Joining us this week for an Audacy Check In, Kim Petras sits down with host Jordan Silver at CHANNEL Q to fill us in on her new single, “Alone,” with Nicki Minaj, which just dropped hours before, and more.
LISTEN NOW: Audacy Check In with Kim Petras
Petras revealed that she is a lifelong Nicki Minaj fan, as the rapper even inspired her to, “keep getting better and keep working on my art.” In fact, she revealed that she’s written lots of songs with Nicki in mind, but they never came to fruition until now. “Now that I’m signed on with Republic, it was a possibility to get songs to Nicki,” she said.
“And I’m so grateful to her, she gave me a new nickname; I’m Kim Petty now… which is an honor, a badge of honor I’m gonna be wearing for the rest of my life," she adds.
The collaboration alone guarantees it a spot in the charts, as Kim Petras went viral with Sam Smith on “Unholy” and Nicki Minaj is, well, Nicki. When asked if the song will be the next pop earworm, Petras replied, “I couldn’t get it out of my head when we made it, and the thing is, the Nicki verse added such a different layer. It’s just so fun to be turning the song up all the way and rap along with her”
The Check In also addressed the LGBTQ+ community and if Petras, as a trans woman, could give any insight and words of encouragement. In regards to her own transition, she recalled: “Everyone just told me I was crazy. It’s not a new thing, it’s been a thing that’s been around. I think the hate has kind of just escalated so hard that it’s sad to see.”
WATCH NOW: Audacy Check In with Kim Petras
“But patience is important, and I think a lot of people are becoming aware," she says. "I do think there’s a lot more awareness than there was, and a lot more people who really care than even five years ago.”
She applauded the community itself for its strength and welcoming nature, and how much it helped and continues to help her. “I needed the trans community as a kid,” she said, “just knowing that there’s people out there that feel the same way helped me as a kid. It helped me be myself sooner.”
But don’t get it twisted -- Kim Petras says she’s more than just her identity. “What’s special about me is that I make really good pop music.”
Don't miss our full Audacy Check In with Kim Petras above, and her new single with Nicki Minaj, “Alone,” and stay tuned for more conversations with your favorite artists on Audacy.com/Live.
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