Stump's set to perform Tommy's Place on Friday. (Shabnam Ferdowsi)

Her sophomore album, "Puzzle Pieces," shows off a seasoned songwriter who has grown significantly since her last release. Tracks bring the listener optimistic cheer similar to Colbie Calliat and bright energy characteristic of Taylor Swift.

Katie Stump has recently grown her YouTube presence with popular cover videos including One Republic’s “Counting Stars” and a collaboration with local singer/songwriter, Drew Tabor. Ingrid Michaelson even shared Stump's cover of "Girls Chase Boys" on her Facebook page. 

As a live performer, Stump is a popular acoustic artist in the area playing at venues throughout Los Angeles and Orange County. In addition, her full band experience features other USC Popular Music students: Mike Harper, Livia Slingerland, Devon Eisenbarger, and Leila Milki, whose collective talent contributes to an unforgettable experience that rivals nearly any other USC Popular Music band. 

We got to chat with Katie at Nature’s Brew before her performance at an acoustic night presented by Beating Lights and Mu Phi Epsilon Thursday night. In anticipation of her album release show at Tommy’s Place on Friday, she shared her thoughts on her new album, the show, and what’s next:

NT: You just released, "Puzzle Pieces," what has the reception been like so far? 

The reception has been awesome. These songs are a lot closer to my heart and my own personal experiences than my first album, and I think people sense that when they listen to it. This record has also reached a lot more people, which makes me very happy.

NT: What's your favorite song on the new record, and why? 

My favorite song is definitely "Ferris Wheel." I didn't write it to tell a story about a personal experience, necessarily, but more to express and create a feeling that everyone needs a little bit more of: that feeling being the joy and serenity that comes from taking in the beauty of the world around you, in spite of the challenges we face that won't ever go away. And I feel that the sound of the song on the record just perfectly captures the mood I wanted to create, which is in large part why I love it so much.

NT: Didn't you release an album just a few months ago? 

The way it worked out with the releases, I was essentially working on two albums at once. By the time I got to the end of recording "Natural," I had all these new songs I was really eager to record and release that would soon become "Puzzle Pieces." There was so much material I wanted to get out there at once with different visions that it just worked out we ended up placing them in different categories, or two separate albums.

NT: How would you describe your music to someone who hasn't heard it? 

If my music was a cake, it would be pop singer-songwriter flavored with country filling and some folk icing on top.

NT: What can we expect from your show next week at Tommy's Place? 

I'm going to be playing the majority of the new album with my incredible full band. Two of my very talented friends will be opening, beginning at 7:30, and there will be a full merch booth with physical copies of the album available, of course, and other fun stuff. There may or may not also be candy.

NT: How has the Popular Music Program at USC influence you as an artist? 

Too many ways to count! The amount of talented people I'm surrounded by in this program is just incredible, and has influenced my writing in ways I never could have imagined. That kind of environment just motivates you to get better all the time.

Playing with my band (who are all USC students) has also inspired me to write some songs with new sounds I never would have even thought of before. I would absolutely not be the artist I am today if I were not in the USC Pop Program.

NT: You've been posting a lot of YouTube videos lately, what inspired you to do more covers and share them? 

I just think YouTube is such a great way for artists to reach people that connect with their music that they otherwise wouldn't have access to. And in order to maintain that connection, it's important to remain consistent with the content you put out there. Covering other great songs also helps me personally to learn what makes the song so great, which in turn actually helps me be a better songwriter as well.

NT: What are your biggest inspirations for songwriting? 

So many things... anything really, from a tweet to a conversation to a dramatic event in my life can inspire me to write a song. But I have to say, the thing that most inspires me as a writer is when I get to experience the music that my friends make.

I love having song circles at my apartment where my friends and I just go around and share songs we wrote that week. It's so special to me because, since I have such close proximity physically and emotionally to them as a person, I get the opportunity to understand where the song was coming from, who they were thinking about when they wrote it, and what kinds of music they were influenced by, which is something an average listener rarely gets to experience. And that just gives me a whole new perspective on my own life experiences that is absolutely essential and invaluable when it comes to songwriting.

NT: What's next for you? 

I've been writing a lot in the last couple of months, and demoing the best new songs both for consideration for my next album, as well as for pitching to publishers, licensing companies, etc. I would also love to go on tour in the near future as an opener for a bigger artist. I'm planning on playing several shows in the spring around LA to promote the album but details are still in the works. There’s so much I want to do, but we'll see what happens!