Kate Elizabeth Voegele (/ˈvoʊ.ɡəl/; born December 8, 1986) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. She made her musical debut in 2003, with the release of her The Other Side extended play. She performed numerous local live shows to promote the album, and toured with artists such as John Mayer. In 2005, she released her second extended play, Louder Than Words. Both had local success, and helped raise awareness of Voegele as an artist. During this time period, Voegele performed at events such as Farm Aid to promote her music, and began posting her music on popular social media network MySpace. She also won numerous awards and honors for her songwriting abilities.

Voegele officially signed with Interscope Records in 2006, and immediately began working on her official debut album. Her first studio album, Don't Look Away, was released in 2007 to generally positive reviews. The album became her first to chart on the Billboard 200, and was re-released numerous times since its release. It spawned two singles, one of which charted on the Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart. While promoting this album, Voegele began appearing as Mia Catalano in the television series One Tree Hill. This made her acting debut, and helped promote her music. She would remain a recurring cast member for four seasons, lasting until 2011.