Over the course of her career, K.Flay has made it clear that she’s not one to sit still. Constantly changing around her sound from indie rock, to rap, to art-pop and more, the 35-year-old artist has made a habit of changing things up.
Now, the singer-songwriter is kicking off a brand new era of her career with “Four Letter Words,” a rocked-out kiss-off to those who would take away from her accomplishments. The track, which comes with a a brilliantly-animated new video, serves as a teaser for K.Flay’s brand new EP Inside Voices, due out June 11 via BMG. With special guests like Travis Barker and Tom Morello joining her on the new project, K.Flay says the album is “a way for me to exorcise some demons and safely express these uncomfortable but very human emotions.”
K.Flay is even taking her show on the road — starting in early 2022, the artist is embarking on a 21-date North American tour, with shows in Los Angeles, Seattle, Boston, Denver, St. Louis and more (check out the singer’s website for more information).
With a new song out, and a forthcoming EP announced, K.Flay took Billboard’s LGBTQuestionnaire — a series of questions, fill-in-the-blanks, multiple choice answers and so forth — to help fans get to know her just a little bit better.
Multiple Choice (answers are in italics)
I look at my phone:
Rarely
Occasionally
Constantly
I’m looking at it right now
How important is social media to your music career?
Not remotely important
I do it but I don’t love it
Important, but I have mixed feelings about it
Essential and I mostly love it
Would you rather be:
At home
On the town
In nature
Asleep
Rate how strongly you agree/disagree with the following statements (answers are in italics):
2021 is going to be way better than 2020.
No way
I guess
Who can tell?
Yeah, probably
Absolutely 100%
LGBTQ representation is improving in the music industry.
No way
I guess
Who can tell?
Yeah, probably
Absolutely 100%
Coming out was easy.
Hell no.
It was complicated
It wasn’t terrible
Thankfully, yes.
Fill in the blank (answers are in bold font)
Kevin Abstract is an LGBTQ artist whose music really inspires me.
The last thing I purchased online was an ice cream scoop.
One word to describe my music is changing.
Open answer:
What inspired “Four Letter Words”?
As I say in the song — I’m usually nice. I pride myself on being a polite and friendly person. But I have moments when I just can’t take it anymore — when I want to scream and do something reckless. I wrote this song at a time when I was feeling that pent-up frustration. I think catharsis is so fundamental, and so necessary for us as humans. “Four Letter Words” was that moment of catharsis for me, and also a way to laugh at myself. because saying “f–k you” is a bit petulant, you know? In a weird way, the inspiration for the song dates all the way back to my early childhood, when I got a mushroom cut and a kid at school was teasing me. My mom told me that anytime he bothered me, I should say “go to hell” inside my head and walk away. Which happened to be great advice. Thanks mom!
What drew you towards animation for the music video?
The animation component came from wanting to create characters that embodied the themes of the EP. One character — IV — represents the Id. they are impulsive and wild. They’re the primal scream inside your head. The other character — OV — represents the superego. They are the voice of caution inside your head, anxious and introspective. I loved the idea of creating an illustrated visual world to be able to tell another set of stories alongside the music.
You covered Limp Bizkit, The Offspring & Green Day on Don’t Judge A Song By Its Cover. Which of those three bands would you be most excited to work with?
A Green Day collab would be pretty amazing.
You’re trapped on a desert island — what three albums did you bring with you?
The Battle of Los Angeles by Rage Against the Machine, Show Your Bones by Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles.
Name a Twitter/Instagram/TikTok account you’re obsessed with.
@openlygayanimals
What’s your astrological sign? Do you care about astrology?
I’m a cancer, but I don’t care too much about it. However, I love talking to people who love astrology. That’s good energy to be around, and it’s a little contagious.
What’s something that you’ve always wanted to learn how to do, but still haven’t gotten around to?
Play piano. I can play a little, but it’s super laborious and awkward. It’s something I hope to learn in the next couple of years.
What accomplishment in your career are you proudest of?
It’s insane to me that I get to write songs for a living. The music business is absolutely fucking crazy, and I guess the thing i’m most proud of is that I work with a team of people I really love and respect. At the end of the day, that feels like the biggest accomplishment of all.
Tell us two truths and a lie about yourself, but don’t tell us which is the lie.
During quarantine I started constructing my own crossword puzzles
I’m obsessed with mint chip ice cream
I’ve climbed the Sydney Harbor Bridge
