Kim Petras

Kim Petras is a German singer and songwriter who specializes in English-language EDM and dance-pop. Identifying as female since toddlerhood, Petras made headlines for having completed a full gender transition at the age of 16, believed to be the youngest on record at the time. In the meantime, she had already begun working as a model for a series of national TV ads for a German hair salon chain, among other companies, and graduated from uploading covers to YouTube to working with a producer on her debut single "Fade Away," released in 2008. Her first EP, One Piece of Tape, followed in 2011. Petras subsequently appeared as a featured singer on two 2013 singles by German DJ Klaas, "Flight to Paris" and "Heartbeat"; lent vocals to Danity Kane's 2014 album DK3; released her own stand-alone single "STFU"; and co-wrote the single "That's What's Up" from Skylar Stecker's 2015 debut LP This Is Me. In 2017, Petras re-emerged on the BunHead label with the '80s-infused dance-pop tune "I Don't Want It at All." The single "Heart to Break" followed in February 2018. In October 2018, Petras returned with the Halloween-themed mixtape Turn Off the Light, Vol. 1. Included were the songs "o m e n," "Close Your Eyes," and "Turn Off the Lights," the latter of which featured a guest spot from Elvira. More singles followed in 2019 including "1,2,3 Dayz Up" featuring Sophie, "If U Think About Me...," and "Homework" featuring Lil Aaron. Her official debut album, Clarity, landed that summer. The set featured the single "Icy," and input from Dr. Luke and producers Made in China and Aaron Joseph. Just months later, she issued another volume of her spooky Turn Off the Light series, which bundled Vol. 1 with a fresh batch of hard-hitting electronic dance-pop. ~ Marcy Donelson