Kim Petras doesn't care about anything anymore.
Three years after her landmark collaboration with Sam Smith on "Unholy," for which she won a Grammy, the German singer reflects on her new self-released album, leaving the industry far behind, and regrets being so open about her transgender transition before she was 13.
She admitted that she doesn't have a marketing budget, and relies on sponsors and "collaborating with people" to create her new album. Detour .
«"If you work with the wrong people who don't care about the artist and their work, it all comes down to money," Petras told the publication. The Fader . "You become a commodity and, in many ways, an object of ridicule. That's exactly how I felt.".
According to Petras, whether it was touring in support of "Unholy" or dealing with corporate assholes, "it all felt pointless." She also recalled being repulsed by a label executive's statement: "You're our first transgender artist.".
«"It was unpleasant. It just felt uncomfortable being put on display. I want to be an artist. That means not doing things that don't satisfy me. For example, I just performed at Berghain, and it was amazing.".
In his new interview with the publication The Fader Petras explained that her new song "Brutalist" marks the first time she has addressed her transgender identity.
«"This is the story of how my father and I traveled across Germany to get hormone therapy when I was a child," Petras said. . «"Now that I'm in America, there's so much shame around sex, sex education is taboo, and there's such a strange atmosphere right now, especially around transgender kids. They're the enemy right now... in this political climate. I'm glad I can support transgender kids who can transition and become adults. I made the right choice, and I'm still proud of it.".
Petras also responds to haters who say she transitioned too young and "ruined" her life.
«"People say I've ruined my body and my life. They don't know me at all. They don't know my story, that I've seen many psychologists and doctors, and that it was truly serious, that I was examined. It saved my life. And then there are people who say, 'It saved your life, but you ruined everything.'".
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This article originally appeared on Out: Kim Petras says she's proud to have started her transgender transition at age 12.
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