Exclusive: Stream Kaatii and Kara Connolly’s New Curated “Afraid of the Dark” Spotify Halloween Playlist

By: Jessica Nakamoto –

With spooky season finally upon us, there’s no better time to be “Afraid of the Dark”.

Channeling a haunted cabin and sleepless nights at a rural songwriting retreat, Kaatii’s latest single (out now) is an upbeat yet spine-tingling ode to being paranoid for no reason whatsoever.

Originally conjured up in Breckenridge, Colorado this last July, the young songstress teamed up with co-writer and Hollywood Music in Media Award nominee Kara Connolly to create the lyrics behind the ghostly track. Now, the pair join forces once again to celebrate the release with a brand-new Halloween-themed Spotify playlist.

A collection of tracks that both inspired the writing and production of “Afraid of the Dark” as well as songs with just the right amount of eerie flair, Kaatii and Connolly’s playlist is sure to get you into the spooky spirit! Stream it exclusively via Aesthetic Magazine below.   

Beabadoobee – “I Wish I Was Stephen Malkmus”

Beabadoobee is a British artist that I love and am very musically inspired by. This specific song influenced a lot of the writing style for my new single “Afraid of the Dark,” but it most heavily influenced the production. I wanted a combination of dreamy vocals but with a heavier grunge inspired production in parts of the track. – Kaatii

Lana Del Rey – “Dark Paradise”

Lana Del Rey tells a haunting tale of desperately struggling to move on from a past relationship—relatable. Immediately a stand out to me from her Born To Die album and with ghostly imagery and eerie vocals, it’s got a top spot on my Halloween favorites list. – Kara Connolly

Beabadoobee – “She Plays Bass”

I listened to a ton of Beabadoobee while writing in Colorado but I streamed this one by far the most out of her songs. For me, it is a classic because it’s a go to track that I find super vibey but also something I can rock out to. – Kaatii 

Rihanna – “Disturbia” 

From the scream at the beginning and catchy, spell-casting “bum bum bee dum bum bum bee dum bum”—I’m pretty sure this Rihanna track is well on its way to Halloween classic status, if it’s not there already. – Kara Connolly

Chloe Moriondo – “Manta Rays”

Chloe Moriondo has a style I really do and have loved for a long time. This song is super playful and I based the beginning of “Afraid of the Dark,” sonically and lyrically, off this song. This song was also the inspo for some of the chords for “Afraid of the Dark” as well. – Kaatii

Fleetwood Mac – “Gypsy”

Whether or not Stevie Nicks is an actual witch is debatable. Either way, she’s certainly got a witchy way with words—writing songs about witches (cue Rhiannon) and using mystical imagery to tell stories about her life. Out of endless options, I picked this one because I’ve been inspired by the track recently with my own music. Plus, I was Esméralda for Halloween one year. – Kara Connolly

The 1975 – “Then Because She Goes”

It is possible that The 1975 is my all-time favorite band. I am influenced by them in so many ways and I listen to their music constantly. I just love this song and thought it had the perfect balance of rock with a chill vibe. – Kaatii 

Handsome Ghost – “Vampires”

Not only did Kaatii and I both share the “stage” with Handsome Ghost at Aesthetic Festival this summer, but this dreamy, nostalgic love song is just beautiful. It reminds me of late nights, youthful adventure and making the most of every moment. – Kara Connolly 

Peach Pit – “Figure 8”

I didn’t base “Afraid of the Dark” off this track quite as much, but I listened to this song non stop in Colorado while I was there for a week writing AOTD and other songs. Listening to it brings me back completely to the writing process and the entire sound of AOTD. – Kaatii 

Taylor Swift – “I Did Something Bad”

I debated including Taylor’s country-pop “Haunted” on my list, but here, with jarring, punchy electro pop production Taylor announces, “If a man talks sh*t then I owe him nothing—I don’t regret it one bit ‘cause he had it coming” and “They’re burning all the witches even if you aren’t one…so light me up” in the same song—iconic. – Kara Connolly 

The Cranberries – “Zombie”

I’ve been really inspired by the 90s lately and with its grungy, alt-rock flair, this protest anthem still stands up in 2020. After her passing in 2018, Dolores O’Riordan’s versatile pipes are all the more haunting. Plus, the band is Irish and Kaatii loves this song too, so that’s a bonus. – Kara Connolly