Today we’d like to introduce you to Child King
Hi CHILD , we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
As far as my music career, I never really thought about making music in a serious way because I didn’t have the skills for it and it wasn’t on the radar. I was raised in a musical environment though. My brother is a musician and songwriter and my grandma would often have us gather around the piano and sing while she played. As a young, closeted gay kid in the midwest, I relied heavily on music. It was the only way I could feel my feelings; someone else’s words. They could say the things I wasn’t able to.
I didn’t write my first song until I got sober. I was living with my parents again and sort of recollecting my life at the time. They had a little keyboard there and I started to just tap the keys and have fun with it. It became something I really enjoyed doing every day. I learned a bit by ear and then started putting basic chords together and sort of “singing” my way through writing songs. From that point on, music was a huge part of my life.
I would waiver between taking it seriously and not while going to school, working, etc. but it never left the picture. I started teaching myself audio production, learned a bit about theory, songwriting, how to harness my voice, etc. I experimented with all kinds of different sounds and genres. I have just had this long love affair with music and it brings me so much joy. Even if no one hears my songs, I will still make them.
Today, I am so excited to launch my new artist project CHILD KING, which I’ve been working toward for a year now. I spent a lot of years feeling really uncomfortable and awkward – even in my music – but over the past 5 years or so, I’ve really leaned into myself. I had top surgery, embraced my nonbinary identity, and have learned to love who I am (as corny as that sounds). It has catapulted me as an artist into a whole new space where I’m not afraid to just make what I want to make. I worry less and less about what other people want and more about what feels authentic to me.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Not at ALL. The road has been paved with self doubt, self deprecation, anxiety, depression, you name it. But music (and recovery) has always been my constant.
I have worked a number of corporate jobs, finished school, and had a lot of “what am I meant to do” sessions with myself. All of that prolonged my progress but it was necessary. Sometimes working a job you don’t want to work actually helps propel you forward into what you were meant to do. No time is truly wasted if you think about it. It’s all made me a better artist; a more committed artist. I want this badly. I know what’s on the other side and it isn’t a fit.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My work is ever evolving because I love to explore various genres and moods through sound. My recent single, HIM is more of an alt-pop rage banger. I also make ballads that are stripped down bare; just vocals and keys. It really depends on my mood.
So I guess you could say that I specialize in exploration at this point.
I am most proud of my ability to learn. I have accumulated a wide array of skills along the way as far as music is concerned and it required a lot of releasing of limiting beliefs. I had to push through a lot of self doubt before I gave myself “permission” to call myself an artist and actually share my work..
What sets me apart? Frankly I’m not sure. I’m another nerdy queer artist. I keep my head down, make music, and then set it free for whoever it’s meant for.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
I think we’ve already seen a massive shift in this industry because of platforms like tiktok. I love discovering new artists on tiktok that I wouldn’t have been able to find 10 years ago because they wouldn’t be label material. I think it’s so uplifting to see people get a shot. There’s so many talented artists who just need to be seen.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.tiktok.com/@child_king_says
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/child_king7777/
- Other: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/childking/him?utm_campaign=website&utm_medium=Email+&utm_source=SendGrid
