King Princess

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

King Princess
King Princess performing on tour in 2018
Born
Mikaela Mullaney Straus

(1998-12-19) December 19, 1998 (age 25)
New York City, U.S.
Occupations
  • Singer
  • musician
  • songwriter
Years active2015–present
Partner
  • Quinn Whitney Wilson (2019–2023)
Relatives
Musical career
Genres
Instrument(s)
  • Vocals
  • guitar
  • bass
  • synthesizers
  • keyboards
  • drums
LabelsZelig Recordings
Websitekingprincessmusic.com

Mikaela Mullaney Straus[1][2] (born December 19, 1998), known by their stage name King Princess, is an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist one-hit wonder from Brooklyn, New York. They are signed to Mark Ronson's label Zelig Records, an imprint of Columbia Records.[3] In February 2018, King Princess released their debut single "1950", from her debut extended play (EP) Make My Bed, released later that year. The song was a commercial success, charting in multiple territories, and was later certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[4] Their second single, "Talia", was certified gold in Australia by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). King Princess released her debut studio album Cheap Queen in 2019 to widespread critical acclaim.

Early life

Straus was born and raised in the New York City borough of Brooklyn; she is the child of recording engineer Oliver H. Straus Jr. and Agnes "Aggie" Mullaney. Her parents divorced when she was young. On her mother's side, she is of Irish, Italian, and Polish descent. On her father's side, her great-great-grandparents include Isidor Straus, a U.S. Congressman and co-owner of Macy's, and Ida Straus; she was descended from German Jewish families, who emigrated to the United States from the Kingdom of Bavaria and Rhineland-Palatinate. The couple died in the sinking of the British passenger liner Titanic.[5][6][7] However, Straus stated in a Rolling Stone interview that she is not an heiress and did not inherit any fortune.[8]

Straus spent much of her childhood following her father to work at his recording studio, Mission Sound. There, she learned several instruments, including bass, guitar, piano, and drums, as well as music-production techniques and insight into the music industry. Straus' inspiration in those years had come from the rock music of the bands Led Zeppelin and T. Rex, as well as Jack White.[9] In 2012, she received a scholarship to attend Avenues: The World School, a private school in Manhattan, after submitting a CD of songs she had written.[10][11][12]

After high school, Straus moved to Los Angeles to study at the USC Thornton School of Music. However, after a year, she dropped out in favor of her music career.[9]

Career

King Princess performing at Royale in Boston, Massachusetts, 2018

A record label offered to sign Straus at the age of 11, but she refused to do so because of her experience watching other artists work with a music label in her father's studio. The labels would control the artists' products and change the feel of the music. She did not want to sign with a record label until she had a definition of her music, how she wanted to run the production, and with whom she would work.[13]

In February 2018, King Princess released the debut single, "1950".[3][14] The song is a tribute to the romance novel The Price of Salt (1952) by Patricia Highsmith, to the LGBT community and to queer love. The song reached a wide audience when English singer and songwriter Harry Styles tweeted a lyric from the song.[9] Straus followed this with a second single, "Talia", in April.[15] She released her debut extended play, Make My Bed, on June 15, 2018.[16] Later that year, she earned Breakout Pop Artist of the Year honors from Vivid Seats.[17]

In 2019, it was announced that King Princess would perform at Lollapalooza[18] and Coachella.[19] She played The Park stage at the 2019 Glastonbury Festival and was joined by Mark Ronson (dressed as King Princess) for a performance of her collaboration "Pieces of Us" from his 2019 studio album Late Night Feelings.[20] Zelig Recordings released King Princess' debut studio album Cheap Queen on October 25, 2019.[21] She produced much of the album itself, including programming many of the instruments.[22] In November 2019, King Princess was revealed to be the opening act for the European leg of Harry Styles' planned 2020 concert tour, Love On Tour.[23] King Princess performed as the musical guest on Saturday Night Live (Season 45, Episode 7) on November 23, 2019.[24] It released a deluxe edition of Cheap Queen on February 14, 2020. The release included five previously unreleased new songs, including "Ohio".[25]

In October 2020, King Princess released a new single, "Only Time Makes It Human", followed by "PAIN" in November. In a November 2020 interview with Zane Lowe, she confirmed that she was working on her second album with Mark Ronson.[26]

In 2022, King Princess joined Kacey Musgraves on her Star-Crossed: Unveiled tour as an opening act. She also opened for Shawn Mendes' Wonder: The World Tour and opened for the Red Hot Chili Peppers. King Princess was also a judge on the Netflix game show style cooking competition television series Is It Cake?

