Randy Walker, stage name of Carletta Sue Kay, is a powerful vocalist out of San Francisco. Walker's wigs, lipstick and fetching fashion - combined with moving ballads, heartfelt, gritty rock and an affinity for torch songs - have caught Tacoma's attention. Heads turned at last year's Free For All Festival, and then again in anticipation of his performance at the Squeak and Squawk Music Festival, Sept 12-16.
Nikki McCoy caught up with Walker for insight to his fashion, learn his thoughts on Carletta and gender roles, and hear why he thinks Squeak and Squawk rocks.
WEEKLY VOLCANO: Are you psyched to return to Tacoma? What was your previous experience like?
RANDY WALKER: Tacoma is lovely. We did the Free For All Festival last year and enjoyed it very, very much. The folks were fantastic and made us all feel right at home. We got to play in the gorgeous Pantages and it was a real thrill. Squeak and Squawk organizer Adam McKinney had seen us play SXSW a couple years back and that led to us coming to Tacoma for the first time to do the Free For All. We're super looking forward and are very excited to see what interesting and daring things Adam is going to put together for SQSQ.
VOLCANO: What inspires Carletta's sense of fashion?
WALKER: Whatever fits my fat ass. No, just kidding. Lots of stuff. Lots of stuff I find on the street. I found the most ridiculously beautiful black silk formal gown with multiple layers of crinoline and tulle on the streets of San Francisco, which I'm going to convert and wear with a black Miyake top. I do have a few cool things. A good pal from Barcelona designed one of my favorite outfits and I've even been dressed by fashion pros from Vogue Italia. I wear some Miyake, Comme des Garcons, Yohji Yamamoto and Oscar de la Renta. I mix it up a lot.
VOLCANO: How do you feel being on stage, singing your heart out and transcending any gender roles?
WALKER: I don't really see Carletta as gender transcending. It's really just a persona I take on stage. I take my name from an actual real-life person who just so happens to be a female cousin of mine. I sing from a male and female perspective and the dresses and wigs are really just props. I'm just there to sing my heart out. I want people to hear Carletta Sue Kay's music and take from it whatever they'd like. If it's a gender centered narrative that they get - that's awesome. I like to make people laugh. I like to make people cry. I love to sing for people.
VOLCANO: What are you most looking forward to at Squeak and Squawk?
WALKER: We're just super thrilled to be back in Tacoma and are beyond excited for Squeak and Squawk. We can't wait to see and hear The Hoot Hoots, Lake, La Luz and lots of others. It's going to be a really fantastic line-up that is I believe very well rounded, eclectic, bold, odd and super cool. So everyone HAS to come out and check out the shows. It's going to be very special and we just can't wait.
Catch Carletta Sue Kay's performance at 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 13 in the Library at Sanford and Son Antiques. Admission is $7, which includes bands Your Are Plural and Hands in.
See Also
Squeak and Squawk feature story
Thursday, Sept. 12 Squeak and Squawk band schedule
Friday, Sept. 13 Squeak and Squawk band schedule