Kid Sister may be best known for singing about nails with Kanye West but there is more to the Chicago-based rapper than pretty nails, as the Bay Area learned on two recent stops at the Rickshaw Stop and the New Parish in Oakland. Kid Sister took some time out to talk about life, her dreams and why she wants to kick it with a donut.
What’s your favorite non-instrumental, non-engineered sound? Of everyday life, in the natural world.
I live by a river – Chicago River – goes through the whole city pretty much. I live right at the banks of it and you can hear all the wildlife. Like, I was walking my little dog – I have a little Sheltie, she’s so cute – and we’re walking, and there’s a blue heron that’s like, “khaaaa” [sound effect] and I’m like, “Where am I, Jurassic Park?” And there’s like, woodpeckers. So I would just say, you know – okay, I think, nature on it’s own – snooze. But I don’t know, it’s just so National Geographic and it’s right in the city, you know what I’m saying. Like there’s a rim shop across the street [laughs], but there’s like a heron, you know what I mean? [laughs]
If you had a free pass to have one question, any question answered - what would it be?
I would really wanna know if I’m psychic because I swear to God, I have the most coincidences happen to me of any person I know – it’s ridiculous, I hate it.
What was the first song you heard - not yours - that made you feel like it was written for or about you?
Dolly Parton – Jolene. Because it’s like, please don’t take my man just because you can and I’m like – okay. [laughs]
Aside from music, what's another dream that you have yet to be realized?
My dreams are kinda like, a little normal – not that normal, but I wanna buy a really nice, cute, charming house and have a yard and a puppy and you know, have this really nice lifestyle. I’m pretty set up right now, I feel pretty good. Live in a condo with some ghetto folks. I’m like, “Are you on section 8? Tell me, it’s okay – I wont judge you.” And it just smells like kimchee all the time. I love kimchee – it’s the only food that I hate the way it smells but I like eating it. It’s like the most, what’s the word – like diametrically opposed reactions to one thing that I’ve ever had, but anyway. So yeah, I would love to live in my dream house and have you know, a cute little life. I’m workin on that.
If you could personify one thing or feeling and have it kick it with you, what would it be?
Donuts. [laughs]
What would you and donuts do?
Kick it. [laughs] Figure out other awesome things to do with donuts. We were talking the other day to this guy…we were talking about cuisine – I think it was in Portland. Portland’s a foodie town and so is Chicago and I was like, “but don’t get me confused – I get down with the best of them.” There’s a restaurant and I don’t know which one it is – in Chicago – that serves cheeseburgers on donuts. So that’s what I’d do with a donut if we were to ever hang out.
What’s both your greatest strength and weakness?
Food. [laughs] Oh my God, I can’t help it. I was like, Sam [tour manager], I just need to eat something light. I had a cobb salad yesterday before the show and I felt so heavy – maybe it was the bleu cheese, I don’t know. It was a salad, though, so I figured I would be safe. And then today, we had a television shoot earlier and oh my God – I just, I’m telling you – they gave us some free Chipotle – and I was like, Sam, don’t let me eat it. And then I was like, Sam, where are those burritos – where are they?? [laughs]
If you could place yourself inside a movie, tv show, or cartoon what would it be? what would your character do?
I’d be in Doug and I’d be Patty Mayonnaise. Because that was probably the cutest show ever on SNICK.
And what would you do as Patty Mayonnaise?
I would show Doug what’s really going on. [laughs] I’d be like, “yo…”
What’s been your biggest mistake and consequent life lesson?
Well, I don’t make mistakes – I discover opportunities. [laughs] Biggest mistake: not valuing myself enough. Like really not seeing the potential in myself all the time. I learned not to sell yourself short and that all things are fleeting. Things come and go, you know. Life is just up and down, and up and down – just a series of that. Nothing ever stays the same. So sometimes you get depressed, you get down on yourself and you forget your own worth. But you gotta remember that things aren’t permanent – nothing in life is. So that’s what I try to remind myself to always remember.
If you could share one trade secret with the youngins aspiring to succeed in whatever it is they want to do in life, entertainment or otherwise, what would it be?
Just be yourself and if you don’t know what that is, don’t worry. Cause for me, it was like – I was such a carefree goofy person, which is kinda how I am now, and then I got really depressed cause I couldn’t get a job. Had a degree but couldn’t get any work in my field. Couldn’t even get a desk job so I could get health insurance – nothing. All the fun had been sucked out of my life. And I didn’t even feel like myself anymore; I was like a shell of my former self. And even my friends were like, “Yeah, you used to be so much goofier and so much more fun loving.” These were friends from high school that had seen me change and I’m like, “Wow. Really?” I got all upset, I was like, “How could I have changed, are you serious?” So I made it an effort to get more goofy and bring that aspect of my personality back into my life.
I guess I would just say – think about yourself at your happiest and aim for those kind of feelings and that kind of demeanor and that kind of happy place. You know, when you were at your happiest, whenever that was – what were you doing when you were at your happiest? And go and do that. When I was my happiest, I was singing and dancing and performing. In high school and college a little bit. And I was like, that’s what I need to do again – it’s the only thing that really makes me happy and really, the only thing I can do. I don’t have any other skills. [laughs] It’s true. I could not get a desk job.
Maybe that was fate. You know, meant to veer you in a certain direction?
I believe that’s true. I also believe I do not know Microsoft Office. [laughs] I don’t. I’m like, “Power…what?” I don’t know f***ing Access. I mean, I don’t even know Excel. Excel, what the f***? Anyway, spreadsheets – not my thing. Spreading wings, shaking it on the floor – that’s my thing. So, you know, you gotta find what your strengths are and I think the easiest way to find your strength is to look at where you were most happy in your life and what you were doing at that time.
Seher Sikandar is a Bay Area-based photographer and writer who covers art and lifestyle events. Check out her portfolio at rehescreative.com.
