King Princess talks Girl Violence, Christine Baranski and being a “miserable bottom”

Words by Phebe Barnum-Bobb

King Princess is back – and they’re taking centre stage with some unapologetic Girl Violence.

Since her breakout 2018 debut single ‘1950’, KP, born Mikaela Mullaney Straus, has become one of Gen Z’s most influential voices for sapphic-leaning listeners, helping pave the way for a wave of openly yearning lesbians on main.

Bangers such as ‘Pussy is God’ and ‘Homegirl’ have firmly secured her place in the Lesbian Hall of Fame – one that’s expanded in recent years thanks to artists like Chappell Roan, Reneé Rapp and Arlo Parks.

After making her acting debut earlier this year in the second season of Prime Video’s psychological thriller Nine Perfect Strangers, KP returns with her third offering, Girl Violence – a raw, emotionally charged album that dives into destruction, uncertainty and the layered complexities of lesbian relationships. A reclamation of sound and self, it feels as vulnerable as it is powerful.

Following its release, King Princess sat down with Gay Times for a camp, chaotic and deeply queer conversation. In true dyke fashion, they talk embracing queer messiness, owning their role as the villain and proudly identifying as a miserable bottom. Oh, and there may also be a little tea about this, err, “romance” with Christine Baranski…

So, this cover is… insane?! We’re obsessed.

I mean, I've always been in drag. Since my first album, that's been a huge part of my identity as an artist. When you're in between or your identity feels fluid to the point of confusion, which mine does, the only way that I've figured out how to conquer that is by getting in full drag. And if I don't do it for a long time, I feel like the balance is off.

If I'm one thing for too long, physically, then my gender stuff feels weird. And it's almost like when I get into the full geish, it's a reset. But it also hearkens back to Cheap Queen – it's very much what this album's about, girl violence and toxic femininity.