Interview with Kim Petras

No one can talk about pop in 2019 without mentioning Kim Petras. She doesn’t just release bop after bop, but she also changed the way artists release music, strategize and promote their records! As an independent singer, Kim Petras is not afraid to show she’s different and put out music whenever she wants to. Kim is definitely one of the fastest rising stars in pop music and it’s time for you to meet her.

On The Move: Hi Kim! Your first proper body of work called “Clarity” came out in June. Congrats! To what extent this body of work is different from your previous releases?

Kim Petras: Hi On The Move! Completely different in the way that before “Clarity”, before I felt like I was a super hero version of myself and I was making up the kind of life I wanted to live. Over glamorized everything in a way that I love and I still do. “Clarity” had the intension of stripping it back and making it relatable and if my fans are going through something and the they can listen to the songs and relate. I went through heartbreak in the beginning of it and kind of this record was my way of dealing with it and kind of fighting out of it and finding clarity in the way of “I’m ok by myself ” and I can do what I want and I’m living my dream and working on my destiny and my past. It’s very meaningful to me but yes it’s a departure from my previous sound with singles like I don’t want it at all, heart to break or all those super bubble gum pop songs.

On The Move: “Clarity” seems to trace the rollercoaster of moods and emotions that we can go through post break-up. Which song - and then which mood - do you feel closer with these days? Can you describe the track itself?

Kim Petras: I really still love the title track “Clarity”. I know it sounds super cocky to listen to your own songs but I listen to that one all the time. It pumps me up and makes me feel good about myself. I mean I make music I want to hear and, I don’t know, that one is just so fun! It makes me feel like I can go out and do anything I want to do and achieve anything I want to achieve. It definitely does that for me and I hope it does that for my fans!

On The Move: You stated that « Clarity » is not exactly your debut album but more of a project of 12 songs that you needed to get out there. Is that true? What do you feel like is missing somehow for it to be your proper debut record?

Kim Petras: I don’ t think anything is missing. I think it is what it is. I’m dropping as many songs as I can. I’m an independent artist and I have an unique release strategy and I love doing it uniquely. I’m kind of just doing whatever I can to drop as many songs as I can and get them out there. I’m just working up to the pinnacle of everything to drop my debut album. I don’t think anything is missing, I just think it’s a great project the way it is and it doesn’t really need an explanation. I don’t really care what I call it as long as I can put out as much music as possible.

On The Move: You said that you wrote close to 50 songs for “Clarity” before narrowing it down to 12. Is there any of those songs that you’re keeping for future releases? If so, can you talk about one and why it didn’t make it to “Clarity”?

Kim Petras: I think good ideas never die. I think parts of it are going to find their way into my music and I feel like I always often come back to things and take from them to be honest. But I’m really ready to do the next chapter and find the new inspiration and I’m definitely getting there and finding it. But there’s a few songs that I really think are still amazing and that I eventually want to get to. Recently a new inspiration struck and I gotta go follow that and write new stuff. I’m excited to work on the next chapter. I’m always 500 steps ahead over these strategies or whenever an album comes out, I’m like «ok what’s next?».

On The Move: You said that you’ve always been really obsessed with how to make pop songs. You studied hard the lyrics and the structures of them. What are the ingredients to a great pop song according to you?

Kim Petras: According to me, I think a great pop song is something that people can relate to. Something that sparks people to feel something in any type of way, sometimes it’s something that shifts cultures, sometimes it’s something that can be really relevant in culture. I think it can be all kinds of things and all kinds of sounds and a good song is a good song. I don’t think I’ll ever put my finger on it but I know when a song is great and relatable and makes me feel something. I think that’s a core of any good song.

On The Move: You always name Kylie Minogue, Madonna, Cher, Britney Spears, Beyonce, Rihanna, Gwen Stefani as some of your major inspirations. Is there any new artist that particularly inspires you?

Kim Petras: LIZZO! I love Lizzo!! I adore her, I met her a few years ago for the first time and immediately loved her. I think she’s incredible and I think she’s breaking a lot of rules and boundaries. I definitely bump her music all the time. I love her!!

On The Move: What pushed you to create your own label ?

Kim Petras: My reasoning, I don’t have anything against labels. I just don’t think I found the right one for me. I’m very particular about my vision and I have a clear image in my head on how I want things. I feel like I gotta do things my own way and I think that’s what made me create my own label.

On The Move: Your whole career took off in America but you’re coming from Germany. Do you feel like your European background shaped you in any way differently that it could have been if you were from the US?

Kim Petras: Absolutely! I think having a different view on things is always interesting. I came here with a completely different perspective since I didn’t grow up here and I feel like I had glamorized America a lot and I think if you’re from anywhere, I think that influences your whole entire life and who you are. So I think it’s very in me that I’m from somewhere else, I think being an immigrant anywhere is a very humbling and interesting experience and teaches you all kinds of things about yourself. I feel like it was both helpful and harder that I’m not from there. I always saw LA as the pop school. I came out here as a songwriter with like no money and slept on studio couches and hustled really hard. I think I worked my way and it’s amazing that that’s possible in America. I think it’s just definitely different.

On The Move: You’re a part of the transgender community. You performed for years in LGBTQ+ bars and clubs. What did you learn artistically from this world and culture?

Kim Petras: Everything. I’m part of the LGBTQ+ community so I feel like I was born and raised in a gay club. Especially with my first singles, I feel like all I wanted to do was write gay club classics. It’s where I go out, it’s most of our culture that me and my friends are from. I love it. I think I’ve had amazing time performing in gay clubs and straight clubs or any club. I mean I’ve learned my craft as a performer, performing in clubs where people didn’t know me and people who I had to convince to like my music and see that I’m talented. I think the whole experience taught me everything I know.

Kim Petras: I don’t really like to pick but recently its been “Icy” because I just put that in my set since my European run that I just finished. But on the next tour I’m going to have a new record named “Turn off the Light Vol 2” which I’m excited about. I can’t wait to perform all of those songs and a bunch of “Clarity” that I haven’t gotten to perform yet.

On The Move: What is one of your best memories on stage?

Kim Petras: I did this festival in Brooklyn about a year ago and it started raining and everybody stayed in the rain I sang my song “Can’t Do Better”. It was one the most epic rock and roll moments I’ve ever had, it was thousands of people and that were all screaming the lyrics in the rain, that was so magical!! I’m having magical moments on stage like every night on tour. My fans are really inspiring and really touching. I’m having the time of my life.

On The Move: What would you say to your younger self, the girl sleeping on a futon and knocking on producers’ doors a few years ago?

Kim Petras: I would say keep sleeping on that futon and keep knocking on them doors! Because it eventually got me somewhere. I definitely at some points thought about giving up, everybody does at some point feel that way. I’m glad I didn’t and that’s it. I feel like I would probably just leave like everything alone because I’m really happy where my path has gotten me and all the lessons I’ve learned along the way. I’m really glad it didn’t happen overnight but that it was over 10 years of hard work every single day to get here. Makes me appreciate everything and feel blessed for what I have. I do really feel blessed and I’m from very humble beginnings. I just always want to stay that humble person.

INTERVIEW BY Coraline Blaise & Pam Charbit | PHOTOS: Byron Spencer