Kid Sister interview – Melisa Young talks sequins, snot and Kim Kardashian
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| Chi Town's baby sis gets fresh |
Feb 08, 2010 at 08:34 |
Kid Sister (AKA Melisa Young) got our attention back in 2007 with her
playful and glittery 'Pro Nails'. Now the A-Trak-dating,
Kanye-collaborating, acrylic-sporting, all-singing, all-rapping lady
has released her long-awaited debut album. Lifelounge chatted with the
bed-ridden Kid Sis about sequins, snot, musical theatre and Kim
Kardashian.
KO: Hey Melisa. How are you? Should I call you Melisa or Kid Sister or Miss Sis?
MY: Melisa. Melisa. I'm pretty good. Actually, I’m really [sniff] really sick at the moment, but…
KO: Oh no, poor thing!
MY: I know! It sucks. But it’s OK because you don’t need to do anything crazy for phoners, all you need to do is sit on your bed and talk. So it’s not so hard.
KO: I won’t be offended if you need to stop to blow your nose or something.
MY: Oh my God, I hope not 'cause I’m going to do that a lot! [laughs]
KO: I’ll try not to keep you too long then, you probably need a nap. So, the album was a long time coming and there seemed to be a lot of tweaking, even the title changed three times. Can you talk us through all the changes a little?
MY: Well the first one [Coco B. Ware] was just, I didn’t know anything about copyright. I was just like, "Whatever! I want to call it Coco B. Ware 'cause I like it!" and then everyone’s like, "Guess what, there’s something in the world called 'the law'" [laughs] … then the second title [Dream Date] I like that title, whatever, but we couldn’t use it because we completely changed the whole sound of the album… so it didn’t make sense. Then the final title was chosen... I’ve basically written, like, three albums. Over the course of a few years a lot of things changed and we had to change them.
KO: So were you just discovering a new sounds, finding new inspirations, meeting new potential producers and stuff? Is that why it had so many re-writes?
MY: Well, it took so long because I was never planning to write a whole album until I got signed, which was a year-and-a-half ago.
KO: You weren’t signed when ‘Pro Nails’ was released?
MY: Right. It was like, am I going to write an album without a record deal? You know what I mean? So, I started writing a year-and-a-half a ago, and working on it, working on it, working on it…
KO: So basically it took a while because you're a perfectionist?
MY: Oh yeah. I think all artists are. There was no part of me that wanted to settle. You know, I had to ask my record label to let me do this and they obliged. I didn’t want to do it, I mean, not that I didn’t want to, but I wasn’t looking forward to the workload, to be honest. I was like, "Fuck, I’ve been working on this for a year…" So then a couple months go by and it’s decided that I’m going to work on another album!
KO: I heard that you promised to take everybody out for a big steak dinner when you finished your debut, did you?
MY: Oh yeah, I did that! It was for the first album… I took everyone out for a steak and it was SO GOOD. Oh my God. But it was for Dream Date, and after Dream Date I had to rewrite and rework another album so I was like, "I’m sorry you guys; I love you, but I’m not taking you out for steak twice!" [laughs] I was like "$600!?"
KO: Yeah, maybe have settle for a barbecue.
MY: Totally! A beerbecue. Only beer. [laughs]
KO: Your brother’s a musician too [J2K is one half of Flosstradamus], your childhood must have been one drenched in music and art and creativity.
MY: My parents really loved playing music: classical, marching band, classic rock, hard rock, funk, new wave, RnB, everything. I think that there was just a great musical environment. And then, of course, I’m from Chicago which is the house capital of the world – it comes on the radio, it comes out of cars, it’s on at parties… That coupled with my family upbringing really boded well. Hang on a second OK? [blows nose] I’m so sorry.
KO: Don't be sorry, I feel bad for you! Actually, it must be extra frustrating to be sick as a musician – how your sinuses get all blocked and mess with your voice and your hearing.
