Transgender singer partial to 1980s stars

Kim Petras’ debut music video, “I Don’t Want It at All,” dives deep into the heart of teenage-girl greed.

Set in a fantasy world of Los Angeles boudoirs and boutiques, the clip finds the singer on a frenzied shopping spree, outfitted at times in clothes that can make her look like a walking wad of bubble gum.

“I want all my clothes designer," Petras sings. "I want someone else to buy them / If I cannot get it right now / I don’t want it at all.”

It’s a sendup of petulance and avarice so sly that it could be a millennial’s answer to Madonna’s “Material Girl,” a reference that makes Petras, 25, swoon.

“I always thought that was one of the coolest pop songs ever,” she said at Dylan’s Candy

Bar Cafe in New York.

“As a kid, I watched every Madonna documentary and tour. I was obsessed with her and with any pop star of the ’80s.”

As an aspiring music artist, Petras has emulated them. But she also has brought a rare back story and perspective to the pursuit.

Petras, who is transgender and was born in Germany, has lately made major strides toward becoming a specific kind of pop star.

Although many transgender artists have achieved success in music — including Teddy Geiger (who has written for One Direction and James Blunt) and Sophie (a recording artist who has produced songs for Madonna and Vince Staples) — Petras’ character falls closer than any before her to the classic girl-pop mold of a young Britney Spears or Katy Perry.

In the past year, Petras signed with one of teen pop’s modern-day hit makers, Larry Rudolph, who has managed the careers of Spears, Miley Cyrus and 5th Harmony.

And she was one of four young artists chosen for Spotify’s Rise program in October.

“When I heard Kim perform live in our studio, the Kim Petras, a 25-year-old German-born singer, favors full-throated vocals and ultrabright melodies. hair on my arms stood up,” said Troy Carter, the global head of creative services at Spotify. “I hadn’t been blown away like that since seeing Gaga at the start.”

Much of Petras' frothy approach harks back to the era of “Dynasty” shoulder pads and Cyndi Lauper quirks, bolstered by her full-throated vocals and ultrabright melodies.

In 2004, as a 12-year-old growing up in Uckerath, a suburb of Cologne, Germany, she joined the first wave of children to receive hormone therapy paid for by German health care. (She had full gender reassignment surgery by age 16.)

Crucial to this was unwavering support from her parents. Both have arts backgrounds.

“I was 5 or 6 when I told them, ‘I’m a girl,’ and they were like, ‘Yeah, we figured.’ My mom had a couple of transgender friends,”

Petras said. “My mom told me that once I’m old enough, I can do something about it.”

By 14, Petras began to throw herself single-mindedly into songwriting, making demos on GarageBand, the music app. Although her parents loved the cool of Miles Davis, and her older sisters were drawn to the anti-social force of heavy metal, Petras preferred the universal allure of pop.

“It was a little bit of a rebellion,” she said.

She longed to live in Los Angeles.

Five years ago, a YouTube video she uploaded featuring her karaoke take on “Don’t Wake Me Up” by Chris Brown drew the attention of Los Angeles producer Chris Abraham, who encouraged her to cross the Atlantic.

Petras secured threemonth tourist visas and slept on studio couches, writing songs and networking tirelessly. In 2014, a new songwriting partner introduced her to the Stereotypes, the songwriting and producing team who won the 2018 Grammys for both song and record of the year for “That’s What I Like” by Bruno Mars.

They gave Petras free use of their studio and connected her to recording artists such as JoJo and Fergie. Although the song Petras wrote for Fergie wasn’t released, it created enough buzz to land her a publishing deal with BMG, which connected her to the producer Dr. Luke, who had been keeping a low profile in the wake of the 2014 allegations by Kesha that he had sexually abused her.

Petras and Dr. Luke began working on tracks, including “I Don’t Want It at All.” (She has been criticized for working with him but called him “nothing but supportive,”)

Dr. Luke introduced Petras to Rudolph, who fell in love with her immediately.

“I’m in the star business,” Rudolph said, “and she’s a star.”

He considered her transgender identity to be “a strong footnote, but a footnote,” he said. “I wouldn’t have gotten involved if I didn’t think she was the real deal.”

Likewise, fans seem drawn to her music before they know her personal story. They like that she is “unapologetically pop," she said.

“It’s very different from what’s in the mainstream now, which is more rhythmic.”

Celebrities have also been supportive. Charli XCX asked Petras to perform on “Unlock It,” which also features rapper Jay Park. And Paris Hilton leaped at the chance to play herself as a pivotal character in the video for “I Don’t Want It All.”

“As soon as I walked on the set, I thought, ‘Oh, my God, we look like sisters,’” Hilton said.

For her part, Petras said she cares little about being the first transgender teen idol.

“I just want to be known as a great musician."

Then she reconsidered, saying, “On the other hand, that would be totally sick.”