King Princess, Mikaela Straus, is a 20 year old new and upcoming artist with a few singles and an EP out. She grew up in her father’s recording studio in New York, so that is what brought her into the music world. She is very open about her sexuality, in her interviews, in public, and in her music.

I learned about King Princess through another music artist that is a supporter of the LGBTQ community, Harry Styles. He tweeted lyrics from her song “1950,” “I love it when we play 1950.”

Here is an interview in which Straus talks about her music, how she grew up, and her experiences in the queer community.

https://www.npr.org/sections/world-cafe/2019/04/22/715972400/king-princess-has-incredible-confidence-with-the-musical-chops-to-back-it-up

She based her song “1950” off of the 1952 book “The Price of Salt” by Patricia Highsmith which addresses a lesbian relationship. The song plays on the idea that Straus feels that she still has to hide her love as if she was living in 1950.

Her music and existence in the industry is important because of her involvement with the LGBTQ. It is important that she is so open with her sexuality in today’s pop music, because the majority of music today is still heteronormative. The more music there is referencing queer love, the safter those who are afraid to express their own queer love will feel.

Photo credit in the featured image: San Diego LGBT Pride, 2019,
https://sdpride.org/kingprincess-pressrelease/