Kaia Kater (born in Montreal, Quebec) is a Canadian singer-songwriter, guitar, piano and banjo player.

[5] She grew up spending significant time in the North American folk music community, attending festivals, camps and conferences frequently during her teen years.

[9] Rolling Stone noted Kater's mixture of traditional banjo playing and "sobering, honest lyrics exploring all-too-current themes including poverty and racism...a quiet, yet powerful storm", naming her a "need to know" artist of 2016.

[15] Kater's 2018 album, Grenades, explores her personal history, including the story of her father's childhood and journey to Canada.

[5] While influenced by folk music, Kater cites Nina Simone, Erykah Badu and Lauryn Hill as important voices in shaping the direction of her artistic, social and political expression.