Kit Vale is the solo project of Toronto-based singer/songwriter Jen Simpson, whom you may know as the stunning voice of Canadian rockers Neon Bloom. Inspired by a diverse mix of musical tastes ranging from post-punk to hip-hop, Simpson uses Kit Vale as a project that combines elements of these influences and every genre in between. They have culminated in a melodic synthesis of sound filtered through her distinct gothic, garage-glam style.
Listen on Spotify here: open.spotify.com/track/1Xq6l3rrfObOAHhx0WH9CQ?si=d6d51367575e43e4&nd=1
“Pet” is Simpson’s second single under the Kit Vale moniker and was produced by the legendary Rob Sanzo. The track was co-written with bassist Robert Lechner, Simpson’s bandmate from her former group, along with Tony Sjoman and Walter Gardner, the Brooklyn-based The Never Evers. While The Never Evers thought they would never ever release the eight songs they recorded together, the powerful performance on “Pet” could no longer be contained.
Check out “Pet” on YouTube here:
“I always wanted to hear an unabashed celebration of femininity expressed in a loud, raw, and intense way,” said Simpson. “‘Pet’ is a swaggering expression of sexuality from a woman’s perspective. It flips the typical masculine rock n’ roll lyricism I grew up listening to by focusing on the woman in a way that subverts the stereotype of women as passive, chaste, or removed from their sexuality.”
The video for the Riot Grrrl-influenced “Pet” was directed by long-time friend and collaborator Ingrid J. Monday (aka Miz Monday). The video is a fun, tongue-in-cheek nod to 90s grunge aesthetic and was inspired by the famous photography scene in Brain De Palma’s 1981 neo-noir thriller ‘Blow Up,’ the 1966 film by Michelangelo Antonioni.
“She’s amazing at capturing images that reflect your vision while also incorporating her signature, fashion-conscious style,” said Simpson. “As two women who used to model, we had a lot of fun flipping the gender dynamics in this video, with myself playing the lecherous photographer, while Alex Ryfka played the part of a somewhat preyed-upon male model.”
Simpson plans to release more music as Kit Vale, with another single, music video, and album on the way in 2023. Fans of bands and musicians like Pixies, Peaches, Joy Division, and Bikini Kill will be chomping at the bit to hear more of what Kit Vale has up her sleeve.
