Kimya Dawson
The singer on her passions: attachment parenting and poop songs.
by Caitlin MacRae
September 22, 2008
Anti-folk star Kimya Dawson has a huge indie following as a solo artists, one half of the Moldy Peaches, and major contributor to the Juno soundtrack. Kimya's newest release, inspired by her two-year-old daughter Panda Delilah, is the kid-friendly album Alphabutt. Kimya talked to Babble about the hazards of touring with a baby, her belief in co-sleeping, and why it's okay for kids to swear. — Caitlin MacRae
What made you want to do an album geared towards children?
I think just being a mom now, and having less time to do the introspective songwriting I've done in the past — the way I've always made albums, the songs would come to me, and then eventually I'd record them once I wrote them, and then once there was enough to make an album I would put them together. And this time it just turned out that all of the songs I was making up, I was sort of making up for my daughter.
Does Panda listen to the same music you guys do?
She listens to tons of different kinds of music. We have an old battery-operated Sesame Street record player that plays real records. 
"I don't just sleep on people's floors anymore."It only plays 45s, so we bought her a big collection of Sesame Street 45s, and she's been learning how to put a record on the record player, and put the needle on the record, and flip it over when it's done. I went downstairs this morning and she had found a Carpenters 45 and she was listening to the Carpenters. She loves totally rocking out and having dance parties all the time.
The last time I saw you play, she was around. Has being a touring musician changed since you've become a mom?
I don't just sleep on people's floors anymore. I did that for years when I was traveling and it was just me. I could just sort of wing it more. And now it's just really caring about her being safe, and not being totally over-stimulated and having quiet time and stuff. We do stay in hotels. I'm not into following her around telling her not to touch stuff, nagging her all the time, so it's just better for us to be in a space where she can just kind of rule it.
©2008 Caitlin MacRae and Nerve Media
About the Author
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Caitlin M. is a recent college graduate, a former Californian, and a maker of wild excuses (freelance). She is an avid knitter, a trained bookbinder, and spends more time than she’d like to admit trying to perfect cooking with both chocolate and cayenne pepper. In addition to her more grandmotherly hobbies, she spends her time writing flash fiction, defending the city of Los Angeles, and daydreaming of Wyoming. |
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