Kim Petras (/ˈpɛtrəs/,German:[ˈpeːtʁas]; born 27 August 1992) is a German singer and songwriter based inLos Angeles. Between 2016 and 2020, she released music as an independent artist under her own imprint, BunHead Records, before signing with Amigo andRepublic Records in 2021.[2]
Petras began recording music as a teenager. Prior to releasing a full-length project, she independently released various singles from 2017 to 2019, including "I Don't Want It at All", "Heart to Break" and "1, 2, 3 Dayz Up", and has coined this series of singles as "Era 1". Several of these singles charted onBillboard'sDance/Electronic Songs chart. In 2019, Petras independently released her first two full-length projects,Clarity andTurn Off the Light.
Petras was born inBonn,North Rhine-Westphalia.[7] Her mother is a dancer and her father is an architect.[8] The first song Petras wrote was "about this dude in second grade who didn't like me back".[9] In 2006, Petras, then aged 13, appeared on a German television current-affairs show in which she discussed her medicalgender transition. At age 14, she appeared in adocumentary and atalk show,[10][11] in a push to get permission for earlysex reassignment surgery at age 16, before the minimum age of 18 in Germany. These appearances resulted in international media coverage of her transition, touting her as the "world's youngest transsexual".[12]
In September 2007, Petras was a model for a German chain of hair salons.[13] She was evaluated by the head of the psychiatric unit at Frankfurt Hospital, Bernd Meyenburg, and approved forgender-affirming surgery at 16 years old.[14] In November 2008, Petras announced that the surgery was completed.[15]The Daily Telegraph claimed that Petras was the youngest person in the world to have had that surgery at the time.[16] Petras toldThe Telegraph a few months after the procedure: "I was asked if I feel like a woman now – but the truth is I have always felt like a woman – I just ended up in the wrong body."[16] Petras learned English by watching videos ofBritney Spears.[17]
Career
2008–2015: Career beginnings
At 19 years old, Petras moved to Los Angeles, living in the garage of a producer inRedondo Beach.[18]
In 2013, Petras was featured on two singles named "Flight to Paris" and "Heartbeat" by German DJ Klaas. Throughout the next few years, Petras worked with producers includingThe Stereotypes, C.J. Abraham, Stephen Dresser, Johan "Jones" Wetterberg, Edward Ellis, and Aaron Joseph on a music career, releasingdemos on herSoundCloud page, including one titled "STFU".[19] For her contributions tosocial media, Petras was ranked at number 19 onBillboard's Artist Chart, listing developing artists, in July 2013.[20]
2017–2019: Breakthrough with "Era 1"
In August 2017, Petras released her debut single "I Don't Want It at All",[21] The song went on to reach theSpotify Global Viral chart.[22] The accompanying music video for the song premiered in October onVevo, and features a cameo appearance byParis Hilton.[23] In the same month, she was picked by Spotify to be one of the four artists named as a RISE Artist, a "program designed to identify and break the next wave of music superstars."[24] During the end of 2017, Petras was dubbed "most likely to dominate the pop charts" byPaper magazine,[25] and appeared onCharli XCX's mixtapePop 2 (2017) for the track "Unlock It" alongsideJay Park.
In January 2018, the Nicholas Harwood-directed video for Petras's single "Faded", which featuresLil Aaron, premiered onNoisey,[26] That same month, she appeared in the January issue ofGalore.[27] Petras released the breakup-inspired "Heart to Break" in February, to commemorateValentine's Day.[28] The song was given its radio debut onBBC Radio 1 on 19 February. Bryan Kress ofBillboard noted how while the single is "still keeping Petras's upbeat, unabashed pop sound... [it] ventures into new territory for the songwriter."[28]
On 1 October 2018, Petras releasedTurn Off the Light, Vol. 1, aHalloween-themed extended play. The project was seen as a departure from Petras's typical sound, and features a guest appearance from the horror hostess characterElvira.[29] Afterwards, Petras announced plans to release a single a month as a lead up to her debut album.[27] She was featured onCheat Codes' song "Feeling of Falling" in November 2018.[30] Petras has been credited with composing the song "Young & Wild" onTwice's 6th EP,Yes or Yes.[31]
In February 2019, Petras released three singles titled "1, 2, 3 Dayz Up" featuringSophie, "If U Think About Me...", and "Homework" featuring Lil Aaron.[32] Petras has not publicly expressed plans to release an album with these eleven "neon head" digital singles from late 2017 until early 2019, but has referred to this release period as "Era 1".[33]In March 2019, Petras appeared as a headline act at theSydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, noted as one of the world's largest pride festivals, which has been headlined by other notable acts includingKylie Minogue,Cher,Dua Lipa,Kesha,Sam Smith,The Veronicas[34] andGeorge Michael.[35][36]
Throughout May and June 2019, Petras released one song a week as a lead-up to her debut mixtapeClarity's release.[37] In June, Petras embarked on the 24 date "Broken Tour" across North America and Europe.[38] Petras was featured on the covers ofGalore andNotion magazines that same month.Clarity was preceded by promotional singles including "All I Do Is Cry" and "Sweet Spot", and was accompanied by the lead single, "Icy", on its release date of 28 June 2019.
In August, Petras announced that there would be a limited edition vinyl pressing ofTurn Off the Light, Vol. 1 throughUrban Outfitters. Petras has announced thatTurn Off the Light, Vol. 2 will be released exactly a year after the first part. On 1 October 2019, Petras's second mixtapeTurn Off the Light was released. The album features all of the songs fromVol. 1 as well as nine new tracks, with a bonus track added a year later.[39] On 11 February 2020, she released the single "Reminds Me". That same month, she announced that she would be the supporting act on the European leg ofCamila Cabello'sThe Romance Tour,[40] which was cancelled due to thecoronavirus pandemic.
