Song You Need to Know: Kim Petras featuring Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, ‘Turn Off the Light’
Kim Petras has made a solid case that we should put a ban on Christmas/holiday albums and reshift our pop focus to the undervalued Halloween season. Earlier this month, she dropped the surprise mixtape Turn Off the Light, filled with spooky pop hooks and clubby EDM interludes. The title track, which features Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, is the perfect example of what the mixtape does best: being effectively creepy while not hitting you over the head with the theme.
Like the rest of the non-instrumental tracks on the tape, “Turn Off the Light” turns romance and sexy come-ons into spooky invitations. She engages her partner’s more “vicious” and carnal desires and indicates that darkness is where they can be achieved. Elvira’s spoken-word verse is an especially terrifying element, reminiscent of Vincent Price’s tantalizing narration on Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.” The entire tape is a perfect addition to any Halloween party playlist.
The Cologne, Germany-born Petras first gained attention as a kid for being one of the youngest people in the world to undergo gender confirmation surgery. She moved to Los Angeles in her late-teens and began launching her music career there. Aside from her string of solo releases, she also appeared on Charli XCX’s mixtape Pop 2, featuring on the song “Unlock It.” This fall, she’s opened for Troye Sivan on his North American tour.