Kate Tempest has announced a change of name and pronouns. Moving forward, they'll go by Kae Tempest. "It's pronounced like the letter K," Kae writes. "It's an old English word that means Jay bird. Jays are associated with communication, curiosity, adaptation to new situations and COURAGE which is the name of the game at the moment."
Instead of she/her, Kae will be using the pronouns they/them from now on, as well. "I have tried to be what I thought others wanted me to be so as not to risk rejection," Kae writes. "This hiding from myself has led to all kinds of difficulties in my life. And this is a first step towards knowing and respecting myself better."
Read Kae's full statement below.
Kae's most recent album, The Book of Traps and Lessons, came out in 2019. Listen to "Holy Elixer" from it below.
Hello old fans, new fans and passers by - I'm changing my name! And I'm changing my pronouns. From Kate to Kae. From she/her to they/them. I have tried to be what I thought others wanted me to be so as not to risk rejection. This hiding from myself has led to all kinds of difficulties in my life. And this is a first step towards knowing and respecting myself better. I've loved Kate. But I am beginning a process and I hope you'll come with me. From today - I will be publishing my books and releasing my music as Kae Tempest! It's pronounced like the letter K. It's an old English word that means Jay bird. Jays are associated with communication, curiosity, adaptation to new situations and COURAGE which is the name of the game at the moment. It can also mean jackdaw brought the rain. Which I love. It has its roots in the Latin word for rejoice, be glad and take pleasure. And I hope to live more that way each day. Funny because I know this is much more of a big deal to me than it is to anyone else, but because of my role as an artist, it is in some ways a public decision as well as being a private one. So, here is my announcement. Sending my love to you all and wishing you courage as you face whatever you must face today. This is a time of great reckoning. Privately, locally, globally. For me, the question is no longer 'when will this change' but 'how far am I willing to go to meet the changes and bring them about in myself' I want to live with integrity. And this is a step towards that. Sending LOVE always
