Liverpool’s Queen Zee (fka Queen Zee & the Sasstones) have spawned a bevy of hype around the UK via their sensationally rebellious shows. Even Iggy Pop himself called the band “strange, weird and crazy,” so you know the band must really be doing something over the top. Our Song of the Day is 2017’s “Idle Crown,” a rip-roaring punk song the questions heteronormativity within queer relationships. Frontwoman Queen Zee explains it like this:
“‘Idle Crown’ is essentially a narrative between two characters trapped in a toxic relationship. It’s something everyone can relate too, but what I wanted to do was question heteronormativity using a familiar setting. A theme throughout the album as a whole is society’s wish for LGBTQ+ people to conform to a standard, regardless of the happiness or health of them. Within ‘Idle Crown’, I used two LGBTQ+ characters trapped in a heteronormative relationship to express the pain of being unable to live as your true self.”
Today, Thursday, February 7 Queen Zee took the Studio 9294 stage today to celebrate KEXP’s International Clash Day with a live broadcast from London. KEXP spoke to Queen Zee about the significance of The Clash in a brief interview here. Check out the full schedule of performances here. Their most recent release was last summer’s Sass or Die / Medicine split single and will be releasing their self-titled debut album on Friday, Feb. 8.
Watch the video for “Idle Crown” below.
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Host Emily Fox and KEXP’s editorial team talk with artists about the stories behind their songs and the experiences that inform their work. Through each conversation, we uncover the humanity behind the music, allowing us to hear it in a whole new way.
