When I was first introduced to our featured artist by mutual friends in New York, I was quickly drawn to her style, sound, and passion to build a platform for creatives in her community. The Chicago native, who has been making major strides in the music scene as a DJ, is now forging a new path with all of her talents. Our artist wears many hats: she is a DJ, singer, songwriter, and creative director. She is a fully independent artist, always working and building on her craft & Kingdom.
Get familiar with the multi-hyphenate artist: King Marie.
Being an independent artist doesn’t come easy. No one really knows the sacrifice that goes into it unless they themselves are going through it. And even then the problems you face are unique to you. When we spoke about the ups and downs, and the challenges she’s faced in the industry, she told me about the importance of having her family, how they keep her grounded and are her greatest motivation. She comes from a very musical family; her mother was a successful Filipina singer, and her brothers are also successful DJ’s in their own right. It’s safe to say that music is in her blood.
Wanting to follow in her mother’s footsteps, King Marie moved to New York from Chicago in 2011 to focus on her singing career. Though it was hard for her to get her music off the ground in a new city, she had a great support system of creatives who helped and mentored her as she navigated life as a DJ. When she moved to LA in 2016, she chose to bet on herself and decided to DJ full-time. LA was good to King Marie, she made a lot of connections, collaborated with a lot of different artists, grew her skill, played a weekly party called Age/Sex/Location at The Lash in Downtown LA, and had the opportunity to tour with Chuck Inglish.
When she eventually moved back to Chicago she describes it as a “full-circle” moment. Stating, “Moving back to Chicago really was what made it all make sense for me. I feel like God was just waiting for me to come back home and be surrounded by the people that I love, be able to create the opportunities that I wanted for myself and help build a platform to help others.” She is the founder of Filipinx: a multifaceted, gender-inclusive movement that creates space for Filipinx creatives. And she is also the founder of Kingdom, a monthly party that just turned into a clothing line this year.
King Marie recently released her debut album: The Prelude. Her creative approach when making the album really speaks to her determination and willingness to be present within her craft. Going through her own personal journey and trying to find the balance between creating and dealing with life’s problems really taught her how to be ok with not being ok–that there’s comfort in solitude. It’s a lesson in using those heavy moments, and instead of letting it weigh you down, finding a way to learn and build from the pain, which I think, at its core, is what the album is about.
What’s the inspiration behind the name?
So, my full name is Christine Marie. When I started out singing I went by my name. It took me a really long time to even just appreciate my name or like my name. I always thought it was so long to try and write out etc. You know, I'm sure everyone has their own feelings about their names, but for me, it just didn't feel as fitting as I needed it to be to resonate with me as an artist. So as a DJ, me calling myself King, you know, I was just like, well, why not? I've always been that person that questioned everything and wanted to break stereotypes or just challenge ideas and voiced my opinion heavily. It’s expected for a woman to name herself Queen, but I'm already a Queen, you know what I mean? I want the King title, too. Just naming myself King kind of started this inner uproar within myself, and helped me find the balance between my masculinity & femininity.
“It’s expected for a woman to name herself Queen, but I'm already a Queen, you know what I mean? I want the King title, too.“
You actually started your career as a singer. What prompted the transition to DJ?
I mean, it kind of was just really organic in regards to how it happened, but it was more or less because I couldn't pay for studio time or find producers right away to work within a brand new city. I was really spoiled in Chicago; my best friend owned a studio where I recorded, which is where I still record now, and I had best friends that were producers. So, everything was at my fingertips in Chicago. When I moved to New York, I started from scratch, which I never thought about, you know, I just knew that I wanted more and tried to fill in the gaps. I had more accessibility to mentors that were DJ’s in the city, and so I figured I'm going to try and learn a new skill, and put my energy into learning how to DJ. Then I moved to LA in 2016—another city where no one knew who I was, but that move ended up playing a big part in my career. I made some really solid ties. LA was my first time being a full-time DJ, and really betting on myself; I made sure to take every gig, and just let the music speak for itself. Moving back to Chicago really was what made it all make sense for me. I feel like God was just waiting for me to come back home and be surrounded by the people that I love, be able to create the opportunities that I wanted for myself and help build a platform to help others.
Congrats on recently releasing your debut album “The Prelude”! What was the creative process like?
That in itself was a journey. I knew that I wanted to put the music out by either Spring or Summer of this year. The album took about 8 solid months in the studio. One of the songs was done by March of last year, but I still wasn't consistently in the studio and trying to put a date on something. Then came Summer of 2018, and it was nonstop, and by fall I had to create for the sake of my sanity. It was like if I don't get this out of me or if I don't try I'm never going to feel whole or good about what's happening in my life. The process was beautiful; no one knows your limits except you, and if you don’t push yourself all the way how will you know? I had overworked myself to the point of depression, but I was able to be in the studio and push through it, and have the music be what my expression and my feelings were, which is a part of what saved me.
Do you have any other projects in the works?
Girl! There’s always a project (laughs)! This is the first time I’ve been able to map out a year ahead. Just because I've had a full year of running my business and learning from what worked and didn't work because I've just always had so much going on. I have my own passion projects and I’m building a brand called Filipinx, which is a multifaceted, gender-inclusive movement that creates space for Filipinx creatives. The events and programs are planned around Filipino American History Month, and we collaborate with different Filipinx brands and creatives. Kingdom is my monthly party that this year turned into a clothing line. It’s my first time doing merchandise. Kingdom is for everybody—whether you're wearing a piece of clothing, if you're listening to a mix or if you come to the party, it's always the King Marie experience. My Kingdom is for everybody to share.
Who/What is your biggest motivation?
You know, it's a cliché answer, but really, it's my family. It’s all the people that I love so much that are in my life that really inspire me. I would know nothing without them. My mom just received an award for the Chicago Filipino Asian American Hall of Fame. I'm so proud. And really it all started with her. Her legacy is my and my brothers’ legacies and the model of our careers, and what we do is the model for what my nieces and nephews and my future children are going to be able to look at. I wouldn't be here, I wouldn't know that this was possible if my mom didn't set an example, if my brothers didn't teach me everything they knew about music. I don't think it was accidental that we were put together in this lifetime and this goes to not only my family but friends, too.
You mentioned that you experienced a lot of personal obstacles at the end of 2018 that pushed you to make some hard changes. In situations where life happens; you’re going through so much and still have to work & create, how do you get out of your head and become more present?
For me, it’s the things that keep me grounded. So, my family, but more specifically the children in my life. It always reminds me of what is important, you know? There are so many babies in my life that I love so much. I’m a godmother and an aunt, and just being able to watch them grow over the years always reminds me of what’s important. Although it's exhausting in another way, it still gives me the energy that I need to kind of get back to center; it gives me back the perspective that I need.
What do you hope people take away from your music?
I hope people can relate. I look at music as such a healing tool and I know what music has done for me. It's one of the only things that connect us. You don't necessarily have to have the same language to understand, you know what I mean? Like we can speak through music and understand each other. So, having that little bit of connection is really all that I would ever hope for. I hope that someone knows that they're not alone in whatever situation, to know that they're not the only person that's lonely, or that they're not the only person who's been through heartbreak. I hope my vulnerability helps somebody get through something—that through my music they’ll take a little piece of me.
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Interview by Rahel Tekle