Not many artists have truly stared down death. Alt-pop chanteuse King Elle Noir has been there, done it twice, and so much more.
King Elle Noir has had quite a year in 2020. She has emerged as one of LA’s most intriguing new acts crafting an impressively original sound while penning hits for stars like Wale, Tommy Lee, and Pussycat Dolls - all while defying a fatal disease. It’s the handiwork of an artist who has, maybe more than any other, truly earned the tag “fearless”.
Emerging as a classically trained pianist in backwater Utah, King Elle Noir had beaten kidney cancer and ran away to Nashville and scored a country hit for Marie Osmond by just 18. Sensing bigger things ahead, she moved to Los Angeles, quickly establishing herself as an in-demand songwriter collaborating with Saweetie, IV Jay, Itzy, and many more. In 2017, Elle received devastating news - a new chronic illness had claimed one of her kidneys and would now have her on dialysis three times a week. “I can either drown myself or crown myself”, King says, and in this time, she chose the latter, anointing herself king of her own destiny.
King hunkered down with Los Angeles' top producers, crafting an enigmatic, genre-bending sound melding contemporary R&B instrumentation with gorgeous, lush melodies while creating her own brand of IDGAF pop instincts. The end result is both hilarious and heartbreaking - honest storytelling wrapped in alternative ear-candy.
King Elle Noir utilizes her unique journey and talents in an honest way to speak up for people that go through what she does and to show others that anything is possible no matter your situation.
We caught up with her earlier this week after the release of her new single "Skills" to discuss the 5 things that inspire her the most...
1. Vulnerability & Authenticity
Seeing people be 100% real and allowing themselves to feel vulnerable is my favorite thing to see. We live in a world full of filters and facetune so it can be really hard to embrace our imperfections not just physically but so much deeper than that as well. I think that honest music is the best music - it reaches the most people and touches the most hearts, and realizing that and applying it to my own music is that number one thing that has carried my career. & Knowing that there are others out there who are comfortable feeling vulnerable helps me feel comfortable with it as well, and I can only hope to do the same for others.
2. Travel
My music and my LIFE changed after living abroad for 2 years. Experiencing new cultures, cuisines, music, social norms, etc., never fails to make me a better person. We are all so different yet we are all perfect just the way we are, and if you stay in one place your whole life that may be harder for you to understand. It also helps me to unplug from the hustle of everyday life, recharge, and get inspired. I will never stop traveling, being on dialysis makes it much harder, but it will never stop me.
3. Taking breaks
I always tell everybody that your time off is just as important, if not more important, than your time on. Even if it’s something as simple as taking a bubble bath with a glass of wine and a face mask, it is SO crucial especially for us creatives. When you’re a creative, you never get to clock out. Your ideas are always spinning around in your mind even at 3 AM and saying that it’s exhausting is an understatement. We just want to grind and grind and grind nonstop which risks a potential burnout. But nothing re-sparks that passion like taking some much needed time off in whatever way you choose to.
4. Health & Fitness/ The human body
Being a cancer survivor and current dialysis patient has made health and fitness a huge part of my life. I used to feel negatively toward it because I thought that it was something I was no longer capable of and it made me upset at my body. But over time I have learned how miraculous and forgiving and UNIQUE our bodies are. What works for one body may not work for someone else’s and I think that’s so beautiful, and it is so inspiring to watch people figure out what is best for them. Feeling good and as energetic as possible is crucial to a happy life and successful career. If i ever feel drained, I’ll make a healthy meal and do some yoga and I always bounce back without fail.
5. Live Music
Have you ever been so inspired that it physically and emotionally drains you? Well, I have! Live music actually inspires me so much that I tend to avoid it. I am very cautious about when I go to a show because of the overwhelming passion I feel every single time actually destroys me in the best way possible. Knowing that the people on that stage, big or small, are living out a dream that they worked so hard for is a feeling like no other, I get so happy for them and so proud of myself for not giving up that I just sob for the entire show. LOL. Other people’s success inspires me and lets me know that my goals are absolutely attainable. It keeps me going.
Check out the latest visual for King Elle Noir's single "Skills" below and follow her on Instagram!