Musician and poet Kate Tempest has shared that they are non-binary and will now be named Kae.

The acclaimed performer shared the information on their Instagram page saying they would use the pronouns they and them.

I’ve been struggling to accept myself as I am for a long time. 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 … [Kae is] 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 which is the bird that symbolises death and rebirth. Ovid said the 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 … 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.

Tempest’s album Everybody Down was released in 2014, across its 12 songs it tells a narrative about a character named Becky. The album was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize.

Their second album Let Them Eat Chaos came out in 2016 and shares the stories of seven characters. The artist’s most recent album The Book of Traps and Lessons came out in 2019.

Tempest has also released several collections of poetry and a novel The Bricks That Built The Houses. In February 2020 they played an acclaimed show at the Perth Festival’s Chevron Lighthouse.

OIP Staff

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