Kim Petras is making music for everyone. And if you're singing the words "I want all my close designer," or "I'm the bi*** with the sauce apparently" at one of Petras' live shows, you're just there to be "whatever you want to be."
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In conversation with Audacy’s Shira Lazar and Ryan Mitchell, on Audacy's Channel Q, Kim spoke about gearing up to unleash her forthcoming project, while also taking a look at how her music is not only about being a transgender artist.
During the downtime we all had in 2020, Petras was busy chipping away at a new album, and making music that would further her Popstar and gay icon status. She even feels that it is some of her best work yet.
Kim is releasing some of her new music very soon but at the same time the “Heart to Break” singer is also starting to get ready to shoot new music videos and perform live at Lollapalooza. As someone who loves being busy, Kim says, “I’m someone who doesn’t know how to chill… I’m so happy that I’m finally busy again. I’m totally in my element.”
Since releasing Clarity, her first full-length project in 2019, fans have been particularly antsy to receive new music from the “WOO-AH” queen herself. The artist explains that she plans to perform her music during her set at Lollapalooza, one of the first few festivals to remerge this summer as we inch closer to a post-pandemic world.
During the summer of 2020, Kim gave the bunheads a taste of something new with her single, “Malibu,” but she explains that her upcoming music is “different than ‘Malibu.’” She adds, “I think it’s definitely Pop, it’s definitely up, it’s what I love the most about music, so it’s just kind of an evolved version of the music I’ve been doing. It’s really all of them coming together, from what I’ve learned on Clarity, what I’ve learned on TURN OFF THE LIGHT, what I’ve learned on Era I, my first batch of singles… it’s kind of the perfect mix of all those elements.”
Growing up in Germany, Kim says she’s always been inspired by the more out-there dance music tracks, plus she explains that she always wanted to be a raver growing up. Her new project will be a reflection of what she was raised on and a “return” to “euro music,” as Petras puts it.
Kim says she is making the kind of music now that she was “dying to see” when she was a teenager in Germany. Digging back into old playlists during lockdown, Petras was inspired by her teenage years in Europe and tried to make an album that encapsulates the European dance music scene of her adolescence.
This month, Petras graced the cover of Glamour UK and discussed her pride for being a trans woman while also noting how her music transcends her identity. The singer firmly states that she is an artist, not just a gender.
“Music for me has always been the thing in my life that transcends gender, skin color, nationality, anything. You know, music is you either feel it or you don’t, so like there’s no other rules to music,” begins Kim.
She continues, “I don’t think it matters what gender you are or what sexuality you are, if your music speaks to people, it speaks to people.”
The “I Don’t Want It At All” songstress muses, “Why shouldn’t a straight person reality to a song written by a trans person?”
“Gender is a footnote,” feels Petras. “It’s just, do I love this song or not? So…I don’t want to be like, “I’m a trans artist making music exclusively for these kinds of people’….like no, I make music for whoever wants to listen to it.”
Grateful for the massive support she’s received from the LGBTQ+ community, Petras says what she is most proud of is becoming an artist and the music she creates. Kim’s identity is more than just being trans, that is just one component of the Popstar that she has become.
There are so many pieces that make up the Kim Petras Pop puzzle, the artist is asking fans to grow with her and recognize that her identity isn’t the alone aspect that makes her special.
Petras is resolute when she notes, “I don’t think its that big of a deal, we’re kind of just all jamming to the music and singing every word when I perform live, being free and being whatever we want to be…I think that’s so important to not let your sexuality or your gender identity limit you in any way.”
Listen to Kim Petras' full interview above.
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