Punk Head: ”You describe your sound as 'camp meets unt,' which immediately gives us a sense of your personality, but there's also a surprisingly vulnerable side to the stories behind your music. How did you arrive at this particular combination of humour, attitude and emotional honesty?"
Cade King: If you don't laugh, you cry. Or perhaps cry from how much you are laughing. Art most often comes from pain or pleasure and I tap into both when I am creating. All of my songs are therapy. They provide an opportunity to sit with the deep feelings of a situation and paint a picture with words, music, and killer production.
Punk Head: You and producer Una Jensen have been friends for over a decade, long before you started making music together. How has that friendship shaped your creative chemistry, and what do you think you bring out in each other musically?
Cade King: We are just two unwell people who get each other's unwellness, you know what I mean? Our friendship has really blossomed over the past couple years and our ability to be vulnerable and candid with each other really lends itself to some of the most fun and authentic songs yet. Una is able to personify my vibe into sounds, and if that is not the testament of best friendship, I don't know what is. I typically come to Una with a hook or even sometimes a whole song pretty fleshed out lyrically and melodically. Una then comes in and takes what I did and really elevates the song with her composition and production. The most fun is when we essentially start from scratch, but I am never not writing because I will see something or experience something and it will randomly inspire me. Just the other day I recorded a voice note during brunch and sent it to her, and then she was like, "What about this?" And then sent me a continuation from the idea I sent, and I cannot wait for that song. "TEA" really came from that catchy hook. I had an idea and Una took that and was like, "Faster and simpler." And that is our creative collaboration in a nutshell. I create, she refines.
Punk Head: “TEA” takes inspiration from a difficult personal experience and turns it into an unapologetic, danceable anthem about reclaiming your power. Was there a particular moment during the songwriting process when you felt you'd transformed that experience into something entirely your own?
Cade King: The joy about "TEA" is that everyone can relate to being hyper criticized by someone is a harsh way, respond to that criticism in the wrong way, try to respond in the "right" way, still miss the mark, but then try to resolve the conflict in a way that is amicable for both parties, and then just have that person write you off and they probably did not actually like you at all. No? Just me? What was the question?
Punk Head: You've described your music as being made specifically for the queer community, and you talk about building your own "Kingdom" through your artistry. What kind of connection do you hope to create with your listeners, and what does that sense of community look like to you?
Cade King: There are so many universally queer experiences that we can all relate too, but being queer is not a monolith. So, I create from my own personal experiences and many of those experiences are relatable. I hope to connect to my listeners through the fun and the provocative songs that make you want to shake ass in the club. I always wanted to join communities and belong, but I realized I really wanted to create my own community where others that are "othered" can belong. In the past, I have been written off, gossiped about, or excluded, so I want to make sure all are welcomed, as long as you're not a bigot.
Punk Head: You're currently working towards your debut album, with "TEA" offering a glimpse into what's to come. How does this single fit into the bigger picture of the album, and what new sides of yourself can listeners expect to discover?
Cade King: This song is nothing if not unt and that is the bigger picture of the album. Listeners can expect to experience my music like they never have before. A cohesive sound of *unt-pop through the album while being taken on a journey of (to quote mysefl) pain and pleasure.
