St Louis Celebrates Queer Rock with King Princess
- Michelle Zigler
- 4 days ago
- 2 min read
As the year winds down, concert season is still going strong in St. Louis with epic performances, one right after the other. Earlier this month, The Pageant was met with the voices of two incredible women to keep the music momentum going. As part of her newest release Girl Violence, King Princess made a visit to the midwest, bringing with her the rock and roll queer pop energy we all know and love.
To kick off the evening, Claire Chicha, known on stage as Spill Tab, delivered a beautiful performance for audience members with her breathy and soft vocals, and moody bedroom-pop beat. Based in Los Angeles, Claire brought Spill Tab to life in late 2019, with her music taking off in popularity during 2020 right in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. For the last six years, Spill Tab has continued to gain traction and make a dent in the music industry with her dreamy singing and songwriting, with a unique blend of both English and French lyrics.
It was mesmerizing watching her on stage not only because of her experimental combination of sound, but also because of how she carried herself as she performed. Spill Tab is all about movement, with her body and her hair never still, fluidly in motion as if floating underwater. It was a fun but laid back performance, and a terrific way to introduce the audience to her newest album, ANGIE.
The energy cranked up to full blast once King Princess was ready to make her appearance. With large stage lights shining bursts of light from either side, King Princess came strutting on stage accompanied with the soundtrack of hundreds of voices cheering her on. Everyone in the venue was glowing with happiness at that moment, and King Princess beamed with her infectious smile all night long.
King Princess is the stage name for the singer songwriter, Mikaela Mullaney Straus, who has been heavily involved in music since childhood. From Brooklyn, New York, Mikaela debuted herself as King Princess with the release of “1950,” her first single, in 2018. Since then, King Princess has made herself known as a prominent talent in music, especially with her recognition of the queer community through her inclusive songwriting. Her voice, smokey and unforgettable, transforms traditional pop and alternative music with a unique blend of vintage glamour and gritty rock. Combining this with upbeat songs about queer love, it’s impossible not to love the projects King Princess brings to life.
The Pageant shook with a bubbly and vibrant energy throughout the night as King Princess performed a crafted set of old and new favorites. The audience was either passionately singing along, or laughing at all of the jokes and humor King Princess and her band dished out between songs. The real charm of this concert wasn’t just the music, but the feeling of connection and togetherness among everyone standing in that room. It was as if for one night we weren’t strangers, but rather friends, and that is a type of magic not many musicians can encapsulate.
