Finger On The Buzzer Q&A - King Isis: "I fantasised in the past about signing to Dirty Hit"

Where are you now and what are you doing?
In LA, eating lion’s mane tacos.

First record to send a shiver up your spine?
It was probably an Erykah Badu song, something off of Mama’s Gun. But the more recent memory is ‘The Lung’ by Hiatus Kaiyote.

First gig you attended?
Alicia Keys in her Songs In A Minor or Diary Of Alicia Keys era.

Alicia Keys.

First gig you played?
The first solo gig was in the winter in NYC, on this tiny stage in the basement of a music store on the LES.

Most memorable gig?
The first solo gig in the basement is probably one of the most memorable, because it was the first time sharing songs I wrote that were really personal to me with a bunch of strangers.

What has been the most ‘pinch me’ moment of your career so far?
Sending my music to a long-time favourite music blog, Pigeons & Planes, and having them 1) listen and 2) actually like it. And then having them fuck with it enough to sign me, along with a label I had fantasised in the past about being signed to.

Most embarrassing thing you’ve done either drunk or sober?
I was probably too fucked to remember the most embarrassing thing, but I know one time I woke up to two incredibly swollen feet. To this day, I still don’t know how that occurred, but I’m sure it was pretty embarrassing.

What shite jobs have you had in the past?
Telemarketing for my obnoxiously wealthy uni, and nannying kids who asked me how poor I was on the Upper West Side in NYC.

Last record you bought, borrowed, or blagged?
Trouble The Water by Show Me The Body.

Who’d be in your dream band line-up?
King Krule, Mitski, Paris Texas, Nilufer Yanya and me.

Sexiest musician on the planet?
Julie London has the sultriest voice. Making music makes people 10 times sexier, though, so there’s a couple of people on that list.

• King Isis’ debut EP, Scales, is out now via Dirty Hit Records.

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