King Princess kicked off her checkered Vans, letting them clatter onto her electric keyboard as she transitioned into the more upbeat part of her song “Ohio” from her album “Cheap Queen.” She knelt on her bed as she began to strum her acoustic guitar more aggressively, nodding along as she smiled to her virtual audience.

“I need you to virtually thrash with me for the second half,” she said to viewers before the start of the song.

The 21-year-old singer-songwriter performed a virtual live concert for Syracuse University students, faculty and staff Saturday night. University Union organized the event, held on Zoom, as part of its virtual programming during the coronavirus pandemic.

Virtual performances have become a new normal for artists during the COVID-19 pandemic. In early April, some of the world’s most influential music artists — including Stevie Wonder, Jennifer Lopez, Taylor Swift and John Legend — came together for the “One World: Together at Home” concert to raise funds for the World Health Organization. Other singers have turned to Instagram Live and other livestreaming platforms to engage with fans.

King Princess is known for her advocacy for the LGBTQ community and writes much of her music about her experience as a genderqueer and gay young adult.

“I think lesbian songs and quarantine kind of go together. For the first time we have a place,” she said.

King Princess sang six songs for SU students during her performance, including her hit single “1950.” She live-streamed the event from Hawaii, where she’s quarantining with her girlfriend Quinn Wilson, the creative director for singer Lizzo.

After two of her own songs, King Princess launched into a cover of Miley Cyrus’ “Slide Away.” She said the song reminded her of LGBT Pride Month.

“That girl can sing, she’s Pipes Ray Cyrus … it’s really weird telling jokes to yourself,” she said through laughter.

The artist made the performance specific to SU students, saying she would have played her more upbeat, intense tracks and brought audience members onto the stage to dance if she had gotten to perform live in Syracuse.

She even mentioned the popular Syracuse bar DJ’s on The Hill when introducing her song “1950,” which was released in 2018.

“You may have been in DJ’s just like getting over, probably, a man, but maybe a woman, and just screaming it,” she said.

Between songs, the artist sympathized with SU students about the events they’re missing because of the pandemic, such as Mayfest and graduation. She also apologized for not being able to give a show that was up to her usual standards.

“I know that this is not ideal,” she said. “I just wanted to say I hope you guys are all snuggled in with a glass of wine and just chilling.”

Throughout the virtual performance, SU students were able to get a more intimate look at the indie-pop star as she performed without her band and used an acoustic guitar. She wore a loose-fitting pair of overalls and a camouflage hat as she lounged in her bedroom and joked with Wilson, who was operating the camera during the livestream.

During quarantine, King Princess and Wilson have been making art, playing Nintendo Switch and watching TV, she said. She’s been trying to enjoy self-reflection in quarantine and encouraged SU students to do the same.

“Thank you for having me,” King Princess said. “I hope you guys are making some art or being creative during this time, because it’s so f*cking miserable, so you have to find what makes you happy and do it every day.”

 

Published on May 3, 2020 at 12:15 am

Contact Sydney: sabergan@syr.edu