Katie Runnels isn’t chasing perfection — she’s dismantling it. On her new single Imperfect Beauty, the Flagstaff singer-songwriter and producer opens up a space where honesty outweighs image, and vulnerability hits harder than polish. The track arrives as a soft rebellion against everything the industry tells artists — and women in particular — to hide.
Built around ambient-electronic textures and Runnels’ soulful delivery, Imperfect Beauty feels like both a sigh and a sunrise. There’s reflection in every breath, but also release — a sonic acknowledgment that the cracks are where the light gets in. Her voice floats over shimmering production, grounded by an emotional core that never loses its pulse.
What makes this release stand out isn’t just the music — it’s the mission behind it. Imperfect Beauty also anchors a new platform Runnels is building under the same name, designed to spark conversations around self-acceptance, mental health, and empowerment. After spending years teaching and creating resources for students with ADHD, she’s now applying that same empathy and insight to her art, turning her music into both message and movement.
It’s a natural evolution for someone who’s been quietly rewriting her own story. Runnels first appeared on the scene in 2010 with Reality Cloud, a folk-rock debut released through her independent label, KMR Productions. Then came time away — the kind artists need to recalibrate, heal, and figure out why they make music in the first place. Imperfect Beautyis the sound of that realization: stripped down, intentional, and completely human.
The song’s strength lies in its restraint. There’s no grand climax or overproduction here — just atmosphere, breath, and truth. “I’ve learned that healing doesn’t mean becoming someone new,” Runnels recently shared. “It means finally loving who you already are.” You can feel that sentiment woven through the song’s texture, as if each chord was built to hold space for anyone still finding their way.
Katie Runnels doesn’t return to the stage to impress — she returns to connect. Imperfect Beauty proves that music doesn’t have to be flawless to hit hard. Sometimes the most powerful thing an artist can do is let you see the cracks — and show you they still shine.
