Kimya Dawson

I've been listening to Kimya Dawson for well over a year now and it was only today I realised that I know very little about her. Her trademark chit-chat vocal style makes her songs very poignant and personal but before today I didn't even know what she looked like.

What was I expecting? In all honesty; the complete opposite of the woman performing in the above video. I was expecting a frail little thing, delicate like her lyrics, ultra feminine, blonde hair, made up, superstar wardrobe.



How ridiculous that I expected all of those things. I've become so used to women in the music industry looking a certain way and weighing very little that I was surprised when I discovered one of my musical heroines was curvacious and tattooed with wild curly hair and - appearance wise - the complete opposite of the stereotypical female pop star.

Another curiousity I've always had about Kimya is, why isn't she more successful? She's more original and quirkier than people like Kate Nash, PJ Harvey etc. so why haven't people caught on to her?
Fair enough, her exposure through the Juno soundtrack catapulted her into a considerably larger spotlight than she was before - but she still isn't really popular is she? I don't think any of my friends know who she is and they aren't complete chart chompers; they are aware of some underground non-mainstream stuff.

Obviously one thought leads to another and I wonder - albeit sadly - whether it is her non-stereotypical appearance that has been a hindrance to the fame she deserves. Kimya is one of the most astounding poets I have ever come across and I think her lack of mainstream success is unjustified.
If you take two of the most successful female artists of 2010, Cheryl Cole and Lady Gaga, as an example, you'll notice that both of these women have had to do so much more than sing their songs in order to scramble to the top of music charts. Perhaps this just proves that the record buying public aren't interested in talent anymore - it's more about image, gimmicks, a pretty face and a 26" waistline.



Another point I would like to make here is that I have always adored the outspokeness of Marina Diamandis (of Marina & The Diamonds) and how she has criticised 'Hollywood' and all that other stuff I've blogged about previously. But sometimes it irks me that although she speaks out against stereotypes etc. Marina is still TINY and absolutely stunning, so sometimes it's hard to accept her empathy when she still fits the part of the stereotype.

Of course it's not Marina's fault she is tiny and beautiful and these aspects of her don't devalue her opinions, but at least in Kimya I have found a famous female role model who doesn't adhere to the ridiculous expectations that society puts on women in the music industry.