Artist Spotlights: BLACKSTARKIDS Is Light Years Ahead of 21st Century Indie
A futuristic force to be reckoned with, the rising Kansas City-based trio fuses decade nostalgia with hip-hop elements to cultivate a new breed of indie pop.
Artist Spotlights introduces you to artists that may not be on your radar yet, but should be. With recently cancelled tours and income loss for small artists, there’s no time like the present to find new talent to support.
Written by Kriss Conklin
Photo courtesy of Jake Kelly
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At the intersection of indie pop, hip-hop, and 2000s nostalgia lies BLACKSTARKIDS, a DIY trio of Black musicians with big dreams and an eccentric sound. The group consists of singer-songwriter-producers Tyfaizon, Deiondre, and TheBabeGabe, three friends from Raytown, Missouri, who attended high school together and met on Instagram before officially launching their music career in 2019.
Unlike other guitar-wielding indie acts, BLACKSTARKIDS' music is mostly driven by dance club beats, cheeky rap verses, and dreamy synths. Before garnering praise from The 1975's Matty Healy and signing to Dirty Hit, BLACKSTARKIDS self-released its debut and sophomore albums from the members' own label, Bedroom Records.
Ty, Deiondre, and Gabe effortlessly blur together various influences from their favorite artists — Odd Future, Mac DeMarco, and Kevin Parker, to name a few — while making way for a unique, uncategorizable listening experience that captures themes of nostalgia and coming-of-age. If the group can be defined by anything, it's definitely their ambition. In less than two years, BLACKSTARKIDS released three full-length albums, each delving into a different phase of the Starkids' lives.
The band's debut record, Let's Play Sports, followed by sophomore album Surf, introduce listeners to the dazzling, makeshift world of BLACKSTARKIDS. Let's Play Sports sets the stage for the young creatives' dreams of making it big in the music industry while Surf, released weeks before the coronavirus pandemic struck the U.S., catches the band at an emotional low. On both albums, Ty, Deiondre, and Gabe work in harmony to move fluidly from heavy rap-rock verses and melodic guitars to soft synth harmonies and pop-y choruses while reflecting on tough feelings and the happier days of their childhoods.
Every track is immersive, almost cinematic, as the Starkids take the listener on an aural journey. The songs forge a deep trip into their aspirations of fame and their adolescent lives in the 'burbs. "KEEPING SCORE" sees the Starkids experiment with the soothing beats of lo-fi, before interlacing jangly indie rock and catchy rap verses in "PACIFIC COAST PINK." Drawing storytelling inspiration from the likes of Tyler, the Creator and Childish Gambino, BLACKSTARKIDS lean into a fresh take on their rap and hip-hop roots in "Feel Pretty." Backed by looping guitars and slow claps, Ty, Deiondre, and Gabe detail their younger years. In the opening verse, Ty smoothly recalls his own childhood experiences before the genesis of BLACKSTARKIDS:
Used to get clowned for the acne
And the polos tucked in the khakis
Back when I was like nine, maybe ten
Brought some friends from those days to the pen
In "TOO DEPRESSED 4 SEX" and "REASONS TO EXIST," the Starkids take on more serious subject matter. The two tracks chronicle the unromanticized parts of depression and the sobering feelings of pondering one's existence by using pensive chord progressions, pop punk melodies, and echoing vocalizations. Let's Play Sports and Surf both demonstrate BLACKSTARKIDS' fearless exploration of genres and the group's refusal to be pigeonholed into any specific one. The Kansas City Gen-Zers don't just dabble in their artistry — they bask in it.
BLACKSTARKIDS' latest release, Whatever, Man, catches the group on a musical high, riding the wave of its best work yet. Their third album is an ode to shamelessly finding and being yourself, and that's what the Starkids continue to do. After the sad, introspectivity of Surf, the DIY trio bounces back from their rough patch, cheerier than ever and ready to take on the world with newfound optimism. BLACKSTARKIDS kicks off the record with "ACTING NORMAL" and "DEAD KENNEDYS," complementary tracks filled with dance-y synths and experimental trap vocals paired with verses about following your dreams and making do with the cards you're dealt. The Starkids wear their hearts on their sleeve in lovesick indie anthems, "TANGERINE LOVE" and "CAMP WHATEVER," before transitioning into emo-rap territory with "BEATRIX KIDDO"'s 'f-ck everyone, it's our time to shine' attitude and a distorted, moody bass riff to match. Whatever, Man closes on "LET'S PLAY GOD," a slow, pulsing track about risky behavior and having a good time even when the party's over. While every Starkid album has a coming-of-age element, this one sees Ty, Deiondre, and Gabe at their most mature — a display of BLACKSTARKIDS' signature sound fully realized.
Throughout their discography, BLACKSTARKIDS channel the fun-loving, larger-than-life nature of the early 2000s. The group's music videos depict everything from serenading a crush on their front porch, to chatting with a friend using retro phones with spiral cords. By faithfully referencing pop culture in their songs and flaunting their best gaudy fashion on camera and off, the Starkids showcase the decade they know and love while creating endless waves of nostalgia for listeners and onlookers alike to enjoy.
With constant sound experimentation and a prowess for boundless creativity, BLACKSTARKIDS are poised for greatness. In less than two years, Tyfaizon, Deiondre, and TheBabeGabe have proved their dedication to their craft while showcasing their courage to create music that nobody else is making. There is nothing this group wouldn't do to achieve their dreams, and if their first three albums are an indicator of their trajectory to success, then the Starkids are well on their way to conquering the next galaxy's music scene.