Way Down Low, Kat's sophomore effort, was recorded with Grammy-winning producer/engineer Al Schmitt and producer/bassist Danton Boller. Sessions also included input from producer Phil Ramone. It is a departure from her earlier work in a few senses: she co-produces the album and makes her songwriting debut. "In some ways it’s a breakup record,” she says, alluding to a few coinciding life shifts—the breakdown of a relationship and the move from Austin to New York. It's also the first time she uses a guitar in the recordings.
To fund this record, she turned to Kickstarter. It was a resounding success—over 350 people contributed.

"Lucky" opens the record with sober words over cheerful marimba. Spare piano ballad "Nobody Knows That" confides tender details of unrequited love, while breezy samba "What Else Can I Do" brushes off heartbreak confidently. "Champagne" is as jaunty and kittenish as an Ella Fitzgerald standard, and her tune with Lyle Lovett, "Long Way Home", is a classic country duet. Horns, strings, and brushed snare are gently layered in throughout; each player is agile and discerning. Kat’s presence is emotive yet relaxed, often understating phrases and letting the arrangements speak for the piece—but soaring and gleaming at just the right moment.