh
"So Would I" Nathan Presley
"Shit Happens" 2021 Katelyn Tarver & Patrick Jones
"Nicer" Fiori
"Year from Now" Nathan Presley
"What Makes A Life Good?” 2023
"Starting To Scare Me” Skyler Brown
"Cinematic”
"Parallel Universe”
"Quitter”
"Japanese Cafe”
"One Without The Other” 2024
"Revisionist History”
"Just A Person”
As featured artist
Title Year Main artist Director
"You" 2016 Lost Kings

Songwriting credits

Year Song Artist(s) Album
2014 "Crazy Stupid Love" Cheryl Only Human
2018 "Young" Old Dominion Non-album single
2020 "Like No One Does" Jake Scott TWENTYTWENTY
2021 "Secret" Joshua Bassett Crisis / Secret / Set Me Free
"Set Me Free"
2022 "All in Due Time" Sad Songs in a Hotel Room

References

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  2. ^ Abrams, Margaret (March 30, 2020). "Katelyn Tarver shares her favorite songs to keep you company". www.standard.co.uk. Retrieved on June 19, 2021.
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  5. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100 | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved on June 19, 2021.
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