On 7 May, Petras released the single "Malibu". The song was promoted by a performance onJimmy Kimmel Live! and charted in the United Kingdom. Petras was later featured on the song "Broken Glass" byKygo, from his albumGolden Hour, released 29 May.[41] She also released a new song "Party Till I Die", which was included on the 2020 reissue ofTurn Off the Light. Petras's song "Reminds Me" was sampled bythe Kid Laroi for his song "Reminds Me of You", a collaboration withJuice Wrld released on the first anniversary of his death.[42]
2020–2022:Problématique andSlut Pop
On 6 November 2020, Petras was featured onK/DA's EPAll Out, appearing on the song "Villain" alongsideMadison Beer, which charted in New Zealand and on the US World Songs chart. In 2021, Petras was featured on remixes of several songs made popular onTikTok, including "Jenny" withStudio Killers, and "SugarCrash!" byElyOtto andCurtis Waters.[43] Additionally, her 2017 song "Unlock It" withCharli XCX and Jay Park went viral on the app.[44] Petras additionally announcedTurn Off the Light, Vol. 3 would be released sometime in 2021,[45] although this plan did not come to fruition.
In August 2021, Petras signed toRepublic Records and released "Future Starts Now" as the lead single from her major-label debut studio album,Problématique.[2] Petras performed the song at the2021 MTV Video Music Awards pre-show on 12 September 2021,[46] as the first out trans artist to perform at theVMAs.[47] In November 2021, she performed two more songs from the forthcoming album — "Coconuts" and "Hit It from the Back"[47][48] — when she appeared at the2021 MTV Europe Music Awards, becoming the first out trans artist to perform at theEMAs,[47][48] a show that MTV had deliberately hosted inBudapest, as "an opportunity to stand in solidarity"[49] in protest against theHungarian anti-LGBT law;[48] likewise Petras's performance was intentionally raunchy and "sex positive"[47] and spoke out to say "It's going to be pretty powerful to be in Hungary and perform the show when these laws have just happened".[50] Petras also performed at the 2021Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, becoming the first out trans performer to do so.[47] She was featured in the 2021 holiday filmThe Bitch Who Stole Christmas.[51] On 3 December 2021, after overwhelming fan response on TikTok, Petras released "Coconuts", doing so around a month earlier than scheduled.
On 10 February 2022, after teasing some of the songs on TikTok, Petras announced a surprise EP titledSlut Pop,[52] which was released the following day.
On 30 July 2022, Petras seemingly confirmed via Twitter thatProblématique (2022) had been scrapped.[55] On 2 August 2022, many songs believed to be on the album leaked online. Petras responded to these leaks on Twitter, saying "It's ok if u wanna listen to the leaks ... I'm not getting to put out any music anyways I'm fucked."[56]
2022–present: "Unholy" andFeed the Beast
On 22 September 2022, Petras released the song "Unholy", a collaboration with Sam Smith. The track went viral on TikTok and hit number one in various countries upon release, including Australia, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand.[57][58][59] It was also her first career entry on the U.S.Billboard Hot 100, eventually topping the chart in October 2022.[60] This made Petras the first openly transgender woman in history to have a number-one song on the chart, and Smith the first openly non-binary person to do so.[4][61][62]
On 5 February 2023, Petras and Smith won theGrammy Award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for "Unholy". This made Petras the first openly transgender artist to win a major-category Grammy, and Smith the first non-binary artist to win a Grammy.[4][5] During her acceptance speech, Petras thanked her mother, who she said "believed me, that I was a girl, and I wouldn't be here without her and her support". She also thanked musiciansMadonna andSophie.[4][63]
Sparked by the massive commercial success of "Unholy", Petras released the singles "If Jesus Was a Rockstar" in November 2022 and "Brrr" in January 2023, both of which failed to live up to the success of their predecessor. On 17 February 2023, she stated that an album that she had been working on "for three years" was ready to be released the next summer, sharing her excitement for people to hear the songs.[64] On 21 April, she released "Alone" with rapperNicki Minaj. The song proved more successful, having charted in five countries. On 15 May, Petras announced her debut studio albumFeed the Beast on her social media[65] and "Alone" was officially announced as the lead single of the album.[66][67] Previously released songs "Coconuts" and "Brrr" were also included on the album. In anticipation of the album, the news was celebrated as part of a live performance onNBC's Citi Concert series.[68] She embarked on theFeed the Beast World Tour in support of the album.[69][70]
Petras was scheduled to make the theme song ofUEFA Euro 2024 withOneRepublic andMeduza, but on 20 March 2024, it was announced that Petras would not participate anymore due "unforeseen scheduling issues". She was replaced by German singerLeony.[73]
On her songwriting, Petras toldNoisey that "there's something about making a song that everybody can sing and remember, and when you listen to it the first time you already know the words by the second chorus, like you've always known the song. I'm obsessed with that idea."[76] She commented on themes, stating "I write about boys, heartbreak, sex, having fun and the things that I go through."[27]
Following the release of her debut mixtapeClarity (2019), many reviewers praised the record but criticized her involvement withDr. Luke, whohad been accused of sexually and verbally assaulting Kesha in 2015.[86][87] The same controversy was reignited in 2022 with the release of her EPSlut Pop, also produced by Dr. Luke. After the release of the EP, "#FreeKesha" trended on Twitter and Petras faced further backlash over lyrics in the EP referencing Lady Gaga, a supporter of Kesha and a survivor of sexual assault herself.[88]
Petras has spoken several times about her experience with transphobia, both in her personal life and in her career, stating that many record labels turned her down over her being transgender and tried to get other labels to do the same.[89][90]
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