.Flay was born Kristine Meredith Flaherty in Wilmette, Illinois, on June 30, 1985. She attended nearby New Trier High School. When she was seven, her parents divorced and her mother remarried soon after, bringing in a stepbrother and a stepsister. When she was 14 years old, her biological father—a guitarist who loved all musical genres—died of undisclosed causes related to his alcoholism; many of her songs include references to him. Flaherty's stepfather helped raise her and later adopted her. She has described herself as a tomboy during childhood, preferring baggier clothing and rejecting "all things girly". In 2003, she enrolled at Stanford University, pursuing a double major in psychology and sociology. According to Flaherty, many people she met during her time at Stanford influenced her musical style.
K.Flay began her music career in 2003, believing that most hip-hop hits on the radio were "simplistic, misogynistic and formulaic". After bragging to a friend that she could write similar songs, she wrote "Blingity Blang Blang", which she described as a "low-budget rap parody that contained far too many obscenities". After writing and performing the song, Flaherty realized that she enjoyed writing and recording music. She continued to experiment with music by writing songs and performing and recording them on her computer. She released a mixtape called Suburban Rap Queen in 2005, which she produced on her laptop, and began performing.
In 2010, K.Flay released her self-titled EP, and in 2011 self-released the mixtape I Stopped Caring in '96, which she later remarked was a career turning point. K.Flay signed with RCA Records in 2012, releasing two EPs: Eyes Shut in 2012, with songs produced by Liam Howlett from the British band The Prodigy, and What If It Is in 2013. She parted ways with RCA Records in 2013 because of differences of opinion. Upon leaving RCA Records, she left behind more than 60 songs she had written while signed under RCA Records, but no longer owned the rights to. K.Flay has described her time with RCA Records as similar to "an ill-advised marriage".
In late April 2014, K.Flay announced the release of her album Life as a Dog, by offering fans the ability to pre-order via PledgeMusic, reaching 196 percent of her initial goal. She wanted the project to be "DIY [and] self-motivated". It was recorded and produced in New York City, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, with the final mix produced at San Francisco's Different Fur.
Life as a Dog was released independently on June 10, 2014. The album reached No. 14 on the Billboard Rap Albums chart and No. 2 on the Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart. K.Flay toured extensively once the album was released, including headlining a tour and joining tours with AWOLNATION, Third Eye Blind, and Dashboard Confessional in 2014. In 2014 and 2015 she toured Germany, France, and other European countries. K.Flay also performed on the Warped Tour in 2014, saying that it "was almost like an exercise in becoming a better performer".
In 2015, K.Flay collaborated with Louis the Child on their song "It's Strange". The single was praised by Taylor Swift, who added "It's Strange" as one of her "Songs That Will Make Life Awesome" list and was featured on the FIFA 16 soundtrack. The song peaked at number 38 on the Billboard Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart. On March 25, 2016, K.Flay released her single "FML". Later that year, K.Flay announced she had signed to Interscope Records as the first artist signed to Dan Reynolds' Night Street Records imprint. Her EP Crush Me was released 10 days later on August 19. The EP's song "Blood in the Cut" appeared on the soundtrack for XXX: Return of Xander Cage, Netflix's original series BoJack Horseman (season 4, episode 6), and in a 2017 NFL promo commercial drive.
K.Flay's album Every Where Is Some Where was released on April 7, 2017. The album's first single, "High Enough", was released in March 2017. She was the opening act for the North American and European legs of Imagine Dragons' Evolve Tour. In September 2017, Flay released the book Crush Me, a compilation of notes received from fans. At the 60th Annual Grammy Awards, "Blood in the Cut" received a nomination for Best Rock Song, and Every Where Is Some Where was nominated for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical.
On March 1, 2019, K.Flay announced that she was working on her third studio album and released a lyric video for its first single, "Bad Vibes". On March 19, the official music video for "Bad Vibes" was released.[35] On April 29, K.Flay revealed that the new album would be titled Solutions and announced the Solutions Tour. The album was released on July 12, 2019.
