Kim Petras

Kim Petras is a German singer and songwriter who specializes in English-language EDM and dance-pop. Born Tim Petras, but identifying as female since toddlerhood, she 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, including a series of national TV ads for a German hair salon chain, 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. ~ Marcy Donelson