From July through October 2022, King Princess embarked on her Hold On Baby North American tour with openers Dora Jar and St. Panther.[27] She also featured guests, such as Julian Casablancas at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, where they covered "You Only Live Once."[28]

Personal life

Straus is a lesbian and genderqueer.[29][30][31][32][33] From early 2018 to late 2018, she dated actress Amandla Stenberg. In early 2019, Straus began a relationship with Quinn Whitney Wilson, the creative director of rapper and singer Lizzo. However, they broke up at the end of 2023. [34]

Regarding her gender identity, she has said in an interview with W magazine, "I like being a woman sometimes. I would say 49 percent of the time I love my titties. But I'm not fully a woman. I'm somebody who falls center on the gender spectrum, and it changes from day to day. It's just not in me to decide."[35] In 2023 Straus posted "I'm tired of pretending I am normal. I am non-binary!!!" on Instagram, and has also made a number of other posts about gender.[36] Regarding pronouns, King Princess stated to Rolling Stone in 2022 that she "never felt offended [by] the pronoun situation... He. She. It. They. Xenu."[37]

Discography

King Princess discography
Studio albums2
EPs2
Singles15
Promotional singles5

Studio albums

Title Details Peak chart positions
US
Current

[38]
US
Heat

[39]
US
Alt

[40]
AUS
[41]
UK
Physical

[42]
Cheap Queen 88 8 18 41 86
Hold On Baby
  • Released: July 29, 2022[43]
  • Label: Zelig
  • Formats: CD, digital download, streaming, vinyl

Extended plays

Title EP details Peak chart positions
NZ
Heat.

[44]
Make My Bed
  • Released: June 15, 2018[16]
  • Label: Zelig
  • Format: Digital download, streaming
1
Up Next Live from Apple Williamsburg
  • Released: August 5, 2019[45]
  • Label: Zelig
  • Format: Digital download, streaming
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart.

Singles

As lead artist

Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album
US
Alt.
Airplay

[46]
AUS
[47]
AUT
[48]
BEL
(FL)

[49]
CAN
[50]
NLD
[51]
NZ
Hot

[52]
SWE
[53]
SWI
[54]
"1950" 2017 17 25 75 48 82 83 87 94 Make My Bed
"Talia" 2018
"Pussy Is God"[60] 17 Non-album single
"Cheap Queen"[61] 2019 98 17 Cheap Queen
"Prophet"[62] 17
"Ain't Together"[63]
"Hit the Back"[64]
"Ohio"[65] 2020
"Only Time Makes It Human"[66] 33 Non-album singles
"Pain"[67]
"House Burn Down" 2021
"Little Bother"
(with Fousheé)
2022 Hold On Baby
"For My Friends"
"Too Bad"
"Cursed"
"Change the Locks"
"Let Us Die"
"The Bend"[68] 2023 NME x Bose's C32
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

As featured artist

Title Year Peak chart position Album
NZ
Hot

[69]
"Pieces of Us"[70]
(Mark Ronson featuring King Princess)
2019 24 Late Night Feelings

Promotional singles

List of singles, showing year released and album name
Title Year Album
"Femme Fatale" (RISE Recording) 2018 Non-album singles
"I Know" (RISE Recording)
(featuring Fiona Apple)
2019
"Happy Together"
(with Mark Ronson)
"Monster"[71] 2020 Adventure Time: Distant Lands – Obsidian (Original Soundtrack) [Deluxe Edition]
"There She Goes Again" 2021 I 'll Be Your Mirror: A Tribute to the Velvet Underground & Nico

