King Princess performs at 9:30 Club on Nov. 7, 2019. (Photo by Katherine Gaines)
King Princess exploded onto the 9:30 club stage for two nights of sold-out shows recently in a blinding haze of strobes. She let us know she has arrived, in more ways than one.
The sexually charged but humorous nature of so many of King Princess’ songs was echoed in her personality as she effortlessly switched between silly and sultry on Nov. 7 — the second of her two sold-out shows. She enjoyed teasing the crowd of mostly women by leaning seductively over her piano.
Even in just the nine months since she last appeared at the 9:30 Club, King Princess, born Mikaela Mullaney Straus, has grown as a performer, commanding the stage end to end and connecting with every fan. Her Wonder Woman-influenced outfit almost seemed at odds with the soft baroque style of her makeup, but it worked to showcase the many aspects of who she is. She reminded some overzealous fans they could hit her in the tits, hit her in the pussy, hit her on the ass — but by no means were they allowed to throw things that hit her in the face.
“I make my money with my face!” King Princess smirked. She also paused between her equally emotional and danceable songs to remind us to watch her on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert that night.
Stream Cheap Queen by King Princess on Spotify:
Showcasing local talent is part of what makes King Princess special, and DC drag queen Vagenesis served well to hype up the crowd.
King Princess evades all expectations about what she should be as an artist. She is a queer hero for a new generation.
Here are some pictures of opener Vagenesis performing at 9:30 Club on Nov. 7, 2019. All photos copyright and courtesy of Katherine Gaines.
Here are some pictures of King Princess performing at 9:30 Club on Nov. 7, 2019. All photos copyright and courtesy of Katherine Gaines.
