IN CONVERSATION WITH EIVIND LANDSVIK
What do you do when the one thing you’ve sacrificed everything for stops working?…
WEEKEND MUSIC TIP PT 99 – M¥SS KETA
“I SOON REALIZED WHAT A BLESSING IT WAS TO REMAIN HIDDEN AND UNKNOWN IN A WORLD WHERE VISIBILITY HAS BECOME AN OBSESSION“
M¥SS KETA – the woman, the myth, the provocateur. Since 2013, she has been shaking up Italy’s music scene. Her sound moves between pop, rap, electro and techno – club music made for the dancefloor, whether you speak Italian or not. Her lyrics paint vivid pictures of cynical women full of confidence, Milan’s scandals, nightlife and sex, while also exploring broader social issues.
What has always remained a secret is her real identity. M¥SS KETA hides her face behind glamorous veils and ever-changing sunglasses, creating an aura of mystery around her persona. Rather than diminishing her appeal, it only adds to it.
She blends the best of multiple worlds into an electrifying mix of cult: music meets performance art meets fashion.
In conversation with Numéro Berlin, she spoke about her latest collaboration with her Berlin counterpart Miss Bashful, the contradictions of her hometown Milan, and where life might have taken her had she never stepped onto a stage.
LEONIE KAMPEN: When was your last hangover?
M¥SS KETA:
You’re witnessing it, babe.
LK: Your collaboration with Miss Bashful on Hangover Girl successfully bridges Italian pop provocation with Berlin’s slut-techno scene. How did that collaboration come about, and where do you see the similarities between the two of you?
MK: I’ve always been obsessed with Miss Bashful, and we finally met at the Prototypes fashion show a couple of years ago. I think we were both hungover, but in Paris, who isn’t?
I think “Hangover Girl” was the perfect match because we both celebrate nightlife without pretending it’s glamorous all the time. The morning after is part of the story, too.
LK: In Hangover Girl, but also in several of your other music videos, you feature the classic Italian nonno and nonna quietly watching—or judging—your every move. Is that inspired by real life? And how do Italians react to a diva like M¥SS KETA?
MK: Italy is a country where everyone is watching everyone else. The ‘nonni’ are always watching us, curious or scandalized, often both at the same time.
With Simone Bozzelli, the director of “Hangover Girl”, I share a love for the reactions an outsider can trigger in our conservative society.
LK: The veil has become your signature. How did the idea of covering your face first come up? After all these years, does it ever bother you?
MK: “Give me a mask and I’ll tell you the truth,” someone once said. Add to that a few corporate dramas and a little blackmail.
But I soon realized what a blessing it was to remain hidden and unknown in a world where visibility has become an obsession, so I never took it off.
LK: For readers who may only be discovering you: what’s the story behind M¥SS KETA, and what were the key moments that brought you to where you are today?
MK: M¥SS KETA was born in Milan and from Milan’s contradictions: luxury and decay, fashion and underground culture, elegance and chaos. I move through all these worlds without belonging to any of them.
Over the years I’ve released five albums (or maybe more, I don’t remember), toured extensively around the world, appeared on television, and collaborated with fashion brands. But I’m far more interested in building a myth than a biography.
LK: If you hadn’t become an artist, what do you think you’d be doing today? Was there ever a serious alternative path?
MK: I probably would have become a waitress in a bar, with a penchant for debauchery. But it’s still a viable alternative.
LK: Looking back, what has been your biggest achievement outside of music?
MK: Creating a recognizable universe that exists beyond songs. Fashion, performance, language, visuals, irony. I think I created a whole KETA world.
Also, I have a huge collection of Miss Piggy memorabilia, and I’m very proud of it.
LK: Looking ahead, what do you still hope to achieve as an artist?
MK: A Grammy would be nice. So would a Madonna feature.
LK: Is there anyone you’d still love to collaborate with? Who would be your dream feature?
MK: Juergen Teller. I was actually supposed to shoot a campaign with him last month, but unfortunately the shooting dates clashed with my Greek holidays.
LK: What are you currently working on? Can fans expect a new album this year?
MK: I’m always cooking up new music, but I’m pretty tired of the album menu. Does a chef always have to serve dinner as “entrée, first course, main course, dessert”? Boring.
So why should an artist always follow the same recipe: “first single–second single–album”?
Let’s see.
