DJ, ballroom warrior, producer, actor and LGBTQ icon Kiddy Smile’s CV is both impressive and diverse. Now, with the release of his debut album ‘One Trick Pony’ Kiddy is set to take centre stage as singer and frontman.
Raised in a housing project on the outskirts of Paris, his career has embraced music, fashion and film and established Kiddy as a key figure in Paris’s LGBTQ community and a mainstay of the cities voguing and ballroom scenes. “Voguing is above all ballroom-culture dance, a space for freedom where you can be yourself, where outcasts can find a place.”
Working as a fashion stylist and club night host put him on the radar of Balmain’s creative director who asked Kiddy to develop the brand’s sound identity and led to further collaborations with the likes of Balanciaga and Versace. Two well-received singles ‘Teardrops in The Box’ and ‘Let A Bitch Know’ released on Defected set the musical template for his first full- length release ‘One Trick Pony’.
In parts autobiographical, yet with a universal message, ‘One Trick Pony’ sees Kiddy working with an array of talent including Rouge Mary (Hercules & Love Affair) on Be Honest, Burn The House Down and One Friend and Crookers on ‘Dickmatized’. Citing gospel and hip-hop, 90s Chicago and Detroit as influences, Kiddy has delivered an album with house DNA at it’s core whilst embracing a pop sensibility. It explores intimate, personal topics – unrequited love, paternal desertion and acceptance of one’s body.
He might be an imposing 6 ft + with a cutting edge sense of sense of style but Kiddy doesn’t want his image or sexuality to define him. “I define myself as a house-music artist. Queer is limiting. My music reflects my everyday life. I talk about me and being black and gay. My songs are about love. They’re not political, but my work is.” Just like the video for Let a B!tch Know, which was shot in the Alouettes housing project in Alfortville to the southeast of Paris. In it, ballroom breaks out at the foot of the blocks, fierce attitude topples macho posturing and LGBT identities are freely expressed.“I wanted to make a video showing what a society looks life when you can be yourself where you want” says Kiddy.
The lead single ‘Dicktamised’ is about “toxic relationships, the ones you know you should get out of but don’t because the sex is good. You know it would be best to remove yourself but you’re almost hypnotised into thinking if the sex is good you should carry on….we’ve all been there.” ‘Dickmatized’ is taken from the soundtrack of Gaspar Noe’s latest and critically acclaimed movie ’Climax’ premiered at this year’s Cannes Film Festival and also featuring Kiddy.
Kiddy has been showcasing tracks from One Trick Pony on a current run of dates supporting his friend Beth Ditto across Europe. UK headlining shows of his own are expected to be announced soon.
