Born Lakisha Robinson in Orlando, Florida, she spent part of her childhood in New Jersey prior to returning to Orlando and was briefly in a pop group called D'Angelz. She moved to New York, attended the Pratt Institute, and worked as a model and waiter.
Led by the dreamy "Navy," her first EP, Homeschool, was self-released in April 2012. A couple years later, after assorted collaborative work, she connected with the music wing of French fashion label Kitsuné for Across, another EP of atmospheric, slackened R&B. In 2015, she appeared on Etienne de Crécy's Super Discount 3 and Vince Staples' Summertime '06. Reflections in Real Time, a sprawling and deeply personal album that flitted between fully developed songs and fragmentary interludes, followed in February 2016.
Self Importance
Kilo Kish Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yeah, I caught you, I caught you ignoring my presence
You know that I can get aggressive (I can get aggressive, I can get aggressive)
(I can get aggressive, I can get a-, I can get a-)
You know it only takes a second (only take a second, only takes)
To like, to like me (to like, like, like, like, like me)
There′s no reason to proof, can't you tell that I′m open?
Won't let me ignore this
Calling my conscious like
You've just dialed in to the operator (the operator)
When you hear the beep, you can leave a message
Right now, your call cannot be completed
Do try again at your own convenience
Dashing around like a mad man
To alerts and vibrations under the table
Or some other surface
Soothing my need to be feeling lonely
They′re all turning the pages without me
Shit, let ′em
You know I haven't learned my lesson (haven′t learned a lesson, haven't learned a lesson)
(Haven′t a lesson, haven't learned like nothing)
And you know that I can be concerned if (I can be concerned if, I can be concerned if)
It′s not about me (it's not, not, not, not, not about me)
Fit in the box and the circles
Package myself up for imminent disposal
What's my sum? What′s my total?
Draining battery life
You′ve just dialed in to the operator (the operator)
When you hear the beep, you can leave a message
Right now, your call cannot be completed
Do try again at your own convenience
She's taking flicks of the sunset
There′s only one, only one sun since I last checked
Somehow, his got more respect
I watch 'em hold phones up to mirrors
Can′t see myself through 'em
I don′t know about the future, if we are included
You've just dialed in to the operator (operator)
When you hear the beep, you can leave a message (hello?)
Right now, your call cannot be completed
Do try again at your own convenience (convenience)
You've just dialed in to the operator (the operator)
When you hear the beep, you can leave a message (hello?)
Right now, your call cannot be completed
Do try again at your own convenience
You′ve just dialed in to the operator (it′s important, so important, call me)
When you hear the beep, you can leave a message (it's important, so important, call me)
Right now, your call cannot be completed (it′s important, so important, call me)
Do try again at your own convenience (thanks, bye)
The lyrics of Kilo Kish's "Self Importance" explore themes of insecurity, self-absorption, and our constant need for validation and connection through digital means. The song begins with Kish lamenting being ignored by someone she wants to connect with, warning them that she can be aggressive if ignored for too long. She then muses about the precarious nature of our self-worth, declaring herself "for sale in the moment," desperate for validation and attention.
Throughout the song, Kish references our addiction to our phones, describing how easily we can be soothed by alerts and vibrations and how drained we become when we spend too much time trying to curate a perfect online persona. She notes that even as we strive to fit in boxes and circles, we are constantly drained by the effort of self-presentation.
The repeated refrain of "You've dialed in to the operator" suggests that despite our constant attempts to connect with others, we often fail to make meaningful connections and end up feeling disconnected and alone. The song ends with Kish urging the listener to call her, reminding them that it's important to her, only to backtrack and end with a sarcastic "thanks, bye."
Overall, "Self Importance" is a biting critique of our society's addiction to social media and our constant need for validation, even as we feel disconnected and alone.
Line by Line Meaning
Phone me?
Asking if someone is calling her, implying she wants attention
Yeah, I caught you, I caught you ignoring my presence
Feeling ignored by someone and calling them out for it
You know that I can get aggressive (I can get aggressive, I can get aggressive)
(I can get aggressive, I can get a-, I can get a-)
You know it only takes a second (only take a second, only takes)
To like, to like me (to like, like, like, like, like me)
Expressing a desire for quick validation and attention, and the potential for aggressive behavior if not provided
I am for sale in the moment
There's no reason to proof, can't you tell that I'm open?
