KiNG MALA - “And You Who Drowned in The Grief of a Golden Thing”

Photography SHERVIN LAINEZ | Styling ROWAINE GRANT | Hair UM TAKAYUKI | Makeup FRANKIE BYRD

Interview TEDDY URBAN

KiNG MALA is a rising pop artist tracing the path of her El Paso upbringing, Los Angeles life and everything that lies in between. Her new album, “And You Who Drowned in The Grief of a Golden Thing”, searches through loss, strife and her journey to the other side of that. 

Fresh off her new album and its accompanying tour, we talked with KiNG MALA about non-musical influences, the album’s accompanying short film and what happens next.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

TEDDY URBAN: Your new record, “And You Who Drowned in The Grief of a Golden Thing”, pulls imagery, themes and aesthetics from horror films of all kinds. What led you to melding the world of horror into your music?

KiNG MALA: I’ve always been incredibly drawn to horror films and art. I knew I wanted this project to have a darker undertone and thought horror would be a perfect vehicle for that.

TU: You are often labeled as “goth” or “goth pop” online. Do you have a relationship with the goth genre, as it relates to legacy rock and pop acts like Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Cure, Bauhaus, etc.?

KM: I do! I definitely appreciate the genre as a whole, although it’s not really what I would call myself (even though we share a similarly spooky aesthetic). I do love being compared.   

TU: “And You Who Drowned..” is heavily referential towards symbols of religion, even going as far as reciting a twisted “Hail Mary” in the opening track. You’ve touched on similar themes in the past, with 2023’s “Spilt Milk” opening with a denouncement of faith, but this album feels to be much more direct and involved in those themes. What led you to exploring and presenting religion in this way on the new record?

Wearing EMMA J FOLEY | Cover photo wearing PEICEN JIANG

KM: I’ve always had an interesting relationship with religion. I grew up Catholic, was indoctrinated into a Baptist church in high school and denounced it all by the time I was 18. I find religion strangely beautiful and horrific at the same time–it’s a vehicle for fear and hate, while also being a gorgeous representation of our collective need to believe in something. The themes, art, metaphors, stories–it's all so interesting and wonderful to play with lyrically.   

TU: Pulling from either your upbringing in El Paso or your more recent residence in Los Angeles (or somewhere in between), is there a specific local or regional influence to your music that might not come across directly through the music? 

KM: I am drawn to and so inspired by the desert. There is a terrifying magic to it. It's so empty yet filled with life and so, so dangerous. Everything there wants to kill you: the land itself, the weather, the wildlife, not to mention the spiritual entities floating around out there. It’s like staring into a void.

TU: Were there any songs that came about early in the album writing process that helped you find the shape of the overall project?

KM: Yes! “Possession” was written on the first day of our album sessions and it definitely shaped the exploration of our characters. It felt like a perfect introduction and touchstone for how far we wanted to take it all.

TU: As I’ve sat with the album, I’ve really appreciated how closely the music carries the dynamic of a film score while still feeling earwormy and catchy. Were there any film scores or soundtracks that you referenced while putting the album together? 

KM: Ugh, yes! We were super inspired by film scores, but specifically referenced the scores for The Witch (2015) and Interstellar (2014)–some of our fave movies of all time. 

TU: The album’s accompanying short film of the same name, featuring depictions of open fields and powerlines, front yard inflatable pools, musky motel rooms and emphatic preachers, really gives the music a space to flourish in the visual realm. Have you always been interested in making a film companion to your projects, or was this an idea that came up specifically for your debut album? 

KM: I’ve always been drawn towards projects that lean as hard visually into their world as they do musically. When I’m making a project, it's one of the first things I start envisioning. It’s definitely something I’ve always wanted to do and prioritized for the debut album.

TU: Are there any other visual mediums that you involve in your songwriting or character/world-building process?

KM: I like to doodle and journal, and read and write poetry and essays while we work. My executive producer writes short stories and scripts, and my other EP loves to take film photos of us while we make our records. We love multi-medium art.

TU: During your recent performance at the Bowery Ballroom in New York, you pulled out a bass for “THE GRAND DECAY”. Do you have a particular relationship to the bass, either in terms of songwriting or performing?

KM: I love playing bass! It's the one instrument I have really, really gravitated towards, especially live. But also when we write, it's often where we start.

TU: I’ve seen your adorable dog, Pepper, in some videos online recently. If you could give her a credit in the liner notes of “And You Who Drowned…”, what would her title be?

KM: Ah! My sweet angel, I love her so much! I think her title would be “my shadow, my spirit animal, my strength.”

TU: The last few years have seen you take your music and image further down the goth and horror path. Is there another aesthetic realm you could see yourself exploring in the future? If so, do you see that being a part of KiNG MALA journey, or could another character arise?

KM: I’m really interested in sci-fi. Maybe that’s something that will make its way in some day.

TU: Lastly, if you could give a special thank you to anyone involved in the process of “And You Who Drowned…” who would it be?

KM: Ah, there are so many thank you’s that I would give: Kyle, Marly, Alex, Mike, Ryan, Anna, my choir girls, all the instrumentalists, my managers, to name a few. But I think the biggest thank you goes to Dan. He believed the hardest and started it all.

Wearing MIKAEL PONO