Page 5 - Black Velvet Rock Magazine Issue 111

BV111 pg 04-09 Kat Von D Interview.qxp_BV111 pg05 17/12/2024 01:16 Page 2

BlackVelvetMagazine.Com - 5

Faith, Love

& Family

eptember 2024 saw the release of ‘My Side Of The Moun-
Stain’, the sophomore studio album by Kat Von D. ‘My Side
Of The Mountain’ is yet another creative outpouring from the Mex-

ican-born female, who initially became a renowned success in the
tattoo and TV world due to her outstanding artistic talents. Some

may not know that Ms. Von D was classically trained in piano from
the age of six by her grandmother. Her first love was music. In her
early teens, she discovered punk rock, before later opening up to
the darker tones of The Cure and Depeche Mode. Music has been a

passion of Kat’s for her whole life. It is only now that she has found
the time to really pursue it. And we’re so very glad that she has.

y Side Of The Mountain’ was in- storm after becoming a tattoo artist at the age
‘Mspired by the 1959 novel of the of 16. Appearing on the first season of Miami
same name, which Kat read as a child. Written Ink, airing in 2005, Kat then landed her own
by Jean George, the novel is about a boy, Sam spin-off show, LA Ink, in 2007. Since then, she
Gribley, who ran away from home, with a desire has released books and created a makeup line
for freedom, independence and adventure, liv- (which she sold a few years ago) as well as de-
ing in the mountains and befriending wildlife. signing a range of vegan shoes.
Relating to the little boy, Kat says, “As a kid, But going back to the little boy in the book.
the idea of escapism or having your own Kat now has her own son, Leafar. “My son,
space, even if it’s a cave, just was very exciting Leafar, he actually watched the movie of the
to me.” The book was part of the curriculum in adaptation of the book,” she tells Black Velvet.
elementary school. “I just thought, ‘What a “I think it came out in the 70s, and he loves it.
weird, dark and emotional book to make a third He loves it so much. Because, you know, in the
grader read, or fourth grader.’ But I remember book, the little boy makes friends with a hawk
falling in love with the idea of making your own and, I believe, a raccoon, and he kind of be-
world, and not being afraid to explore that, comes at one with nature, in a way.
even if it is physically dangerous. In the book, “Obviously, I would never want to create a
there’s a life-threatening situation where there’s family environment where my son is inspired to
a chance he wouldn’t survive the winter. But want to leave, but, you know, there are times,
yeah. I thought ‘What a perfect time to bring I’ll tell you right now, where, even as a five-
that book into light,’ just because we’re living in year-old, he’ll say super-mean things!” Kat
such wild times where there’s so much divisive- laughs. “Like, ‘I wish I had another family!’ – but
ness and it’s just hard to make your own world.” that’s also, I think, because he watched Home
Kat has definitely made her own world Alone with Macaulay Culkin, and, in that movie,
since reading that book. She took the world by he says, ‘I wish I had another family,’ and so

KAT VON D