Music

Kim Petras signs with major record label and drops first single from debut album

By Conor Clark

27th August 2021

Photography by Steven Klein

Pop sensation Kim Petras has signed with Republic Records and released Future Starts Now, the first song from her upcoming debut studio album.

After teasing fans about the release of her new song on Twitter last week, Kim has finally released the dance-pop-infused bop that is reminiscent of her previous hits Clarity and TURN OFF THE LIGHT.

“I felt so anxious at the start of lockdown, because for me the most anxiety-inducing thing is not being able to work and do what I love,” Kim said of the inspiration behind her new single.

“Future Starts Now came from trying to stay present, instead of stressing about the future and all the lost time.”

The track pulls inspiration from 80s-infused dance hits, as well as the European house music she fell in love with on family trips to Paris when she was a child.

Kim has revealed that the City of Love is also a focus of the record more generally, as during the anxiety of the COVID-19 pandemic she focused on Paris – a place which has always been a source of happiness for her.

The Icy hitmaker has even extended the French inspiration of the new album to Twitter, changing her name on the platform to “KIM PETRAS the BAGUETTE BICH”.

Writing about her new record deal on Twitter, Kim said: “Thanks for believing [in] me Republic, I feel so supported and have no idea how I did it before you.”

Kim has been seeing an increasing amount of commercial success in recent years, with her 2017 track I Don’t Want It All reaching number one on Spotify’s Global Viral 50.

Just last year, the star performed her summer hit Malibu on Jimmy Kimmel Live and collaborated with artists such as Madison Beer, K/DA and Kygo.

The upcoming debut album, which is yet to be given a release date, has been described as a “shimmering, dance-pop escape” that fuses elements of her previous music to create a new sound.

Kim’s new releases will be her first through a major label after spending years working as an independent artist and will make her label mates with the likes of Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande and The Weeknd.

You can listen to Future Starts Now here.