- Title: Already a star, singer King Princess releases debut album
- Date: 23rd October 2019
- Summary: GLASTONBURY, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (JUNE 28, 2019) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) MUSICIAN, KING PRINCESS, ON VIOLENCE AGAINST LGBT PEOPLE, SAYING: "We have a lot of that in the U.S. It's a lot of bullshit like that and that's everywhere. I mean there's so much violence against queer people and we don't recognize it. Especially in major cities. And you can, you recognize the significance of going to places where there aren't usually queer artists touring because the fans are, like, there's a vibe like the people there need to be there. And that's really, that's really special. And you can tell that they are like... There's just so many cities in the US like that aren't New York and LA and, like, don't function, you know, with the understanding that queer people deserve respect."
- Embargoed: 6th November 2019 14:23
- Keywords: King Princess new album Prophet Cheap Queen debut album Mark Ronson
- Location: GLASTONBURY, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM / LOS ANGELES AND BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES / ANTIBES, FRANCE AND VARIOUS FILM LOCATIONS
- City: GLASTONBURY, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM / LOS ANGELES AND BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES / ANTIBES, FRANCE AND VARIOUS FILM LOCATIONS
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment,Music
- Reuters ID: LVA00CB2BGTHP
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: PLEASE NOTE: CONTAINS LANGUAGE VIEWERS MAY FIND OFFENSIVE IN SHOTS 5, 17 AND 22
Mikaela Straus, the 20-year-old singer-songwriter better known as King Princess, releases her hotly anticipated debut album "Cheap Queen" on Friday (October 25), tackling love, heartbreak and hard times from her "queer" perspective.
The buzz around Brooklyn-born Straus has been building since her first single "1950", inspired by Patricia Highsmith novel "The Price of Salt", in February 2018. The track, which has more than 10 million YouTube views, has been name checked by Harry Styles and Kourtney Kardashian.
Speaking to Reuters before taking to the stage at the Glastonbury Festival in June, Straus said she was "really, really excited" about the album. "It's going to be fierce," she said, adding that the songs had been inspired by "the usual girl heartbreak".
"Honey, heartbreak, hard times, friendships, you know, that shit, all the good shit," she said. "All the shit you need and then stir it up."
Straus said the LGBT community had played a huge part in her success so far.
"I think that a huge part and undeniable part of my success so far and the support I've had comes from the queer community. And it would just be like a crime to deny that. Like the gays fuel careers of many, you know, artists, they do. It's like gays are the are the most loyal fans," she said.
"The thing about queer people's careers in the past is that it's been focussed on a narrative of sexuality and you don't get the substance. "And I, before anything, want to deliver the music and then give you the gay shit, too, on top of it like an extra treat."
Straus was one of the first signings to Mark Ronson's Zelig Records, an imprint of Columbia Records, after the musician and producer known for working with Amy Winehouse and Adele, heard her "Make my Bed" EP.
"We had dinner and started hanging out a bit and talking about music," she said. "You get to meetings and it feels super sterile most of the time, and it was just really nice to talk with somebody who produced some of my favourite records and is just a super fan of music in general."
(Production: Hanna Rantala, Alex Fraser) - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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