Won't let me ignore this
Calling my conscious like
Feeling like she's constantly available and willing to be validated, unable to resist the urge for attention
You've just dialed in to the operator (the operator)
When you hear the beep, you can leave a message
Right now, your call cannot be completed
Do try again at your own convenience
Using a phone operator voice to convey the sense of being always available but not necessarily answering or able to respond
Dashing around like a mad man
To alerts and vibrations under the table
Or some other surface
Soothing my need to be feeling lonely
Constantly checking her phone and seeking attention to avoid feeling lonely
They're all turning the pages without me
Shit, let 'em
Recognizing that other people are living their lives without her, and realizing that's okay
You know I haven't learned my lesson (haven't learned a lesson, haven't learned a lesson)
(Haven't a lesson, haven't learned like nothing)
And you know that I can be concerned if (I can be concerned if, I can be concerned if)
It's not about me (it's not, not, not, not, not about me)
Admitting to not learning from past experiences and having a tendency to make things about herself
Fit in the box and the circles
Package myself up for imminent disposal
What's my sum? What's my total?
Draining battery life
Feeling like she's conforming to societal expectations and putting herself on display for others, resulting in feeling drained
She's taking flicks of the sunset
There's only one, only one sun since I last checked
Somehow, his got more respect
I watch 'em hold phones up to mirrors
Can't see myself through 'em
I don't know about the future, if we are included
Comparing herself to others who seem to get more respect or attention, and feeling disconnected from the world and unsure of where she fits in
You've just dialed in to the operator (operator)
When you hear the beep, you can leave a message (hello?)
Right now, your call cannot be completed
Do try again at your own convenience (convenience)
Repeating the phone operator lines to emphasize the constant availability but possible unresponsiveness
You've just dialed in to the operator (the operator)
When you hear the beep, you can leave a message (hello?)
Right now, your call cannot be completed
Do try again at your own convenience (convenience)
Repeating the phone operator lines again for emphasis
You've just dialed in to the operator (it's important, so important, call me)
When you hear the beep, you can leave a message (it's important, so important, call me)
Right now, your call cannot be completed (it's important, so important, call me)
Do try again at your own convenience (thanks, bye)
Ending the song with an ironic twist, calling herself important but effectively unreachable
Contributed by Declan T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
вејпор-вејв ЛИТИЈА
phone me?
yeah, I caught you, I caught you.
ignoring my presence
You know that I can get aggressive
(I can get aggressive, I can get aggressive, I can get aggressive, I can get a- I can get a-)
you know it only takes a second
to like, to like me
I am for sale, in the moment,
there's no reason for proof
can't you tell that I'm open?
won't let me ignore this?
calling my conscious like...
[chorus]
you've just dialed in to the operator
when you hear the beep you can leave a message
right now, your call can not be completed
do try again at your own convenience
dashing around, like a mad man
to alerts and vibrations under the table
or some other surface
soothin' my need to be feeling...
lonely
they're all turning the pages
without me
shit, let them.
you know what haven't learned my lesson.
(haven't learned a lesson, haven't learned a lesson, haven't learned like nothing)
and you know that I can be concerned if
it's not about me
fit in the box
and the circles
package myself up f
or imminent disposal
what's my sum?
what's my total?
draining battery life...
[chorus]
you've just dialed in to the operator
when you hear the beep you can leave a message
right now, your call can not be completed
do try again at your own convenience
she's taking flicks
of the sunset
there's only one, only one sun since I last checked
somehow his got more respect
i watch them hold phones up to mirrors
can't see myself through them,
i don't know about the future
if we are included
you've just dialed in to the operator
(operator, operator)
when you hear the,
you can leave a message
(hello, hello)
right now your call can not be completed
do try again at your own convenience
Its important
call me x4
thanks, bye!
Nathália Caldeira
She is so underrated it annoys me. She has that true presence as a artist
Terra Ponder
its her look her race she is not ambiguous enough ,my friend work in the industry he told me that the artist can be good if its a good sounding female they dont want her to be black or look balck
Washy Rose
shannon hawkins Her singing is definitely a bit avant-garde. She has a tendency to go off scale, intentionally choosing off notes where you’d expect to hear specific notes in the scale of pretty much every song she’s ever made.
In this way, she’s like MF Doom. He’s said that in places where you’d expect to hear a certain rhyme, to follow a scheme or bring closure to a pattern, he instead purposefully breaks away.
M Burge
Is strange she gets such low views. Same on her new release Elegance. Maybe get a manager that knows how promote her songs more widely? Lakisha's a brilliant artist 🖤
shannon hawkins
She's crazy slept on. I think her music is too offbeat/different for ppl.
Black Girl With Social Anxiety
I thought she was going to blow up she's so talented
Alex Froot
umm she did #nextcassee with your ignorance
BigHank75
puno266
I hope she makes her money, but she doesn't need to "blow up"
LORDFUBU
omfg. this beat + visual is what we all needed.
CHRISTI XX
Yo I love your production.