page_title: Kim Petras
section_title: 2017–2019: Breakthrough with Era 1
hierarchical_section_title: Kim Petras / Career / 2017–2019: Breakthrough with Era 1
caption_attribution_description: Kim Petras performs - Capital Pride concert 2018
context_page_description: Kim Petras is a German singer and songwriter currently based in Los Angeles. Since 2016, Petras has been releasing music as an independent artist under her own imprint, BunHead Records.
  Petras began recording music as a teenager, releasing her debut extended play One Piece of Tape in 2011. She independently released her debut single in 2017, "I Don't Want It at All", which went on to top several viral music charts on Spotify. The song was followed by Billboard-charting singles "Feeling of Falling", "Heart to Break", and "1, 2, 3 Dayz Up".
  Following her early success, Petras released a collection of digital singles which would later comprise her unofficial body of work known as Era 1. Petras released her debut album, Clarity, on 28 June 2019. The record was preceded with a nine-week-long promotional campaign, during which Petras released one single per week with an accompanying visual video. Clarity reached number seven on the Heatseekers Chart and number 26 on the Independent Albums chart. Following this, Petras released a Halloween-themed album Turn Off the Light in October 2019.
context_section_description: In August 2017, Petras released her debut single "I Don't Want It at All", The song went on to reach the Spotify Global Viral chart. The accompanying music video for the song premiered in October on Vevo, and features a cameo appearance by Paris Hilton. In the same month, Petras was picked by Spotify to be one of the four artists named as a RISE Artist, a "program designed to identify and break the next wave of music superstars." During the end of 2017, Petras was dubbed "most likely to dominate the pop charts" by Paper magazine, and appeared on Charli XCX's mixtape Pop 2 (2017) for the track "Unlock It" alongside Jay Park.
  In January 2018, the Nicholas Harwood-directed video for Petras' single "Faded", which features Lil Aaron, premiered on Noisey, That same month, she appeared in the January issue of Galore. Petras released the breakup-inspired "Heart to Break" in February, to commemorate Valentine's Day. The song was given its radio debut on BBC Radio 1 on 19 February. Bryan Kress of Billboard noted how while the single is "still keeping Petras' upbeat, unabashed pop sound... [it] ventures into new territory for the songwriter." On the 21st of that same month, Petras released her online singles-bundle, Spotify Singles, exclusively through the service under BunHead Records, Petras' own label. It consisted of live renditions of "Hills" and The Killers' "Human", as performed at their NYC Studio.
  On 1 October 2018, Petras released Turn Off the Light, Vol. 1, a Halloween-themed extended play. The project was seen as a departure from Petras' typical sound, and features a guest appearance from the horror hostess character Elvira. Afterwards, Petras announced plans to release a single a month as a lead up to her debut album. She was featured on Cheat Codes' song "Feeling of Falling" in November 2018. Petras has been credited with composing the song "Young & Wild" on Twice's 6th EP, Yes or Yes.
  In February 2019, Petras released three singles titled "1,2,3 Dayz Up" featuring Sophie, "If U Think About Me...", and "Homework" featuring Lil Aaron. Petras has not publicly expressed plans to release an album with any of her digital singles from 2016 until early 2019, but has referred to this release period as Era 1 on multiple occasions.
caption: Petras performing at Capital Pride in 2018.
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