Few female guitarists of this generation have made a name for themselves. Kaki King — a New York based guitar virtuoso — is an exception. She has her very own style of fret-slapping, finger-picking talent that has brought her to the forefront of female guitarists.
In 2007, King was on Rolling Stone’s “New Guitar Gods” list alongside such talents as John Mayer, Jack White of the White Stripes and Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready and Stone Gossard.
The distinctive musical stylings of King have been developing since the age of five when she began classical guitar lessons. Over the past 23 years she has created innovative, uncharted instrumental music.
King released her first album in 2003 entitled Everybody Loves You, which was an entirely instrumental showcasing of her brilliant guitar riffs and one-of-a-kind sound. In 2004 she released her followup album, Legs To Make Us Longer, which exemplified her solo guitar skills. King decided to take a risk in 2006 with her third album, …Until We Felt Red, and merged her remarkable instrumentals with strong vocals, entering new territory.
Her latest release — Dreaming Of Revenge — is more sophisticated than  previous albums. “Even though half the tracks are instrumentals, I feel like I’m writing pop songs,” King said.
King stands out amongst other female musicians, as her music is in a genre unto its own. Her emotion-filled, edgy lyrics are honest and unique —
an uncommon trait in the mainstream music scene.
“I can’t remember how many happy songs I have written. I can’t even count them on one hand. Most of the music I have written is either pensive or melancholy or down right sadly emotive,” King explained. “It’s like there is something inside me that needs to get that out and the best way to do that is through music.”
King’s talent has not gone unnoticed. It has captivated her fans and musical peers alike. She was featured as a guest guitarist on Tegan and Sara’s 2007 album The Con. She was then asked to play on the Foo Fighters’ album Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace for the track “Ballad of the Beaconsfield Miners”.
Grohl of the Foo Fighters described King: “There are some guitar players that are good and there are some guitar players that are really fucking good. And then there’s Kaki King.”
King spent most of 2008 touring Europe, performing in cities like Milan, Hamburg and Rotterdam and across the United States promoting Dreaming Of Revenge and reaching out to her extensive fan base.
“I want to be able to make music everyday but make it on my own terms. I have been able to get a lot of mileage with what I am capable of and I just want to continue that,” King said. “I know that as long as I have the ability to make music and play live by myself without having to cater to anyone then I will be happy.”
Kaki King makes her debut London performance on Friday at this year’s London Ontario Live Arts Festival. King will follow A Horse And His Boy, Bruce Peninsula and Slaranffenland at 8 p.m. on the Rogers Main Stage at Victoria Park.