In December 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, K.Flay released a three-track EP called Don't Judge a Song by Its Cover which saw her covering "Break Stuff" by Limp Bizkit, "Self Esteem" by The Offspring, and "Brain Stew" by Green Day.
In April 2021, K.Flay announced that a five-track EP called Inside Voices would be released on June 11. The first song from the EP, "Four Letter Words", was released with a music video on April 23. The second song, "TGIF" featuring Tom Morello on guitar, was released with an animated visual on May 21.
In early 2021, K.Flay began live streaming on Twitch; she uses the platform to interact with fans, host live interviews with other musicians, and create and mix original songs in real-time. She also performed at the 2021 Grey Cup halftime show with Arkells and The Lumineers.'' On November 19, 2021, K.Flay released a second five-track EP entitled Outside Voices. The EP's first single, "Nothing Can Kill Us", was released on October 15, 2021; its accompanying music video was released on November 4. A second single, "Weirdo", was released on November 17, two days before the release of the EP. On February 4, 2022, K.Flay's fourth studio album Inside Voices / Outside Voices, was released. The album combines the Inside Voices and Outside Voices EPs along with two additional tracks, "The Muck", and "Good To Drive"
K.Flay has cited a wide range of musicians such as Royal Blood, Missy Elliott, Garbage, Lauryn Hill, Tame Impala, Jeremih, Metric, M.I.A., OutKast, Liz Phair, Cat Power, and Shlohmo as influences. Her work has covered genres including hip-hop, alternative hip-hop, indie, and pop-rock. She has described her sound as "genre-defying" and draws from lo-fi pop and hip-hop with a strong indie component in her sound.
Bad Memory
K.Flay Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Got some number written sloppy on your palm, it's over
Yeah, I recognize just who you truly are, a liar
So I set all of your records and your clothes on fire
Like what's up? I'm gone now
Feeling good, feeling great, I'm a don now
Like bye-bye, I'm set free
You're just a bad memory
You're just a bad memory
(Just a bad memory)
I counted every time it hurt, one thousand
Swear to God, I smell someone else on your shirt, no doubt
You made me question everything I thought I knew, a lesson
So I learned how to manipulate the world, a blessing
Like what's up? I'm gone now
Feeling good, feeling great, I'm a don now
Like bye-bye, I'm set free
Not on my mind, no lie, you're just a bad
You're just a bad memory
You're just a bad memory
Evil boy, what a shame
You tattooed my name
On your neck like a chain
Time, it heals the pain
Time, it heals the pain
Evil boy, what a shame
You tattooed my name
On your neck like a chain
(Just a bad memory)
Bad, bad, bad memory
Bad, bad, bad memory
Bad, bad, bad memory
Bad, bad, bad memory
Bad, bad, bad memory
Bad, bad, bad memory
Bad, bad, bad memory
Bad, bad, bad memory
The lyrics to K.Flay's song "Bad Memory" tell the story of a painful breakup or end to a relationship. The first verse describes the moment the singer finds her partner naked and hungover on the floor, with a phone number written on their hand, leading her to realize that her partner is a liar. The chorus repeats the phrase "you're just a bad memory," emphasizing the singer's desire to move on from the hurt caused by the breakup. The second verse discusses the difficult process of healing and learning to trust again after betrayal, with the lines "You made me question everything I thought I knew, a lesson / So I learned how to manipulate the world, a blessing" suggesting a strength gained from the experience. The bridge introduces the idea of the ex-partner as an "evil boy" who tattooed the singer's name as a permanent reminder, yet the repetition of "time, it heals the pain" speaks to the healing process that can begin once a relationship has ended.
Overall, the lyrics to "Bad Memory" provide a relatable and empowering message about letting go of painful memories and moving on from toxic relationships. The singer acknowledges the pain caused by the breakup but also emphasizes the strength and growth that can be found in healing and releasing the past.