MY: Oh, exactly. That is exactly what’s going on. I can’t hear well, my throat hurts, everything is kind of not a hundred percent. But you know, these things happen. I’m really sensitive… but it’s also why I’m an artist, you have to be sensitive to be an artist!
KO: Now, you have a background in musical theatre, right? I’m a massive sucker for a musical.
MY: [laughs] I know they’re cheesy, but… I really love all the musicals I’ve been in. There was one called Once On This Island and it was SO FUN. It was like The Little Mermaid –
KO: Woah! Um, awesome.
MY: Yeah! I know. But with people not mermaids, but with that kind of music. I would definitely do it again.
KO: I was thinking you’d make a good Princess Jasmine.
MY: Oh my God, me or KIM KARDASHIAN who actually looks like Jasmine.
KO: You think she can sing too?
MY: I don’t know, but me and my friends always say she looks just like Jasmine! It’s so weird! She looks just like her. But anyway, I’d love to do it again one day.
KO: I was going to ask actually, your future plans – you’ve worked in film before [Young has a film degree and has worked on a few independent movies], obviously in musicals too, will you go back to that kind of thing?
MY: Yeah, I’m not trying to be a 35-year-old rapper! You know what I mean? It’s just not my… not what I want to do. But I want to enjoy it right now and keep it always changing, it’s healthy.
KO: One of the things I really enjoy about you is that you don't deny your femininity in your rhymes – you don't try to be 'one of the boys', which I think would be an easy trap to fall into since MCing is such a male-dominated area.
MY: Definitely.
KO: Do you think girls have to struggle more for attention and respect in your field?
MY: I think that you have to work harder, but I’m used to working harder because not only am I a woman, but I’m a woman of colour. So you gotta do it just as good as the boys, if not better; and you have to do it just as good as the majority, if not better. You know, that’s just the way it is. That said, I’ve always worked super hard, I’m naturally a hard worker and a perfectionist – you know, if it’s something that’s a reflection of me, I want it to be good.
KO: You kind of rejected 'if you can’t beat them, join them'. You flipped it a bit in terms of… I mean, your rhymes are often kind of playful and sweet.
MY: Yeah, it's like... Oh God, it’d be like me trying to – I don’t know – learn karate or something. I just think people should do what they do best. Just stay in your lane and do what comes naturally. Don’t try to be something that you’re not. You know, if I was a tough girl, then… I’d be a tough girl!
KO: So I saw you perform two years ago, and you were really fun. The word 'adorable' was thrown around a lot.
MY: Yay! Thanks. Oh, I’m not very adorable right now!
KO: Snotorable?
MY: [laughs] Exactly, right?
KO: So, since your visit to Australia back then... I was going to ask, are you going to tour the album?
MY: Um… yes! I’m coming to Australia… [Kid Sister then disclosed some information she’s pretty sure she wasn’t meant to yet, so watch this space.] How’s the weather in May?
KO: Cooling down, it's autumn. But hopefully there should be a little sunshine for you. Hey, you actually are really into pro-nails, right? Your nails on the cover [lead image] of your album are outrageous and amazing.
MY: Yeah, I actually got them done in Japan… these two girls worked on my nails for three hours! It’s like, every time I get them done it’s crazier than the last. Sparkly, glittery and potentially eye-damaging.
KO: Like Ultra Violet?
MY: [laughs] Yeah! Don't look directly at it.
KO: OK. Some word association if you don’t mind. Sequins?
MY: Mmm. More! [laughs]
KO: Red Bull.
MY: [laughs] I’m like – I love Red Bull so much, I really do. Um, show. Performance.
KO: Feminism.
MY: Um, well… [long pause] Feminism. Feminism needs a face-lift.
KO: Wrestling.
MY: Childhood. No no no no! Wait! My little brother.
KO: OK, I hope you get better soon, thanks for talking to me, look forward to your tour.
MY: Yay! Yes. Thank you so much.
More at myspace.com/kidsister. Ultra Violet is available now through Fool's Gold / Inertia. Stay tuned for Kid Sister's Australian tour.
Posted By: Katie Olsen
Tags: Music, Interviews, album
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