KELSY KARTER
RELEASES "VILLAIN" OFFICIAL VIDEO
DEBUT ALBUM MISSING PERSON OUT NOW
photo by Stefanie Moser
“Karter follows in the footsteps of famous rock stars like Alice Cooper, Ozzy Osbourne, and Van Halen” –TIME “Championing rebellion, fearlessness and not giving a f*ck what anyone thinks.” –Wonderland “Musically, her vintage-tinged sound leans into the blues-y textures of '60s garage rock.” –Paper "The rock-n-roll singer-songwriter has cultivated a dedicated, powerful and dynamic fanbase that grows bigger and bigger by the day." –Flaunt "A special hybrid of rock & roll, jazz, and gospel." –Rolling Stone “Her songs will have you dancing in your room with her glam rock-infused anthems and Amy Winehouse-reminiscent vocals.” –People Magazine “...she is a rockstar - a true 360 degree artist.” –Kevan Kenney, MTV
(February 18th, 2020) -- Los Angeles, CA -- LA by-the-way-of New Zealand artist Kelsy Karter releases the official video for her single "Villain" - out now via BMG. Directed and edited by Kelsy & dressed in head-to-toe leather with her own take on the infamous Catwoman, she recalls the moments she went from being the protagonist in a love story to accepting the role of the villain when the relationship ended.
Watch the "Villain" official video HERE.
"I'm playin' the villain, baby, just like you want," Kelsy cheekily states, setting the tone of the video from the start. Playing with the character of Catwoman, a true anti-heroine & eventual love interest to Batman, Kelsy hints at how even those who are deemed villains have emotions. "I almost didn't put this song on my record. It brings me to tears anytime I sing or hear it. But my best mate told me "Kels, this song isn't for you anymore. It's for everyone else." And that made me realize that maybe I was stupid not to release it. Turns out, fans have resonated with this song as much I do, so I had to make a music video for it," Kelsy states. "It is directed and edited by yours truly, with cinematography by Gary Long. We shot the video in about 3 hours with a crew of 8. I wanted to depict one of the greatest villains of all time...on her day off. Ironically doing the most un-villainous things you can do. Watching TV, having a tea party, cuddling a teddy bear, doing handstands...and crying. Villains have hearts too, y'know?" "Villain" is featured on Kelsy Karter's debut album Missing Person, which came out late last year. "The album as a whole is a fun ride that explores both the struggle and joy of being a woman in what’s long been viewed as a man’s world," stated Samantha Hissong from Rolling Stone. "It also touches on the heartbreak-induced degeneracy that can precede finding new love and self-acceptance." While the fantastically warped wonderland of Missing Person offers a much-needed escape from the everyday, Karter’s world-building serves an even greater purpose, providing a safe space for listeners to discover their own self-acceptance. “Making this album helped me to find comfort and freedom in who I am, and I want everyone who hears it to come away with that same feeling,” Karter says. “I want them to feel strong in their individuality, and to stop caring about what other people think. I hope it helps them to feel both totally vulnerable and completely invincible at the very same time.” Stream/Download Missing Person HERE.
Photo by Sarah Pardini
About Kelsy Karter: The debut album from Kelsy Karter, Missing Person is a thrilling introduction to a truly singular musical mind. Like all the most electrifying artists, the New Zealand-born singer/songwriter invites the audience into a beautifully strange world of her own making, a fantasia that’s equal parts rock-and-roll grit and wildly theatrical grandeur. Fueled by the mesmerizing vocal work first displayed on her breakthrough single “Harry”—a 2019 track that went viral after Karter turned up with a fake tattoo of Harry Styles blazoned across her face—Missing Person arrives as a stunning showcase for her intricate storytelling and uncompromising outlook on life, love, and self-liberation. Despite the defiant spirit that shines through nearly every song on Missing Person, the album took shape from a period of tremendous pain and self-doubt for Karter, a time that included the death of a loved one and a devastating breakup. “I was so depressed and broke, and probably at the lowest point in my whole life,” says Karter. “For a while I sort of lost myself, which is why the album’s called Missing Person. But through the process of making the record I found myself as an artist and an individual—I stopped giving a fuck about what anyone else thinks, and finally felt completely okay with who I am.” Working in the UK and in L.A. with producers like Zakk Cervini (Machine Gun Kelly, Poppy) and Chris Greatti (YUNGBLUD, blink-182), Karter set that transformation to a guitar-drenched sound steeped in elements of punk and Britpop and classic glam-rock, giving way to a sonic aesthetic both undeniably timeless and entirely of-the-moment. After cutting her teeth playing in dive bars around L.A. and at iconic New York City nightclub The Bitter End, Karter released songs independently all throughout 2019, toured the UK and the US as direct support for The Struts, and promptly landed a deal with BMG Recordings. With the arrival of the first two singles from Missing Person (“Devil on My Shoulder” and “Stick to Your Guns”), she further expanded her creative output by taking the helm as director on the brilliantly cinematic videos for both tracks. “I draw so much of my inspiration from film—the art of storytelling and the way people execute it visually has always been so fascinating to me,” she says. “In a way I feel like my music is a balance between the edginess of Quentin Tarantino and the delicateness of Wes Anderson: I’m definitely a tough girl, but I’ve also got a heart of complete mush.” "Missing Person is a collection of stories from my life about love, rebellion, heartbreak, individualism and the anxiety of the times we live in," she explains. "It's a cheeky and dramatic mix of punk and glam rock. When listening to this record, I want my fans to feel like a total badass and completely vulnerable at the same time."
Read Kelsy Karter's full bio HERE.
For more information about Kelsy Karter
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