Photography: Rebecca Lader / beccalader

Words: Guilherme Ferrari / gferrari____

Embodying their diversified set of talents, singer and songwriter Kat Cunning / katcunning is an advocate as well as an artist, and is on their way to create real change, hoping to inspire people to do it through their music. After just having signed on with LAVA records, Cunning released their video for new single “Supernova (tigers blud)” from their upcoming debut EP, and is starring in Netflix’s Trinkets playing Sabine and performing their own songs on the show.

Dive into the chat we had, which hits on the story behind their new single, being queer in the industry today, and the process behind their debut EP.

First of all, please tell us about your background, where did you grow up?

Grew up in a small town in Oregon. There were watertowers and cul de sacs and my family is Greek. My Greek name is Zographos which means “artist/painter.”

What was your relationship with music and acting like? What sparked your interest in becoming an artist?

I never gave any thought to becoming a musician or actor. I always wanted to be a dancer. In my first dance gig I told them I could sing and they booked me. The Times reviewed it inquiring about my album and that was the start of my music career. I always wanted to be an actor but I came at it from a dance angle too. My first Broadway role opposite Liev Schreiber and Janet Mcteer featured my singing and dancing and I’m very excited to keep doing it. I believe storytelling is at the heart of all these crafts and when I trust in the story I’m telling, the work is worth sharing. I am not inspired to break the perfect silence of the earth to share “what I can do.”

What about early artistic influences?

Early artistic influences include Judy Garland, Justin Timberlake, Jim Carey and the Bolshoi Ballet.

How would you define your process when writing a song? Do you have any ritual?

I don’t have a ritual but it is very hard for me to write a song with more than one instrument playing. The words are very important to me and I get very easily overwhelmed if the composition is being defined before the lyric. That being said, it’s something I’m working on. It definitely shapes my writing to put the lyric and melody before the production and I will admit to loving songs that are production dependent. I am hoping to find the Timbaland to my Justin.

And when exploring a character?

I’m pretty method. I love to live in parallels to my character. It’s not the healthiest approach but I love to feel as though the character is real for me. Here’s hoping I never play a meth addict.

What is it like to be a young queer artist in the industry today? What do you perceive from within and what shifts would you like to see?

I want to see queerness become less tokenized. Tell more stories with queer people involved that don’t center around queer issues or style the character as super counter culture. Feature queer artists on publications that speak to their work as well as their sexuality/queerness. Normalize people who love who they love. Normalize “they/them” pronouns.

What would you count as the most rewarding experience of your career?

Playing Mtelus in Montreal opening for LP. The crowd was huge and hugely dedicated to the night. The lights and sounds were perfect. It may as well have been the Grammy’s and I’m eager for the chance to play those.

You recently released your single “Supernova (tigers blud)”, what is the story behind it?

I wrote the lyric in 15 minutes (while the girl I was crazy for was ignoring me). It’s a mess of imagery from our time together. I love that it sounds like a happy love song but is actually about the destruction and bravado of love. It’s about how love can make you feel 3x your size and overpromise things you have no control over. A supernova is a beautiful ball of gas that burns your face hair off. It’s not really a happy song.

The song is featured in Netflix’s “Trinkets” second season. Tell us about your experience while performing on the series and playing Sabine.

I loved playing Sabine and working with the people in Trinkets. Frankly, it was hard to be such a bitch in season two, but Sabine and Elodie couldn’t have been a match. I channeled my first girlfriend who was much older than me. She had a magnetism and a power over me, and even though she eventually broke my heart, I’m glad for the way she ripped it open showed me the ropes.

What would you say you both have in common?

Hopefully we’re both magnetic and wild and good at music. My mom quoted the show in a text today saying “good morning my pansexual narcissistic rock goddess.” Honestly... not mad at that.

You’re working on your first EP. How’s the process going? What can people expect from it?

The songs are a long time in the making, and I’m just working on getting the production/story to a cohesive place now. It’s a pretty earnest documentation of my love life from the first girlfriend I mentioned earlier. This EP is lead by Supernova as a single which is about the connection between bravery and vulnerability and my overall mission statement to love courageously. I think the EP is about the dangers and victories of living that way.

Last, but not least, where do you eat your favorite french fries?

Anywhere I can get a crispy shoelace with a milky mash inside and the simple dash of salt to fuck it up. Damn. I’m hungry.