Mika
Mikaela Straus (born December 19, 1998), known by her stage name King Princess, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer. She is known for songs like “1950" and “Talia”. In an interview by MTV News, Straus explains that she chose her stage name because it “encompasses the complexity of [her] gender”. Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, she spent her childhood in a musical family. She quickly picked up guitar and piano, as well as songwriting.
At age 11, a record label offered Straus the lead singing role in an animated series, which she turned down knowing it wasn’t the right time or circumstances. She later attended college at the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music, but dropped out after a year to focus on music.
Her mainstream debut song, “1950”, was an ode to her then-girlfriend and to the rest of the LGBTQ community. The song was inspired by one of her favorite books, Patricia Highsmith’s The Price of Salt.