Over the last 20 years, the music industry has seen growth in all different facets. From advancements in producing software, the development of almost entirely new genres, artists have been pushing boundaries– something that has always rang true in music, but never more so than now.
Growing up before the 2000s, many of us who labeled ourselves “queer” (or otherwise) didn’t have nearly as much representation as we would have liked. The Birdcage was a movie highly regarded as “controversial” at best, and gay characters in television and film were always hidden in some way or another.
After the birth of t.A.T.u.’s “All The Things She Said” and Christina Aguilera's “Beautiful” in 2002, however, it was as if the flood gates opened. At least in the minds of developing LGBTQIA+ youths. Suddenly, songs came pouring in, and the waves all seemed to continuously tell us, “You’re not alone. You’re allowed to exist. We see you, we understand you, we love you.”
That sentiment has rung true now as time progresses. With more and more artists being open about their sexuality and gender identities, as well as allies speaking up loudly, it doesn’t take a whole lot of effort these days to turn over a stone and find someone with a platform and a voice.
With PINKNOISE, there is a massive emphasis on the voice aspect. The person behind that voice is Kasey Foxx, a non-binary powerhouse who has already shown us, even before the release of their debut EP HUMAN=KIND, that they have everything that it takes to blow the entire genre of metalcore apart from the inside out.
Recently, I was fortunate enough to speak with Kasey all about their most recent singles, their views on hope, aspirations, and, more importantly, what it means to be unapologetically yourself.
Q: Your last single, "BITTERSWEET", got you a nice little write-up on Billboard! What was it like when you first saw that?
A: I'll admit, I was initially shell-shocked to see the Billboard mention for "BITTERSWEET". It's a song that means so much to me, and so to see it get a mention from Billboard was a dream come true. Lots more to come, hopefully!
Q: What was the inspiration behind your sound? Is it music that you were attracted to when you were growing up, or the knowledge of what would suit your vocal abilities the best?
A: There isn't necessarily one source of inspiration for my sound. I think every kid grows up listening to their parents' collection of music and then grows into their own taste, evolving from those roots. My parents listened to lots of rock, metal, pop, and country music growing up, so naturally, I gravitated towards all of those genres. From Rascal Flatts and Keith Urban to Slipknot and Linkin Park, I started to eventually dive deeper into these scenes and found that metal had scratched the right itch in my soul. I started listening to the early metalcore stuff like Asking Alexandria and The Devil Wears Prada, and just fell in love with the contrast in sounds.
It was like hearing my two worlds collide for the first time. It just became evident that my love for pop choruses and heavy breakdowns was what I wanted more of in music. I listen to everything now, too, from hyperpop to indie records. I just love music and the intention behind an artist that knows how to wear their heart on their sleeve. So I think a big inspiration for my sound is just to experiment with different genres and sounds that I love. It feels like a piece of me.
Q: You’ve stated before that you were in a band for several years before things dissolved. That has to be quite a grieving process, and learning to make music as a solo artist is, I would assume, a pretty drastic difference. How has this changed the approach you take to writing?
A: I was in a band for six years, and don't get me wrong, I had some amazing moments. Played my first tour, played many notable shows with bigger artists, and even played some large festivals. All of those things were amazing. At the end of the day, anybody that's been in a band can tell you that it's hard to be in a band. There are so many relationships to build in a band, not just with each other but with promoters, other bands, industry people, and maintaining your relationships outside of the band. These are all really hard things to navigate, ESPECIALLY as someone who is in their early twenties and doesn't know up from down.
Ultimately, some relationships flourish and some deteriorate. Unfortunately for my band, ours did not flourish. I felt like there was a huge disconnect in how much work needed to be done in order to see success from the band, and the dedication levels varied so drastically from person to person. It got really hard for me to be making a majority of the music, mixing, mastering, marketing, making content, booking the shows, and transportation, amongst other things that needed to be done. All of it was too much for one person to take on, and I tried to do it for as long as I could, but eventually it didn't make sense for me anymore. I felt like I was just pulling weight that I didn't have to, and I was so unhappy with how I was treated and where we were with our success after all of the work I was putting in. It's still a hard thing for me to wrap my head around because you always want to succeed with your best friends, but I felt like I was doing such a great disservice to myself by carrying on that way.
I wish nothing but the best for everyone always, but I just needed to leave to see what I had in front of me. Things started lining up, and I felt a weight lifted off of my shoulders once I felt like I wasn't doing this all for little return anymore. The music aspect has changed a lot since I now work with a producer (Hiram Hernandez) for the first time in my career, but the writing process is actually easier now that I feel like I can focus on being an artist and less on being a producer and all of the other DIY things I was doing before. I feel so much lighter, and that is the biggest blessing of all. There are challenges that come with being a solo artist, but I'm trying to take those in stride and just learn to have fun when I can.
Q: Can you tell me a little bit about "LANDMINE"? It’s a song that I think almost every person who falls under the LGBTQIA+ community has felt at least once in their lives. Was this an anthem to them or something that you’ve felt yourself?
