September 5, 2025 |
There are some voices that stay with you. New York-based artist James K has one of those voices. Silky in its delivery and towering in its pitch, she uses it to languidly tumble through lyrics that address some of life’s most universal challenges. In Blinkmoth (July Mix), an early release off of her new album Friend, out today, she feels lost, with the lyrics “Reason, my love, and my life / Pass on by / Fading, saying, how will I find peace in my life?” preceding a chorus in which she pleads for certainty. “Give me a sign / Harder to lie / Harder to die, and I can feel you now / Believe it also might / Fade out asking the why?” There’s an intensity to her words and a resonance in the way she sings them; an enchanting mixture that has accrued fans extending well beyond The Big Apple.
Boasting a quarter of a million monthly listeners on Spotify, K’s talent is multifaceted. Her twinkling productions combine hyper-pop bones with shoegaze muscle, sharpened by shrugging breakbeat to create a body of work that feels distinctly hers. This talent is on full display in Friend, a 13-track exploration that moves from floating, trip-hoppy tracks like N’Balmed to experimental cuts like Lude (unwind) into angstier songs like On God. Here, we sit down with K to hear more about the tracks she’s excited to play live, the perfect environment for recording and how she feels about her upcoming ICA performance on December 3.
1. Who is James K?
A hypersensitive sweet freak making some sounds for your heart and mind.
2. Describe Friend in 10 words or less.
Being with yourself underneath the covers: daydreaming, crying and giggling.
3. If the album came with a scent, what would it smell like?
Vetiver, soil, smooth cedar, moss, fresh stem, musks, fir needle, black spruce, spiced tea, wet stone, pink peppercorn, dried rose, plastic bag, cotton candy, powder, campfire, cardamom, glitter nail polish, snow, a kiss, a lick, sunscreen, air, death, time.
4. What was your funnest memory from working on the record?
All of it.
5. Which song are you excited to play live and why?
On God – I’m going to play it with my friends on bass and guitar and perform as a band for a few tour dates. That song is really a ‘band-in-the-bedroom’ feel, it’s mostly live instrumentation, so it will be great to bring it to life in that way, at least for a few shows.
6. What is the perfect environment to listen to the record in?
Anywhere you feel comfortable to listen. It’s intimate, but there are also very extroverted moments, so you could be alone or with a friend(s). Different environments will yield different effects. I think a car on a long drive, is always nice, a train, a subway – being in transition could work, though I also think you could cuddle up in bed, put on some headphones and go on a trip with it.
7. With an album called Friend, were you thinking of any of your BFFs when you were writing the songs?
Yes.
8. Who’s a famous person you’d like to be friends with?
Santa.
9. What can we expect from your live show at the ICA coming up?
To cry.
10. What does the rest of the year hold for James K?
Hopefully kittens.
Photography by Juan Camilo Diez. Listen to ‘Friend’ here.
