Kid Sister 

Kid Sister has had a certain amount of notoriety for some time despite her long-awaited debut album only just being dropped after being pushed back over and over again.  Such notoriety can be attributed to a number of things; talent of course, but also the support from Kanye West who made her his protégé early on in her career after she signed to his DJ A-trak’s label Fools Gold in 2007.  As if it wasn’t enough to have one of the worlds most prolific rappers as an ardent supporter, West also appeared on Kid Sisters breakout single Pro-Nails and other collaborations with the likes of Cee-Lo and Estelle can all be found within Kid Sister’s debut 12-track LP ‘Ultraviolet’.

Kid Sister, otherwise known as Melissa Young began her musical career as an MC and rapper on the hip-hop scene in Chicago, Illinois. Famed for her smart and funny lyrics based around beats heavily influenced by the 90’s Chicago house scene Kid Sister thinks of herself as the girl-next-door, refreshingly unwilling to strip off and market her music with that overtly sexual coating that lets be honest most female artists in the US seem to channel. 

‘Ultraviolet’ has been a work in progress for the last 3 years as the ‘saviour of female hip-hop’ focused on writing and recording a record that she herself felt comfortable with.  Working with people like A-Trak, Rusko and the Count and Sinden on production duties and bringing together an amalgamation of huge pop choruses, early 90’s r’n’b and the obvious hip-hop influences of her musical roots, this is a debut long player that has already divided opinion.  Perhaps because it delves into so much more than just hip-hop, her original fans will be left disappointed, however there is no doubting the fact that Kid Sister will win over a whole lot of new ones as this album embraces a commerciality that may well help make the leap from Kanye West’s protégé, to successful female artist in her own right.

Kid Sister answered some of our questions during her recent promotional visit to the UK. 

4or The Record: Many interviews and features about Kid Sister mention how your life growing up was hard due to finances.  Does this reflect in your song-writing and inspire you to write about such issues because you never gave up your desire to be a music artist?

Kid Sister: Of course it influences my music.  Just listen to my music. On a song like ‘Let Me Bang’ I talk about driving a Hyundai and doing my laundry with pockets of change and that is how it was for a long time and not much has changed. Buh dum dum ching!

4TR: What else other than “Pro Nails” do you like to reference lyrically?

Kid Sister: Regular everyday girl shit.  Laundry, riding the bus, snacks, boys, school, bills, clothes.

4TR: Was becoming Kanye West’s protégé the turning point in you life or do you feel other people or situations influenced this?

Kid Sister: No that was really the turning point.  His getting on my song really spun my career and I will forever be grateful for that.

4TR: Your debut album has been long delayed but subsequently extremely anticipated, what caused these delays, was it simply the case you weren’t happy with it initially?

Kid Sister: The delays happened when we couldn’t all agree on a single and that was and that was the first indication the album wasn’t ready. 

4TR: What can people expect from the record and do you hope to surprise your fans?

Kid Sister: Well if I tell you what to expect, how you gonna be surprised??? Know what I’m sayin? Hahahahahahaha.

4TR: You have also previously mentioned that you hope your album will put a face to the new movement going on in music right now relating to rap and electronic sounds being merged-what do you feel you have produced and are capable of that makes you stand out amongst the people that are not necessarily doing a good job of this genre already?

Kid Sister: I am more capable of making music that doesn’t sound like Amazonian farts over symbols and finger snaps.  Seriously some of the music is so random and bad…actually it makes our job not as hard.

4TR: Sound wise you are obviously influenced by hip hop and the 90’s Chicago house scene, but what else has helped shape your sound? And why?

Kid Sister: R&B it is my favorite genre of music.  Mid to late 90’s R&B.  It has helped me with everything from lyrics to cadence to core progression and more.  R&B now sucks but in the mid to late 90’s it was crackin’.

4TR: You have worked with a number of producers on the record.  Was that to make each track sound distinctive from the next, or because you had so many ideas you felt were suited to different people?

Kid Sister: No it was because all of our friends were helping with the album and they all had something worthwhile to contribute.

4TR: You are also well known now for some great collaborations with people like Kayne, cee-Lo, and our own Count and Sinden.  What is it about a particular artist that makes you want to work with them on a project and is there anyone on your dream list?

Kid Sister:  My dream list has pretty much been fulfilled but what makes me wanna work with an artist is hearing their previous work. And I am lucky to be friends with some pretty visionary artists and have found it natural to work with them.

4TR: You signed to Downtown Records, what was it about them as a label that attracted you to working with them?

Kid Sister: They allowed me all the artistic freedom I could ask for.

4TR: Do you think within the context of hip-hop female artists are somewhat overlooked in favour of their male counterparts?  And if so why do you think this is?

Kid Sister: I think women in general get overlooked, we have to work overtime to overcome it.  Basically I’m over it.  

4TR: Refreshingly, in a world of manufactured pop-princesses and females using their sexuality to sell records over talent, you have always refused to adhere to this form of marketing, expressing the wish to be yourself “a regular girl with a quirky personality”.  Have you ever felt pressured to be something you are not and do you think your stance on not letting that happen has benefited you so far?

Kid Sister:: I don’t know but thank you for the compliment.  I have always found it easier to be a person than an idea.  I don’t care if it benefits me or not at the end of the day I wanna be a person rather than a marketing plan.  And if that means 10,000 less records sold it doesn’t really matter because I can sleep at night knowing that my self-respect has been maintained.  Also, I don’t give a fuck about business.  

4TR: And finally, who have been the biggest 3 influences musically in your life and why?

Kid Sister: My parents because they raised us on pretty steady diet of great music.  My brother because he always keeps good music coming into my i-pod and A-Trak for the same reason.  So I guess they are not really influences but they are inspirations.  They make it easier to fall in love with music.

Words: Francesca Strange

pevnieno
Posts: 2

RMQxnbVojufwL
Reply #2 on : Sat July 16, 2011, 11:16:51

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suKcFA <a href="http://jonmhfdhkhee.com/">jonmhfdhkhee</a>

Eloise
Posts: 2

SCJDSSAQYKGAI
Reply #1 on : Wed July 13, 2011, 18:08:24

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Great comomn sense here. Wish I’d thought of that.

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