LOVE. SICK. MAJOR.

Photographs By James Duran

Los Angeles artist Kit Major talks about the power of imagination, supporting other artists, and creating an escape even in the toughest rooms.

Los Angeles, USA

What is the Kit Major origin story?

I got into music by writing pop songs, but Kit Major has always been a rockstar in platform boots.

What was your first show like?

I feel like I’ve had multiple “first shows” because of how much my performance style has evolved. I used to travel with a keyboard and sing, or plug in my laptop with a pre-recorded set with electronic intros and dancers. During lockdown, I built sets in my house and performed online. My first live band show was at the end of 2022 for my Vampire Saturday EP release. At one point, I stopped dancing altogether, probably an over compensation from moving away from dance-pop, but now I’ve found the balance. Every version of my past shows goes into how I perform today: I fucking love rock music, and I fucking love shaking my ass.

What have you learned over the years?

It’s so much cooler to give a shit and support the local artists in your scene. Show up for them when they release music and come to their shows.

What challenges have you faced as an artist and how did you overcome them?

A big challenge has been bringing imagination back into my work. There was a time I felt weighed down by reality: being a small, self-funded artist, losing my job last year, being my own harshest critic, and being camera shy in a world of reels. I grew jaded from burnout and forgot the fearless girl who would throw on a wig, hit play, and perform. I’ve been channeling that energy again in this new era. What pushed me forward was sharing my vision with my best friend and suddenly we were creating something colorful and fantastical, even if it just meant performing under a pink light in my room. As an artist, reality will always test you, but part of the job is learning how to create escape even in the toughest rooms.

How would you describe your music in 3 words?

Cool. Unapologetic. Anthemic.

**You are coming off of your Love.Sick.Major era, epitomized by the E.P. of the same name. What is this era about?**

It marked the beginning of how I now see and perform my music. It started as an exploration of alt-rock, but quickly became a love letter to Britpop and punk rock.

**How does Love.Sick.Major show your growth as an artist?**

When I first broke away from writing pop, I swung to the opposite extreme, stripping away the performative, softer sides of myself. Love.Sick.Major brought me back to my fur coats and bleach-blonde hair. It propelled me toward the way I create now. The last track written for that era, Potion Seller, with its unhinged, oddly sexy, riotous energy has set the tone for what is coming next...

You have an archive of music videos of songs such as “Let Me in Your Band” and “Garbage Planet.” Why are music videos and visuals so important to you as an artist?

Music videos are how I let people see what I see when I write: the colors, the worlds, the stories. They don’t just support a song, they devour it and spit it back out as something even bigger. Garbage Planet and Sponge were filmed on the same day in the same room, yet they feel like two completely different universes. That’s the power of visuals: the editing, the styling, the imagination can transform one space into endless experiences. For me, creating videos is like building a world from scratch and then stepping inside of it.

What is your favorite song to perform live and why?

Lately it’s been In A Polite Way. Live, it’s so much wilder than the recording.

If you could collaborate with any artist, who would it be and why?

An artist that comes to mind would be Djo. He makes the kind of rock music I grew up loving-nostalgic yet fresh. He blends genres effortlessly and creates his own vibe while nodding to the past. Plus, he produces, which would make for an amazing collaboration. I feel like he’d understand the sounds I hear in my head.

If you could tell 10-year-old Kit anything, what would you say?

Your imagination makes you special and you’re so lucky to have a family that believes in you.

What’s next for Kit Major?

More new music is on the way. I’m releasing a special EP project next year that I can’t wait to share. Until then, my next single, “Teenage Wannabe” is coming out October 3rd!