Kid Sister Just Wants to Have Fun

With the release of her new album, Ultraviolet, Kid Sister is finally making her mark on the music industry and showing us that she’s more than just another Kanye disciple. Over the last three years she has given us a taste of her fearless style and unique sound, but now we get to see what this Chi-town native is really capable of. We caught up with the spunky Kid Sister to talk about being a woman in a man's world and how if you don't like her sound, you might just be allergic to fun.

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So, are you excited for today?
I’m amped! We hear it’s good luck to buy your own album on the release day, so that’s what I’m going to do.

Is it weird to think how much your life has changed in just the last few years?
Totally. Not only can I pay my rent, but I get to see the world.

How did you get your name, Kid Sister?
My brother picked it for me ... there’s not really a story. I kind of wish there was, I should make something up. But I’m the older sister! We’re just trying to fool people, I guess.

Tell me about “Pro Nails” ...  how did you come up with that song?
Girl, I’ve been getting my nails done since I was four, so it was pretty natural. My boyfriend’s brother, Dave from Chromeo, was like, “You need to write a song about nails.” And I was like, “Yeah, maybe you have a point.” So thank you Dave, I love you.

How did you get hooked up with Kanye West?
I had known Kanye before, but at the time he was flipping out over the European VMA’s when he lost best video to Justice. But we played “Pro Nails” for him, and apparently he was like, “I need to get on that song!” Of course, no one ever told me but the next thing I knew, he called me up, pressed play, and I just hear my beat with Kanye West rapping over it. And that’s how that happened.

So when the song blew up, it kind of threw you into the mainstream—how do you feel about that?
It’s a little weird. I mean whatever, I always say, “Everyone’s invited to my party.” It’s not an exclusive party, everyone can come! And if they don’t want to dance, you can put your hands down and get yourself a drink. Get nice and loose and come up and dance.

How would you best describe your sound?
It’s electronic hip-hop. It’s fun, fun, fun, and if you don’t like what’s here, maybe you’re allergic to fun.

Why Ultraviolet?
Well, when we were younger we used to sneak into this teen club before we were teens, I’m talking like 11 or 12. We had to use fake high school IDs to get into the club, so we always had to go and talk to the bouncers and be real cool and make sure we didn’t seem suspicious. So we would go in there and just the lighting and the jubilation was always ultraviolet. It just felt natural to conjure that up and pay homage to that aesthetic. It’s like a sentimental thing for me.

Unlike some other industries, the music industry is filled with successful and strong female artists. What do you hope to add to that group?
I hope to bring a sense of strength. My message is come as you are and have as good of a time as you can while you’re here. My main goal is to bring people together who may not otherwise have been brought together under normal circumstances. I’m a bi-racial woman in a man’s world, I know how it is.

What do your nails look like right now?
They are zebra with iridescent sparkles. They’re silver and black zebra stripes, and the other half is rhinestones.

Photo by Don Flood.