Line by Line Meaning
I found you naked on the floor hungover
I discovered you drunk and unclothed on the ground
Got some number written sloppy on your palm, it's over
There's a hastily-scribbled number on your hand and it's done between us
Yeah, I recognize just who you truly are, a liar
I understand your true identity, that of a deceiver
So I set all of your records and your clothes on fire
I burned all your records and clothing as a symbol of our break up
Like what's up? I'm gone now
What's new? I'm not with you anymore
Feeling good, feeling great, I'm a don now
I'm feeling at ease now that we're not together, I feel like a boss
Like bye-bye, I'm set free
Goodbye, I'm now free from your grasp
Not on my mind, no lie, you're just a bad
I'm not thinking about you, it's the truth, you're just a negative influence
You're just a bad memory
You're nothing but a painful memory now
I counted every time it hurt, one thousand
I kept track of every time you made me suffer, a thousand times
Swear to God, I smell someone else on your shirt, no doubt
I swear to God, there's another person's scent on your clothing, no hesitation
You made me question everything I thought I knew, a lesson
You caused me to doubt everything I believed, a learning experience
So I learned how to manipulate the world, a blessing
As a result, I gained the ability to control the world, a fortunate thing
Evil boy, what a shame
You're a vile person, it's regrettable
You tattooed my name
You permanently etched my name into your skin
On your neck like a chain
On your neck, as if a sign of slavery
Time, it heals the pain
Time is a remedy for pain
Bad, bad, bad memory
You're a completely negative memory
Bad, bad, bad memory
You're a completely negative memory
Bad, bad, bad memory
You're a completely negative memory
Bad, bad, bad memory
You're a completely negative memory
Bad, bad, bad memory
You're a completely negative memory
Bad, bad, bad memory
You're a completely negative memory
Bad, bad, bad memory
You're a completely negative memory
Bad, bad, bad memory
You're a completely negative memory
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Downtown Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: David Emerson Dahlquist, Kristine Flaherty, Patrick Morrissey
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
María Florencia Ficazzola
✨ Lyrics ✨
[Verse 1]
I found you naked on the floor, hungover
Got some number written sloppy on your palm, it's over
Yeah, I recognize just who you truly are, a liar
So I set all of your records and your clothes on fire
[Chorus]
Like what’s up? I'm gone now
Feeling good, feeling great, I'm a don now
Like bye-bye, I’m set free
Not on my mind, no lie, you're just a bad
You're just a bad memory
[Post-Chorus]
You're just a bad memory
(Just a bad memory)
[Verse 2]
I counted every time it hurt, one thousand
Swear to God, I smell someone else on your shirt, no doubt
You made me question everything I thought I knew, a lesson
So I learned how to manipulate the world, a blessing
[Chorus]
Like what's up? I'm gone now
Feeling good, feeling great, I'm a don now
Like bye-bye, I'm set free
Not on my mind, no lie, you’re just a bad
You’re just a bad memory
[Post-Chorus]
You're just a bad memory
[Bridge]
Evil boy, what a shame
You tattooed my name
On your neck like a chain
Time, it heals the pain
Time, it heals the pain
Evil boy, what a shame
You tattooed my name
On your neck like a chain
(Just a bad memory)
[Outro]
Bad, bad, bad memory
Bad, bad, bad memory
Bad, bad, bad memory
Bad, bad, bad memory
Bad, bad, bad memory
Bad, bad, bad memory
Bad, bad, bad memory
Bad, bad, bad memory
Marie Alonso
Am I crazy, or but when I listen to songs like song, I feel like a badass
Hannah Millar
Trust me your not the only one ;)
Remeyyy
Same!
•Mighty.Matcha•
That’s the point of these songs ;)
Rob
That kind of thought will lead to nothing but trouble, you need to stop this music right now before you end up with the coronavirus young lady
bad b*tch bimbo
Same
Angelic Vega
I was so excited when I heard K. Flay did a song for BOP and this song is better than I could have ever imagined!!!!!!✨✨✨✨
Becca Lou
@Life Imitates Art p0
Kristina Gilenkova
@Life Imitates Art
Рпшгмгп
Caroline
I'm so happy for her, maybe she'll get the recognition she deserves