Kim Petras on Designer Clothes and (Not) Dating

Photos courtesy of Kim Petras.

Kim Petras is currently riding the come up of a lifetime. In her latest pop offering, an electric single titled “The Future Starts Now,” Petras purrs in french in a voice that is somehow both sensual and robotic, transcending the pop formula with her infectious, liberated sound. This year, after building up a dedicated following as an entirely independent artist, the German-born singer signed with Republic Records (the home of icons like Ariana Grande and The Weeknd), and is poised to seize her crown as the future of pop royalty. Last week, Petras released an apocalyptic, technicolor music video, with visuals by the director Steven Klein (the mastermind behind music videos by Kanye West, Nicki Minaj, Brooke Candy) to accompany the single. “It’s about going into the unknown, having the world change and break under you,” Petras tells Interview, “the point is to celebrate change, and the future, after what feels like the end of the world.” Petras’s ascension up the ranks was accelerated by her performance at last month’s MTV VMAs in New York, where the 29-year-old artist brought her signature blend of jubilant, full-throttle pop sound to an audience that included the likes of Lil Nas X, Lorde, and Olivia Rodrigo. To mark the beginning of Petras’ new era, the artist sat down to answer a few questions, straight from the writings of Andy Warhol.

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INTERVIEW: Do you dream?

KIM PETRAS: Yes, I dream. Sometimes I dream shapes and colors, and sometimes I dream outfits. Sometimes I dream songs— full songs with lyrics. My dreams are important to me. If I have a dream that’s creative, and can I come up with an outfit or a performance afterwards, I feel like I’m on the right track.

INTERVIEW: Showers or baths?

PETRAS: Both. I like to shower and then get into a bath, because the other way around is nasty. I often come up with songs in my bathtub too.

INTERVIEW: When do you get nervous?

PETRAS: When I do award shows…

INTERVIEW: Why can’t it just be magic all the time?

PETRAS: Cuz then we wouldn’t appreciate the magic!

INTERVIEW: What did you have for breakfast?

PETRAS: A pumpkin spice latte.

INTERVIEW: What are you reading right now?

PETRAS: My texts.

INTERVIEW: Where do you dance?

PETRAS: Everywhere.

INTERVIEW: Who’s your dream date?

PETRAS: I find dates so uncomfortable. I don’t really do them. There’s nothing more stressful than a blind date or something like that, to me. I don’t like dating. I just always kind of went into relationships that happened naturally. So, I don’t really have a dream date, because I hate dates.

INTERVIEW: What do you think about love?

PETRAS: It’s the only thing that matters.

INTERVIEW: How were you discovered?

PETRAS: I wasn’t discovered. I discovered myself.

INTERVIEW: What’s the craziest thing a fan has sent you?

PETRAS: Like, a homemade bath bomb.

INTERVIEW: What’s your beauty secret?

PETRAS: I don’t have secrets. I think being brave enough to be beautiful in a different way is the absolute coolest thing. 

INTERVIEW: What’s your favorite movie? 

PETRAS: Death Becomes Her.

INTERVIEW: Would you ever marry one of your fans?

PETRAS: Yes. Actually, wait. No, I never want to get married. I think marriage would ruin the romance. If I had to be with someone legally, I wouldn’t want them anymore.

INTERVIEW: Are you interested in furniture?

PETRAS: Yes, very interested. I find furniture design and home decor is like fashion, or painting, or sculpture. I’m a big believer that your surroundings shape you and can make you more creative. 

INTERVIEW: What kind of clothes do you like?

PETRAS: Designer clothes.

Kim Petras backstage at the 2021 VMAs.

INTERVIEW: Do you have a TV? 

PETRAS: Yes. 

INTERVIEW: What do you love about New York City?

PETRAS: Everything. Most of all, the people. I think New York City has some of the most incredible, unique people. People have their own sense of style, their own sense of humor, and their own personality. That’s something L.A. could only dream of.

INTERVIEW: Do you think Americans have good taste?

PETRAS: Yes and no. Some do, some don’t, like any culture. But I always loved the statement by Karl Lagerfeld, that some of the richest people he’s ever met had the worst taste he’s ever seen. I think that that’s true, across the world.

INTERVIEW: Do you keep a diary?

PETRAS: I don’t. I always found it tedious. My diary is kind of my songs. But an actual diary just feels exhausting.

INTERVIEW: How many hotels have you been kicked out of?

PETRAS: None. I’m not a rock star, apparently! But I want to be so badly, so getting kicked out of a hotel is on my bucket list now. 

INTERVIEW: Do you get eight hours a night? 

PETRAS: [Laughs] No. Never.