Music videos

Title Year Director
"1950"[72] 2018 Clare Gillen
"Talia"[73]
"Make My Bed"[74] Mikey Alfred
"Holy"[75] Clare Gillen and Scott Ross
"Upper West Side"[76] Clare Gillen
"Pussy Is God"[77]
"Cheap Queen"[78] 2019 Symone Ridgell
"Prophet"[79] Cody Critcheloe
"Hit the Back" (dance video)[80] Henry Metcalf and Mikaela Straus
"Hit the Back" (live performance)[81] Josh Goleman
"If You Thing It's Love" (live performance)[82]
"Homegirl" (live)[83] Blythe Thomas and Grams
"Ohio"[84] 2020 Cody Critcheloe
"Only Time Makes It Human"[85] Quinn Wilson
"Pain"[86]
"Little Bother" (live performance)[87] 2022 Terrence O'Connor
"For My Friends"[88] Nick Harwood
"Too Bad" / "Cursed"[89] Quinn Wilson
"Let Us Die"[90]

Guest appearances

Title Year Other artists Album
"Run Me Through" (King Princess Remix)[91] 2018 Perfume Genius Reshaped EP
"Fell in Love with a Girl"[92] 2019 Triple J Like a Version 15

Awards and nominations

In June 2020, in honor of the 50th anniversary of the first LGBTQ pride parade, Queerty named her among the fifty heroes "leading the nation toward equality, acceptance, and dignity for all people".[93][94]

Year Organization Award Work Result
2018 BBC Sound of 2019 Itself Second[95]
DIY Class of 2019 Included[96]
2019 Rolling Stone Germany's
International Music Award
Beginner Pending[97]
2020 GLAAD Media Award Outstanding Music Artist Cheap Queen Nominated[98]

References

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  2. ^ "Your query : Creator's Name begins with STRAUS MIKAELA on any territories (Domestic works)". ISWC. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
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  4. ^ "Gold & Platinum". RIAA. Retrieved December 7, 2020.
  5. ^ Straus, Isidor (2011). Autobiography of Isidor Straus. Smithtown, NY: The Straus Historical Society. pp. 168–176.
  6. ^ Newstead, Al (October 19, 2018). "King Princess on reappropriating White Stripes and her "extra as hell" family history". triple j. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  7. ^ Wood, Mikael (October 30, 2019). "Genderqueer pop sensation King Princess: 'The tea is we've always been the tea'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 21, 2020.
  8. ^ Martoccio, Angie (October 31, 2019). "King Princess on her Drag Persona and Titanic Lineage". Rolling Stone. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
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  62. ^ @KingPrincess69 (July 15, 2019). "Prophet is out on Friday my loves ;)" (Tweet). Retrieved July 16, 2019 – via Twitter.
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  75. ^ "King Princess – Holy (Official Video)". YouTube. Retrieved August 11, 2022.
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  82. ^ "King Princess – If You Think It's Love (live performance)". YouTube. Retrieved August 11, 2022.
  83. ^ "King Princess – Homegirl (live)". YouTube. Retrieved August 11, 2022.
  84. ^ "King Princess – Ohio (Official Video)". YouTube. Retrieved August 11, 2022.
  85. ^ "King Princess – Only Time Makes It Human (Official Video)". YouTube. Retrieved August 11, 2022.
  86. ^ "King Princess – Pain (Official Video)". YouTube. Retrieved August 11, 2022.
  87. ^ "King Princess – Little Bother (Live Performance)". YouTube. Retrieved August 11, 2022.
  88. ^ "King Princess – For My Friends (Official Video)". YouTube. Retrieved August 11, 2022.
  89. ^ "King Princess – Too Bad / Cursed (Official Video)". YouTube. Retrieved August 11, 2022.
  90. ^ "King Princess – Let Us Die (Official Video)". YouTube. Retrieved August 11, 2022.
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External links