A: This wasn't necessarily intended to be an anthem for that, but more an anthem for me to be proud of who I am and how far I've come in my journey, but over time it became about celebrating things that make me who I am and who WE are as people. Being myself is not the easiest thing when I feel like people pre-determine if they love or hate me upon first glance, and I know many in the LGBTQIA+ feel the same way on a daily basis. It creates lots of doubt within myself, but I have to remember that I am just trying to live like everyone else. Authentically and happily as myself. It means so much that this can be a beacon of hope for others, as it's been for me, but also just anyone that feels like they've suffered from any sort of discrimination.
When I hear my song positively impacted someone, I feel out of body.
Artists have done that for me in my life, so to think that if I've given someone even remotely close to that same feeling through sharing my music with them, is the greatest feeling in the world for me. I don't think anything is ever set in stone, but to defy stereotypes by just being a good person is all the groundwork I can lay on my behalf. I can't control other people, but all I can do is tell my story the best I can and hope that resonates with whoever it does.
Q: People call you a “genre bender”; do you feel that’s an apt description? I ask because it’s so fitting for someone who actively challenges the gender binary– it only makes sense for you to try to bring that defiance into your art.
A: I feel like I definitely try to incorporate lots of unique blends from genre to genre, but still hover around the rock and metal lane. I try to make art that feels purposeful and full of intention, whether that be for me or for anyone that enjoys listening to my music. I think that the more I can bend genres, the more I can show people what I am capable of, and if I can do it in a new and exciting way while still being me, that's all I can ask for. I think rock music was built on defiance and breaking the norms. I definitely want to cause lots of noise in the scene by being different, and I think I'm starting to see some of that. PINKNOISE is an extension of myself, but really, it's a movement to just be uniquely you. That there are no rules to being successful, but it's built upon the eye of the successor.
If you can dream it, you can be it.
Q: Those screams can be difficult on the overall voice box. Were you self-taught, or have you had any sort of lessons? How do you keep up with the vocal hygiene required to keep up with that sort of work out?
A: I am self-taught completely as a vocalist, from singing to screaming. I have always wanted to take lessons and hopefully one day will have the means to, but by no means am I as vocally in shape as I could be. I try to do breathing exercises, hydrate lots, and take it easy, especially on days off where I'm not singing. I'm not perfect by any means when it comes to vocal hygiene, but I do what I can when I can. Warm-ups in the lower and higher registers, and again, hydration is extremely helpful! Hoping to learn more vocal remedies to give myself a long vocal life.
Q: Of the songs on your upcoming EP, we’ve already heard a few of them. Would you be able to pinpoint which one is your favorite? Whether that’s because it ended up sounding exactly the way you envisioned, or because it’s the most fun vocally.
A: This is such a hard question to answer because I love them all for different reasons. But I think the most fun for me vocally is "WHY ARE WE CALLING IT LOVE?" There are so many vocal runs, the top line is infectiously catchy, and the heavy part is insanely heavy. It's got the perfect fusion to me and gives me a lot of what I miss about bands like ISSUES being in the scene. There are some awesome bands still doing the R&B style vocals on the metal/rock front, but I don't think anyone was doing it quite like ISSUES was. They were a huge inspiration to me as a teen, so I definitely want to bring intricacy to the table both vocally and instrumentally. Luckily, my collaborator Hiram is always on the same page about the delivery of the music. That being said, "NEVER LAST" is also super fun to sing. The ad-libs at the end are my favorite part of that whole song.
Q: I’ve noticed that a lot of your songs have a through-line that’s very hopeful– like you’re still able to see the good through all of the bad that we see around us. What do you hope for? What are the things that you want to see flourish in your life in spite of those darker times?
A: All I can ask for is purpose and happiness. My purpose is music; the happiness comes from the ability to play music and spread love wherever I go, enjoying the days I have with those I love. Everyone goes through hard times, and music is a way to release all of the emotions we sometimes just don't have the words to say. At least for me, it is anyway.
I try to take away the negatives with positives, and sometimes you don't net positive, and that is okay. You're not always gonna come out of what you're going through unscathed, but if you learned a lesson from it and you can still remain a good person with good intentions, I think that's still considerably a win. I always try to look at the positives even if there aren't many.
Because sometimes I need to hold onto the hope I can't see, and maybe believing is enough.
Q: What do you think little Kacey would say if they could see you now? Do you think they would be proud?
A: I like to think that they would be. I love fearlessly, I'm married to my best friend, and I'm making art that inspires me and hopefully many others.
For as long as I can remember, it's been a dream to do music. Some people I've looked up to my whole life are now some of my closest friends and peers. It's very surreal sometimes, but I am very grateful to continue putting out the art that I do.
Q: With your EP out in August, what are the plans for PINKNOISE going forward? More music or music videos? Live performances? What can we look forward to next in your journey (if you’re allowed to say)?
A: Definitely lots more music after this EP. I can't say too much, but you won't be able to ignore it. The noise will be so loud, you'll be missing out if you're not already there.
Lots to come, lots of announcements to be made. I guess we'll have to wait and see.
On August 15, the world will finally be able to feast their ears upon the entirety of HUMAN=KIND, and anyone with the willingness to listen will be able to truly hear the meaning behind the music.
While Kasey may not be intending to write anthems, they’re certainly managing to do just that regardless. I’d say that takes quite a bit of effortless talent, and says quite a bit about the future of PINKNOISE and where we go from here.
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