King Isis releases their debut EP, scales, exploring their journey with self-exploration and affirmation. The six track EP fuses R&B and rock with jazz and blues, showcasing their punchy vocals and soothing vibrato. With their solo track, “I’m fine, thx 4 asking,” King Isis finds an energetic and vivacious chorus that pushes the agenda that– it can take some time to move past a situation and release the pain you are experiencing. Read more from King Isis on the meaning of the song below:

“‘I’m fine thx 4 asking’ comes from moments of self-doubt and self-destruction, traversing through a place of hopelessness to hopefulness. This slump is expressed through the verses, like a cloud of dissociation, but then you’re slapped in the face with a punchy chorus that represents a breakthrough moment of clarity and realization. So now you’re kinda like wait — I think I can get through this — I know it’s gonna take a lot of work, but I swear I can do this. It is the moment of realizing that you have the agency to let go of your demons and work with your shadows, not against them.”

Take a look at the interview we did for the release of Isis’s ep:

Laura:

I noticed on your Instagram the amount of photos with skateboards. Did you start skateboarding when you were young? Do you still do it as a hobby? Are there specific places you enjoy skateboarding? Are there any other hobbies you enjoy doing?

Isis:

The very first time I skateboarded was in middle school. After trying to go to the park a couple times, I got discouraged off the board. It was a very male-dominated space, and my little 12-year-old self was not having it. I started rollerskating more and didn’t start back on the board until I was in college, when I was around other non-cis-men who were also kinda learning to skate too. Some things feel better with community. I’m learning to sew right now, but I love being outside and seeing waterfalls, aha.

Laura:

Growing up with a musical family, was there a pressure to be in music? What inspired you to start releasing music? 

Isis:

I’ve always felt an affinity for songwriting and writing. There wasn’t a pressure from family, like my mom did kinda get us all to be in music, but nothing was forced because it was something I actually loved doing. I used to be incredibly shy—and still am shy sometimes—but had an urge to share my songs with people, like these songs and my writing have always been my deepest passions.

After sharing some songs and getting a push, like hearing people say, “Hey, I like your songs” and “You should play them here,” I got over that initial fear and started sharing songs at open mics in NYC and on SoundCloud  Those were rough, but if I didn’t do that, I probably would’ve never had the confidence to release this project. 

Laura:

I can tell fashion plays a part in your musical persona. How do you decide what to wear for specific shoots and music videos? Tell me about your “punk rock fairy exxe grrl” aesthetic.

Isis:

I love clothes. I love expressing myself through different looks. I feel like the outfits I wear express my mood through the days, embodying certain aspects of my personality. I feel like everything I wear usually incorporates some aspect of “punk rock fairy,” but I think about the story I’m trying to tell through the song and want to share with the visuals, like what colors, characters, or even material would really embody this song.

I honestly think the “punk rock fairy” aesthetic is a combination of kinda grungy but also soft and sweet, like a combination of both sides. Like, I love a fishnet and choker anything, but I also love a fucked up ballerina moment. Or a witchy moment. 

Laura:

How did you decide which songs to release first when releasing your first three singles? Why was “4leaf clover” released first? 

Isis:

I feel like “4leaf clover” was the most honest introduction to me as an artist—it’s basically stripped, just an acoustic guitar and vocals, which is how I write all my songs. I wanted to lead with the closest, most vulnerable song before I got into everything else. I think I chose “in my ways” and “taste of u” as the following singles to showcase the different sounds, but also because they had strong hooks.

I put “in my ways” before “taste of u” though because it’s more obviously indie/alternative. I wanted to be seen more as an indie artist who dabbles in other genres versus an R&B artist who’s trying indie. At the end of the day, either way would’ve been fine, but oftentimes Black artists are automatically classified as R&B or hip-hop acts just because we’re Black—when that’s just not what I do. 

Laura:

Would you mind telling me about how signing with Dirty Hit/No Matter has impacted your music career?

Isis:

I think initially it was just like a wtf moment. Like, omg, people are hearing you and seeing you and like your shit. It was a really validating moment, but also like, pressure’s on, this shit is real, get your shit together. I think it’s really nice to have a team of people who are there to support you and also want to make this shit happen.

Like, not having to do everything on my own all the time is kinda relieving. It’s still a bunch of work, but having people on my side who have been in the business for a while pushing for these projects takes some stress away, some questions are answered. It also kinda reassures me that I’m on the right path, like being on a label with artists I love and working with people whose work I’ve loved for a while makes me feel like I’m not too delusional for following my dreams.

Laura:

Is there a certain theme you wanted to cover when making your first EP, scales? How did you decide these tracks worked together? Were there any songs that you had to leave out? When writing music for the EP, what experiences do you typically pull from? Are there any songs you find special and for what reason?

Isis:

I wanted to focus on introspection and shadow work, beginning to dive into these worlds. Like, showing how music allows me to be more full and okay with myself. A lot of my project pulls from experiences with relationships with myself and others as well as mental health. I went over the track order a couple times before the songs were finished. From the beginning, I knew I wanted to end with “im fine” and start with “macho man.” The middle was more of the challenge, especially trying to combine the different sounds, but I’m honestly really happy with how everything came together.

There was one song that I had to leave out, which I still love. Maybe we’ll see it on a later project or something. But I feel like “macho man” was the best introduction, it’s like beginning to face yourself, addressing yourself, releasing tension as the song builds. The middle is like the push and pull, falling back into the shadows and finding a way to work with them. I wanted to end with “im fine” not only because it felt like the best outro, but because it’s like “wait” – like a cliffhanger. For me, my favorite is “macho man,” I think because this is the oldest one and seeing it become where it is now, which is how I envisioned it in my head for so long, is like magic to me, definitely special. 

Laura:

Going forward, are there specific places or festivals you would like to play? Any goals you are looking to achieve this year?

Isis:

I want to play Afropunk sooooo bad. Like, that’s definitely a goal for this year. I also wanna tour across the US in the fall or something like that, support someone on their tour. I wanna be playing all the shows!!