Dynamic alt-rock and R&B artist King Isis asserts their strength on the captivating, highly anticipated new EP, Shed. Inspired by Gloria E. Anzaldúa’s influential work Borderlands/La Frontera, the EP marks a transformative journey for the artist, who delves into themes of shedding old skin and purging negativity. Letting go of the weight of the past and embracing a radiant future, King Isis comes into their own — much like a snake shedding one’s skin for a fresh start. King Isis teased listeners with the mesmerising singles “MAKE IT UP” and “MONKI”, but now, fans are free to indulge in the full project.

King Isis is set to perform at The Great Escape twice, as well as headline at Third Man Records in Soho, followed by appearances at London Calling in Amsterdam and Outbreak Festival in Manchester.

We had the privilege of hearing from King Isis themselves about each track on the album…

“The act of shedding is one of the biggest themes on this project. ‘POISON’ is the introduction to diving into the most rejected parts of yourself. ‘POISON’ is a simpler song lyrically, but I put it on this EP because it sets the tone for what follows. It’s the beginning of synthesis with the shadows, entering the serpent. Inspired by Gloria Anzaldua’s Borderlands/La Frontera and her imagery of the serpent, it puts you into a place to confront the unknown. Anzaldua talks about the concept of serpent venom (or poison) as the shame and repression of one’s self. ‘POISON’ sonically personifies my battle with the serpent’s venom. I am still entering my serpent – its fangs still spread its poison through my body but as it seeps, I become invigorated by its power. ‘POISON’ is the moment/process of engulfment, submerging myself into the serpent in order to move through my shadows and find duality in the whole.”

“‘MAKE IT UP’ is also about the beginning of the process of uncovering, and the moment of feeling stuck in the serpent. I was in a relationship that clouded my sense of self – I felt lost, like I would never be enough without this person, and that this is all that there is for you. Sometimes when you hear something so much you start to believe it. I definitely forgot who I was for a while – basing my personhood on somebody who just wanted to control me. With the visual, it’s vampires taking my blood, taking away my light and life. Being by your side the whole time, like a succubus. At the end of the video, and at the end of the EP with the song ‘NVR RLLY’, I’m kind of unlearning that. I don’t actually need this person, I don’t need these things, and I can “shed” that. On a production level, this is the only song I didn’t start on the guitar. I started it on Logic at my house in Oakland, and the chorus got stuck in my head. This was the first project where I really experimented more with producing my own demos, which I’m realising now kind of personifies the growth and self-confidence the whole EP is kind of fighting for, so that’s cool.”

“Lyrically, this is my favorite song on the album. It’s about rediscovering a relationship with myself predicated on love rather than shame. I explore my relationship with spirituality on this song – something that I distanced myself from in order to fully accept myself. Growing up, religion was something that felt very suffocating and limiting to me, especially in regards to beliefs around queer identity. I feel like I’ve always been a spiritual person but that early influence definitely made my relationship with spirituality complicated and distant. Being on my own and being ok with myself and all parts of me, has made me rediscover a relationship with spirituality that I hadn’t before. ‘333’ is me stepping back into my relationship with spirituality.”

“‘333’ and ‘MONKI’ both represent my spirituality from different ends of the spectrum. I wrote ‘MONKI’ as a sonic representation of taking up space as my full authentic self. Growing up, I was surrounded by people who quantified their harmful beliefs on queer identities with religious ones. It took me a long time to reconcile/process those opinions and relationships, and find comfort/pride in my own identity. ‘MONKI’ is my response to that harmful environment. It is a rejection of the things I was hearing and what people were telling me, “Are you still married to faith? Did he save you today?” The energy of the song encapsulates this message of rejection, which makes it one of my favourite songs to perform live.”

“‘NVR RLLY’ is one of my favorite songs on the EP. I feel like as a songwriter and singer, I was reaching places that I was too scared to before – which also encapsulates the energy of the EP. Going into the unknown, etc. Writing this song forces me to be a better singer in a way – like a challenge to myself. Lyrically, the song reflects back to a relationship that was mentally, physically and emotionally destructive. Musically, the production traverses the journey of releasing myself from shame and blame, unleashing myself from this relationship and unlearning certain things. I think this song is the perfect ending to the EP as it represents the reclaiming of my space and myself in the process. I hope it resonates with people who also need to release pain and reclaim themselves as well.”