Last year, Dallas native Kaash Paige crashed the R&B scene with her dazzling debut EP Parked Car Convos. Headlined by her melodious lullaby “Love Songs,” the 19-year-old cracked Billboard’s Top 15 Hip-Hop & R&B Artists to Watch at the top of 2020. Paige’s penchant for soul-stirring anthems enabled her to become a reliable features artist as well, notching contributions for rising rookies Don Toliver (“Euphoria”) and 24K Goldn (“Unbelievable”) this year.
In August, Paige made her splashy full-length debut with Teenage Fever. The 13-track collection showcases her potential as a promising songwriter, with records such as “Soul Ties” and “Mrs. Lonely,” expressing her glum outlook on love. Get familiar with Paige below, as she speaks on wanting to have the biggest cartoon show in the world, taking part in a mosh pit for the first time, and more.
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1. What was the first piece of music that you bought for yourself and what was the medium?
The first piece of music that I bought for myself was none, because my brother taught me how to actually get MP3 [songs] with a USB on your computer and just transfer music. So I actually just used to be on Skullcandy and other apps just downloading music.
2. When was the first concert you saw?
My cousin invited me to this Nicki Minaj, Rae Sremmurd, Meek Mill, and Dej Loaf concert. It was pretty fire. It was one of the livest concerts I’ve ever been to in downtown Dallas.
3. What did your parents do for a living when you were a kid?
My mom worked in real estate. I don’t know if it was real estate, but my mom worked for the City of Arlington and my dad worked with music and stocking at Albertsons.
4. Who made you realize you could be a full-time artist?
Myself. I realized that I had to the potential to be something big. So I just went with it.
5. What’s at the top of your professional bucket list?
I want to have one of the biggest cartoon shows in the world.
6. How did your hometown/city shape who you are?
It kind of just made me super groovy and understand the culture more. Now there’s different types of artists and different types of talent. It shaped me into what I wanted my sound to be and what I wanted to put on for my community.
7. What’s the last song you listened to?
The last song I listened to was “Heartbeat” by Childish Gambino.
8. If you could see any artist in concert dead or alive who could it be?
I would want to see Mac Miller and Tupac in concert. I feel like that’d be fire.
9. What’s the craziest thing you’ve seen happen in the crowd of a live show?
We had a mosh pit at the Travis Scott Astroworld concert. It was before I had my tape, and a boy in the crowd was like, “Yo you’re Kaash Paige? Like when are you dropping an album bro!” I was like, “Damn that’s f–kin’ wild like n—as know me in the mosh pit right now”. It was just fire. Like one of the craziest moments of my life because I’ve never mosh pitted before and like it was insane. My shoes were dirty as hell.
10. What’s your karaoke go-to?
My karaoke go to has to be Drake’s “Miss Me.”
11. What movie or song always make you cry?
Fruitvale Station will always make me cry because [Oscar Grant] didn’t have to get done like that.
12. What TV series have you watch multiple times all the way through?
I could watch Regular Show all the way through, and Ed Edd n Eddy.
13. What’s one thing that even your most devoted fans don’t know about you?
I am a rock star. I love alternative rock music. I love Twilight and zombie movies. I love skateboarding s–t, but I don’t know how to skateboard. I just like feeling free and reckless.
14. If you were not a musician, what would you be?
I would be a videographer. I would record music videos and sets at Rolling Loud or just any concert [at] Coachella. I would make the most craziest [videos]. I love edits.
15. What piece of advice would you give to your younger self?
Not to be so naive and be patient. Just take your time with your craft and not rush things.
16. How have you grown creatively as an artist from Parked Car Convos to now your debut album Teenage Fever?
I feel like Parked Car Convos was a classic — an introduction. I feel like Teenage Fever was showing growth in what I’m able to accomplish, like just in growing my sound.
17. Talk about the chemistry you have with Don Toliver and what makes you guys great pairing on tracks?
Don Toliver is from Houston and I’m from Dallas. So just being from Texas, that was just love in general. I was just like, “Bet. Let’s put on for the state and just go crazy.” And he has a crazy sound. He’s like [Lil] Wayne in the booth.
18. What songs were the hardest ones for you emotionally to write and record on Teenage Fever?
None of them were really hard. I freestyle all my songs. So it kind of just all came to my mind, and I just flow perfectly.
19. How did it feel to get your first gold plaque for “Love Songs” ?
I knew I was gonna get it, and I know I’m gonna get a platinum one — but it just felt amazing to know that my music reached all those listeners and people were really supporting me. It was dope. Just giving all glory to God.
20. What love song still gets you in your feels today?
“Sparks Will Fly” by J. Cole and Jhené Aiko.