.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.
The President Has a Sex Tape
K.Flay Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The government sold you drugs
I'm just trying to get paid
But nobody's coughing up
The president has a sex tape
The medicine made you cry
Hush don't worry 'cause I'm bringing a mask
The president has a sex tape
The oceans all dried up
The devil got the dealer
The dealer got the dollar
Don't tell me I can live off love
The president has a sex tape
Your daughters aren't safe at night
I got a feeling that my body is owned
A feeling that my body ain't mine
Look at who's having the fun
Easy to smile when you're pointing the gun
The president has a sex tape
The immigrant died at sea
First they come for you
And then they come for me
The president has a sex tape
The immigrant died at sea
First they come for you
And then they come for me
In K.Flay's song The President Has A Sex Tape, the lyrics paint a bleak picture of the state of the world. The opening line, "The president has a sex tape," is a shocking statement that immediately grabs the listener's attention. It implies a lack of morals and integrity in those who lead, and it sets the stage for the rest of the song's commentary on societal issues.
The second line, "The government sold you drugs," is a reference to the opioid epidemic that has ravaged many parts of the United States. K.Flay is highlighting the role that the government has played in contributing to this crisis by allowing pharmaceutical companies to flood the market with highly addictive prescription medications.
The next set of lines focus on K.Flay's desire to make money, but she feels like she's not being compensated fairly. This highlights the greed that seems to fuel many parts of society, and the way in which people will put their own interests above those of others, even in the face of global problems.
Throughout the rest of the song, K.Flay touches on topics such as climate change (the oceans all dried up), the corrupting influence of money (the devil got the dealer, the dealer got the dollar), and the idea that we are all constantly wearing masks to hide our true selves from the world.
Overall, this song is a scathing critique of the state of the world, and the way in which those in power have failed to address the many problems facing society.
Line by Line Meaning
The president has a sex tape
The leader of the country is not a person of high moral standards and may have a video of them engaging in sexual activities.
The government sold you drugs
Authorities may have their own agenda and could be responsible for selling drugs, possibly to fund their operations.
I'm just trying to get paid
The singer is simply attempting to make money for their own survival or benefit.
But nobody's coughing up
Despite their efforts, they are not receiving payment or compensation for their work.
The medicine made you cry
The drugs prescribed by medical professionals are not always helpful and can have negative side effects.
Hush don't worry 'cause I'm bringing a mask
The singer is reassuring others that they will be protected or able to hide their true identity if necessary.
Yeah everybody's got a disguise
Everyone has a false or hidden persona that they may present to others.
The oceans all dried up
The natural resources of the planet are being depleted at an alarming rate.
The devil got the dealer
Evil has taken control of those who supply drugs to others.
The dealer got the dollar
The primary motivation for drug dealers is financial gain.
Don't tell me I can live off love
Love alone is not enough to sustain someone's life or livelihood.
Your daughters aren't safe at night
Women are not always protected or safe from harm, especially at nighttime and in vulnerable situations.
I got a feeling that my body is owned
The singer may not have full control over their own body or be free to make their own choices.
A feeling that my body ain't mine
The singer does not feel like they have ownership or autonomy over their own physical being.
Look at who's having the fun
Those in power or with privilege often derive enjoyment or pleasure from the suffering of others.
Easy to smile when you're pointing the gun
It is simple to feel confident and in control when you hold a weapon or have power over others.
The immigrant died at sea
Migrants are often forced to take dangerous journeys in search of safety or a better life, and many do not survive.
First they come for you
The singer is warning that when people are oppressed or targeted by those in power, others may not act until it is too late.
And then they come for me
Eventually, the singer may also become a target of oppression or violence if they do not stand up for the rights of the marginalized or vulnerable.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: KRISTINE FLAHERTY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind