SuperKnova on Embracing Herself as a Queer & Trans Asian Musician

Four years ago, a SuperKnova was born. 

Not a literal star in the sky, but rather musician and producer Ellie Kim’s artist persona. 

Growing up as a trans Asian American in the midwest, Kim says music was a therapeutic outlet for her to unleash her most difficult emotions. 

“My music to me is really powerful, because I started this out of writing about my own emotions…SuperKnova almost helped me come out. Music was a safe space to explore my identity…I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for music- that’s true,” said Kim. 

Kim started out in the music industry as a guitarist for a number of bands. Four years ago, she started writing her own songs as she was transitioning. She had initially started making her own music as a way of processing everything she was going through at the time, but a close friend saw her work and urged her to post her music online. So, she released her first album “Splendor Dysphoria” on Bandcamp, where it quickly gained popularity. Soon, Kim was playing shows regularly in her hometown, Chicago, which is known as a hub for indie musicians. 

Queer indie pop as a genre has started blowing up only in the past few years, with the rise of mainstream artists like Hayley Kiyoko and Fletcher. There were few, if any, role models in the industry for Kim to look up to when she was growing up in Chicago. That coupled with knowing she was queer from a young age had dealt a strong blow to her confidence. 

“I had no self-esteem when I was younger. There were not many queer or trans pop artists, there weren’t even any Asian artists out there. I always thought someone like me doesn’t get to do this. I love music…[but] I internalized this racist idea that people like me don’t make music,” said Kim. 

This idea was so ingrained in her mind that she didn’t even pursue music as a career path after college and instead went to medical school. She became a musician after she received her MD. 

As a former guitarist for multiple bands across different genres, ranging from jazz to metal, SuperKnova was able to shape her sound in a unique way. She says she’s especially inspired by pop musicians who commit to the pop genre and musicians who are intentionally innovative. Some of her favorite artists are Frank Ocean, St. Vincent, Nick Hakim, and Kimmortal. 

SuperKnova has been interviewed by many publications, including The Chicago Tribune. She even received a grant from the city of Chicago to make her own music video for the song, “Goals,” which features colorful, bright visuals. Kim always writes and produces her own music, and her partner works with her as a creative director. 

Like the style of the music video for “Goals,” Kim enjoys dressing up in bold, modern colors and feminine staples like dresses and skirts. She takes her inspiration for her stage outfits from St. Vincent, a well-known queer pop artist herself. Kim dresses in different styles, depending on if she’s on or off stage. When she’s not performing, she prefers to dress in colorful but more casual clothing. 

She attributes the meaning to her stage name, SuperKnova, to breaking free of society’s expectations of her. 

“A supernova is the final most energetic explosion before the death of a star. Something I realized when I was growing up and especially when I was coming out as trans [is that] I already was living a life so outside of people’s ‘normal,’” she said. 

“So, why should I care what people think or say about me? Living in the chaos and living in the beauty of it resonated with me. I realized life is short- you should do whatever the f*** you want.” 

You can check out more of her upcoming projects on https://superknovaofficial.com/, and follow her on Instagram @superknovamusic.