All products are independently selected by our editors.
If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.
StreamChappell Roanfor clear skin and flourishing crops.
Ryan Clemens
Bliss, and Olivia Rodrigo, whom she opened for during last yearsSourtour.
Not to mention her style, which Id describe as glitter cowgirl from space (compliment).
And things are about to get even bigger.
Ryan Clemens
The nominee for best new artist is always looking for something bigger and campier, according to her stylist.
I havent even written my best song yet, the 25-year-old tells me over Zoom, casually confident.
I look at my career as like, If its meant to happen, itll be.
Ryan Clemens
I work very hard.
Those experiences have left her with a deep appreciation for all shes accomplished.
My dreams already came true.
I sold out a headline tour, and got to do it my way.
This album is amazing, but it doesnt validate more of the fact that Im a true artist.
Can you tell me how you got signed the first time?
And the emotional journey that led to this album?
I got signed off of YouTube.
Always a DIY Queenie.
It was the best thing to happen to me, getting dropped.
Because it really tested what I was made of.
I was very, very close to quitting.
I thought that I would go to school and just not do music anymore.
I ran out of money, I was living with my parents during the pandemic.
I was working the drive-through.
Like a lot of us were.
A lot of us lost our jobs.
And a little bit of a rock bottom.
But thats why, now, its so amazing, because I realized how far Ive come.
And theres all this stuff I really appreciate and try not to take for granted.
This content can also be viewed on the site itoriginatesfrom.
Was there a moment that made you decide not to quit?
I dont know if theres a moment.
Because to be honest, nothing really started clicking until about a year ago.
And now this year, its like, boom, boom, boom, every week is something crazy.
So thats what I did.
I was like, Im just gonna hang on as long as I can.
And Im gonna work at this.
A lot is riding on this album, but not everything is.
Ill work at the donut shop for six months again, I dont really have any shame about that.
I liked working at the donut shop.
You just wrapped up your tour.
I would love to know what that experience was like.
And then, it was pretty different from other tours Ive seen.
That kind of blew my mind.
So I would love to hear about how you went about designing the tour and all those interesting elements.
I wanted the show to be a party.
And every show was themed.
We had three local drag performers from every city that we did.
Oh, pop star theme because I love Hannah.
And I grew up with her.
We had a Pink Pony Club theme, we had a My Kink Is Karma theme.
We had Rainbow Night, Goth Night; it was super fun.
I wanted it to feel different and fun.
And it was really fucking hard.
Especially in a van.
The most emotional part was the VIP meet-and-greets.
Because people would tell me really heavy things.
What people want is to see your personality, and to connect with you.
But theres this delusion that they know you and that they can tell you anything.
It was not just a couple stories; I was meeting sometimes 90 people a night.
So that was the most emotional part of the tour.
I mean, its all emotional, but the meet-and-greets, I dont think I can do that again.
I know a lot of artists, as you grow, they cant do it anymore.
Oh, my God, the boundaries, theres none, you know?
Oh, yeah, absolutely.
I dont know them.
They think they know me.
Youre trying to throw a party every night, youre trying to have a positive experience.
With queerness theres an element…the show is pretty queer.
And I promote that its a safe space.
And it became a not safe space for me.
When it comes to queerness, a lot of people have trauma with coming out.
Or how their family responded, or their hometown.
Within queerness theres unfortunately, a lot of trauma that people go through.
And my music has helped a lot of people through that trauma.
And I love that.
Let that be that, though.
Personally, as Kayleigh, I cant handle that responsibility.
You mentioned queerness being an inspiration and Hannah Montana being an inspiration.
I loveLady Gagaso much.
I grew up with her.
I was so lucky.
It was so inspiring, because everything was so over the top.
Those girls and then also, I love Bratz dolls.
I love the fashion of the Bratz.
I love skin care.
I useWeleda Skin Food, the original one, every day.
I know its a really heavy moisturizer.
But I love it.
Do you have a preshow ritual?
I know some people drink tea or do the nebulizer.
I have an insane, insane vocal kit that I do.
I had a vocal coach for two months before going into this tour.
I have weird lozenges, and I warm up with metal straw kits where I blow into straw.
Okay…
Yeah, crazy.
And then I have a nebulizer where you inhale saline.
It moisturizes your actual vocal cords.
I drink teas and drink a ton of water, but a lot of it is warming up.
And then, as I do my warm ups Im doing my makeup.
You do your own makeup?
I do my own makeup and hair for the most part.
Do you enjoy that?
Yeah, I love doing it.
I switched to all MAC makeup because I was over trying to find dupes.
I need what works and MACs worked forever.
Do you have any plans for how youre going to celebrate your album coming out?
I dont know what were gonna do.
I want to do something like that.
Im picturing a pink room with lights.
Ive always wanted to do that.
I really want to learn how to DJ so bad.
People just want to hear Britney!
Are you a Pinterest person?
Ive been an avid Pinterest user for like a decade.
Im obsessed with Pinterest.
I have a board for everything.
Im the creative director.
Its me and Misha, and my friends from summer camp running the whole show.
Literally from your childhood summer camp?
Kids from summer camp.
One girl helps me with my social media.
Another directs the live videos.
We have people who edit and act, and its just kids from summer camp.
Thats amazing, I love it.
Some albums are meant to be played in the car, and some are meant for the club.
Do you have a place or an audience you felt like you were making this for?
The whole album is meant to be played live.
A lot of bridges are call and response, because I want to have audience participation.
This whole show, the whole shebang…the top of the pyramid is the live show.
The best place to listen to it is at the show.
Its all arranged for that.
Or a slumber party vibe.
This project is more than just a musical project.
Its for a greater cause.
And we have another queer anthem coming out!
Its called Red Wine Supernova.
Its a super-fun pop party song.
So Im very excited for that.
I assume thats a reference to Champagne Supernova, but with a different kind of wine.
Its like the gay girl version.
Yes, Lesbian Oasis.
