On shed, their recently released EP, King Isis makes music without stylistic or artistic limitations. “I credit my sound to my upbringing in Oakland,” Isis said. “There’s a diverse, vibrant musical community there. I grew up playing classical piano, on an instrument that once belonged to my great-great-grandmother, Omega King, one of the first Black opera singers in Chicago.
“My mom was always playing Outkast and Erykah Badu,” they continued. “In high school, I gravitated towards alternative rock artists like Paramore and Fall Out Boy, as well as singer/songwriters like Bright Eyes. All those influences helped form my sound. My artistic name is in honor of my great-great-grandmother, nodding to my matriarchal legacy and a challenge to gender norms.”
They called the new EP shed to represent many forms of release. “The songs are about the end of relationships—with toxic parts of myself, exes and other things,” Isis said. “I also wanted to keep the title in line with the themes of serpents across my projects. I called my first EP scales.
“I read a book by Gloria E. Anzaldúa called Borderlands/La Frontera,” they continued. “She uses the serpent as a symbol of divine femininity, a powerful thing that is feared. Snakes may have a negative connotation, but they are beautiful as well. They have a musical way of moving, and represent stepping into the unknown. Shed dives deeper into the darker parts of ourselves.”
Co-producers Jaden Wiggins and Martin Rodrigues, a.k.a. Hello Yello, helped put together the music on shed. “I make demos on my bed, with a notebook and acoustic guitar,” Isis said. “I bring an acoustic version of the track to Jaden to flesh it out.
“I usually have a clear vision of how the song should sound,” they added. “I play guitar, Jaden fills out the rest of the production with more guitar and bass. Martin goes over what we have and adds live drums. They help me fill out the sounds and energy I envisioned. They’re great collaborators.”
Shed opens with “Poison,” introduced by a catchy hook on electric guitar played by Isis and a backbeat by Rodrigues. They build to a memorable punk/metal chorus, softly sung/chanted by Isis against a background of distorted instruments. “Monki” has a hint of flamenco in the guitar introduction Isis plays. Subtle, acoustic strumming that blossoms into a mid-tempo rock chorus delivered by multi-tracked vocals, with a hint of gospel, accompanies the verses. It addresses the way religion often looks down on being queer.
Isis was born and raised in Oakland in a single-parent home. “My mom loves music and encouraged my artistic pursuits,” Isis said. “I started piano lessons when I was five, until I was around 15. I learned a lot, but it got too constrictive. I wanted to explore my own sound, so I taught myself guitar. I was in love with music, but wanted to try something I didn’t have experience with.”
In middle school and high school, they played guitar in all-girl cover bands, but attending predominantly white schools presented its own challenges. “I dealt with a lot of anxiety, depression, insecurity and feelings of being ‘less than,’” they said. “That made songwriting a safe, serene, comfortable place. I wrote a lot of songs, but I really found my voice when I moved to New York [to attend Barnard].
“I started performing at open mics,” they continued. “Seeing the response of people who cared about music was validating, and made me feel like this could actually be a career. After graduation I wanted to stay in New York, but it was too expensive. I love my family and had younger siblings, cousins and family I wanted to be closer to, so I came back to Oakland.”
Back home, Isis reconnected with Wiggins, a childhood friend who now worked as a producer. After putting out a few singles under their given name, they became King Isis and recorded scales. It was released last year. “I had to choose between grad school or going to L.A. to pursue music,” they said. Music won out and they moved to L.A., although they still spend time in Oakland with family and friends, as well as playing gigs.
King Isis will play Saturday, Aug. 17, at the 20th Emerald Cup, at Calvin Simmons Theatre at Henry Kaiser Center for the Arts, 10 10th St., Oakland. hjkarts.com.
