“There’s something about the lesbian experience that's incredibly fiery, dramatic, and chaotic.” She began her career as a major label artist, releasing the stunning debut single ‘1950’ just a year after signing with Zelig. This catchy guitar track, infused with queer pride (“I dislike it when guys pursue me”), became “a textbook hit,” in Mikaela’s view, amassing nearly 600 million streams on Spotify alone. She followed up with two captivating albums: the 2019 indie-R&B blend ‘Cheap Queen’ and the 2022 release ‘Hold On Baby’, before encountering obstacles with LA and the major label system. “They can no longer gatekeep,” she states. “They can’t just make a phone call and wish for it to be the top radio song. It’s all about fan engagement and artists promoting themselves.” When Mikaela met the section1 team, she noticed they were “ambitious” and aligned with her vision. “They care about commerce, but they also value art,” she mentions. “Honestly, I have more support on my indie team than I've ever had before. I have great budgets. I'm genuinely amazed!” While Mikaela was redefining her music career, she also started exploring acting. This year, fans saw her in the streaming series Nine Perfect Strangers, a mystery about wealthy individuals in paradise featuring Nicole Kidman. Next, she’s set to appear in the musical film Song Song Blue, scheduled for December, where Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson play an ordinary couple from Milwaukee who create a popular Neil Diamond tribute band. Mikaela portrays their “reserved” daughter. “She’s a calm presence in the film, which I find intriguing since it’s not at all who I am,” she explains.
She plans to continue playing against type. “I haven’t yet taken on a role as an actual gargoyle, but I’d love to,” she states. “I'd enjoy playing something outrageous or being the antagonist. I'm fascinated by the costume aspect of acting because I love dressing up.” Mikaela is not joking: she named her first album ‘Cheap Queen’ after a term for resourceful drag performers, and she sported bold, drag-inspired makeup on the cover.
Today, Mikaela radiates energy and seems to be in a fantastic place, but the press release for her new album describes her as “perennially underestimated.” Does she truly feel this way? “I do believe I’m underestimated,” she responds. “I’m not defined by a single label. I’m not a girl or a boy. I’m not strictly a pop star; I can be more like a rock star, so I exist in this gray area.” Due to her ability to defy categorization, King Princess often finds herself ahead of the trend. “There are times when I feel like I’ve created something that only becomes popular five years later,” Mikaela shares. “And that’s acceptable. It means I should trust my instincts and thoughts.”
One label she dislikes is “sapphic pop,” arguing that “lesbian is not a genre, it’s an action.” She notes that there has been progress since she first did interviews seven years ago, where she frequently faced questions like, ‘What’s it like to make art as a gay person?’ Today, she confidently dismisses such inquiries, stating, “You’d have to ask every artist, because they’re all fucking gay!” Yet she reflects thoughtfully on how she managed it back then. “I feel a hint of sadness for my 19-year-old self being asked about the entire queer community, as if I should know everyone’s experience – that’s ridiculous,” she comments. “Nevertheless, if I played a small role in broadening that conversation and making it less polarizing for artists and preventing them from facing dumb questions, then that’s great! It brings me joy.”
‘Girl Violence’ is now available through section1 / Partisan.
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