King Princess performs an outstanding show at Houston’s House of Blues with special guest Em Beihold and a fun performance by Houston drag queen Blackberri.
Mikaela Straus, also known as King Princess, has had a momentous year – she started off by opening for Kacey Musgraves’ “Star-Crossed” arena tour alongside MUNA, and released many successful singles such as “For My Friends” and “Too Bad.” King Princess went on to release her sophomore album called “Hold On Baby” in late June, and later announced her fall tour to promote the album.
King Princess headlined the main room at the House of Blues Houston for the tour – where the lovely singer Em Beihold served as the opener. Beihold is known for her breakout hit called “Numb Little Bug” and has reached certified platinum status in North America. She has since released her debut EP Egg in the Backseat this past summer, and performed songs from the EP like “12345” and “Groundhog Day.” She also played an unreleased tracked called “Roller Coasters are Sad,” where she claimed she hated the thrill of roller coaster rides. Her stage setup was just as quirky as her performance, and did an amazing job a serenading the crowd with her catchy tunes.
As a fun little surprise, local Houston drag queen Blackberri performed an entertaining number before King Princess took the stage. She came out dressed as a glamorous devil singing a cover of Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill,” and fans were pleased – everyone was cheering when she took off her feathery coat, fans in the front row were trying to hand her tips, and no one stayed quiet. She thanked King Princess soon after her cover song for having her, and that everyone should always find ways to support local LGBTQ+ acts around Houston.
The house lights dimmed, and King Princess came out running across the stage while greeting her fans. She started off the night with tracks like the energetic “Little Bother” and “Cursed,” followed by “Upper West Side.” The 23-year-old singer made it very clear after a few songs that her music is for the gays and is not afraid about being explicit. She got the energy riled up by playing her dance track “Hit the Back” as well as other fan-favorite “Change the Locks.” The show took a turn as she returned to playing more of her melancholic tracks like “Ain’t Together” and “Do You Wanna See Me Crying?” but she kept the crowd captivated by continuously interacting with everyone.
King Princess played her more well-known songs towards the end, such as “Talia,” “Ohio” and “1950.” She ended the show with “Sex Shop” and “Let Us Die,” which was a phenomenal conclusion to the second to last date of the tour. The singer goes by the slogan “69% Angel,” but she definitely puts in 100% energy when it comes to her live performances. The setlist was beautifully curated as it really felt like an emotional ride through her current discography, and she never shyed away from the true meanings of each song she performed. While performing, she shows she cares about her fans by continuously engaging with them, joining the crowds to sing along and making sure everyone is looking out for each other. All in All, King Princess continues to prove that she is a musical force to be reckoned with.
I'm a full-time music journalist/photographer from Houston, number one Paramore fan and Husky dog owner. I have a B.S in Radio-Television-Film from UT Austin and a M.A in Mass Communications from the University of Houston, which makes me smart! On top of being an avid concert-goer and movie fanatic, I love bonding with others over the power of local music and media.
