Introduce yourself to k.flay. She’s an artist out of San Francisco, and originally from Illinois, with a sound that is uniquely her own. While receiving her dual psychology and sociology degrees from Stanford University, k.flay found her music talent through a dare and started creating beats, singing, rapping and playing guitar. This hip hop artist, who can hold her own during Warp Tour and among the heavy hitters in the indie rock genre, has lyrics that make you think and laugh, and beats that make you move. Scroll down to read my interview with her and make sure to get to The Echo on Friday night for her show. Tickets here.
I understand that you were part of your first Warped Tour. What was the best part of being part of Warped Tour?
i was! i think for me, the best part was twofold. from a performance standpoint, it’s this amazing bootcamp. your set time is different each day — you wake up ready to potentially play at 11AM, which is psychologically kind of a trip, but ended up making me so much stronger as a performer. from a social/experiential standpoint, it’s pretty unparalleled. definitely one of the best summers ever.
What does it feel like to get up on stage in front of thousands of people?
it’s scary. i only get nervous before two kinds of shows — the ones with 10 people & the ones with 1000 people.
I saw you on tour with Icona Pop and listen to your “All Night” remix. Are there other artists you would like to collaborate with?
there are so many. right now i’m obsessed with the acid. so, them.
Before you started rapping and making music, was music a big part of your life? Were there other artists you looked up to?
music was definitely a part of my life, but it wasn’t the epicenter. which is crazy to think now. growing up, i loved the talking heads, outkast, red hot chili peppers, the beatles.
I first came across your music after a horrible break up and “Messin with my Head” was my anthem. Do you find that a lot of women relate to your music?
first of all, sorry about the breakup. breakups are terrible in a visceral sense but sort of great in a narrative one. i do find that women relate to the music in a very particular kind of way. i mean, i am a woman. & i think a lot of my content has been informed by my experience as a woman in my 20s, making a variety of good & bad decisions in a variety of good & bad places.
Your songs are very honest and real. Do you have one particular song that you relate to the most?
right now it’s ‘wishing it was you’. sad emoji.
Your first full length album, “Life as a Dog” was independently produced and number 14 on the Rap Albums chart. Does it make it that much sweeter knowing you produced it and had help from your fans?
the whole record release has been a totally humbling & inspiring thing. knowing that we did it independently really does make it that much sweeter.
Congrats on your success! Is there anything else you would like your fans and soon-to-be-fans to know about you or “Life as a Dog”?
thank you. um. maybe that i am not responsible enough to own a dog.
