Audio By Carbonatix
“I want to present my work in a unique format just because I can,” says Midas MSL. “And I am such a little anarchist that it comes out in everything I do.”
True enough. Over their time in Colorado, the Detroit native formerly known as Maria Kohler has touched upon a dizzying variety of musical styles via projects such as M and the Gems, Science Partner and Harpoontang. But they arguably made their biggest impact (and earned a 2017 Westword Music Award) via Kitty Crimes, which was born in 2011 and became one of Denver’s most-acclaimed acts. When Midas MSL operated under that moniker, they blended hip-hop, R&B and whatever influences they were feeling at the moment to create the utterly singular, exuberantly queer sound heard on memorable recordings such as 2018’s Crimes of the Kitty, Vol. 2.
But roughly five years ago, Midas MSL shelved Kitty Crimes for personal reasons. “I was going through a pain-processing moment,” they say.
What followed was a slew of musical detours that ultimately left the artist feeling more than a bit lost. But salvation awaited.
“I was in a small town in Mexico, and I had been throwing noodles at the wall for so long,” Midas MSL remembers. “I was yelling at God, and I was like, ‘God, you’re going to have to tell me what to do right now.’ And as I’m shaking my phone at the sky, I get this notification: ‘Does Kitty Crimes want to play the UMS?’” – the 2025 edition of the Underground Music Showcase, staged in July.
“That felt like such a God moment,” they continue. “And in that moment, I thought, ‘Kitty Crimes does want to play the UMS.’ I just stepped back into it and remembered that I’m allowed to have this beautiful avatar called Kitty Crimes and funnel all this big energy into something bigger than me – and it feels good when I do.”
Fortunately, Midas MSL had an idea for a relaunch at the ready. “I had been doing this thing called ‘Space Cunt,’ which was a cute, queer dance party where I’d play out this whole storyline. The plot was about an interdimensional space traveler who was lost and trapped on Earth within the confines of the Rainforest Cafe. And the only way they could get the Space Cunt, their space vehicle, to move through the cosmos was to generate the positive energy of gay dance.”
One way to further intensify that blast, Midas MSL says, “was to marry the concept of ‘Space Cunt’ with Kitty Crimes. That way, I could bring in a new audience and give them something new and stupid to chew on.”
There’s something much more intelligent beneath the surface, though. “With my concepts,” Midas MSL notes, “I try to make them really easy to understand on the outside, but if you want to go deeper on it, you can.”
After a successful comeback at the UMS, they took the next step, crafting a project dubbed “Reverse Gay Psyop,” which takes on government institutions, social engineering and more. Along the way, Kitty Crimes, who works for an organization called the KCIA, must face off against the most fearsome of villains: Dr. Basic Bitch.
Get a sense of the results from the new Kitty Crimes video, “Small Fry:”
Also in the cast at the new production’s debut will be what Midas MSL describes as “Sapphic exotic dancers.” The artist suggests attendees bring lots of dollar bills to honor these performers, and as long as consent is a constant, making out on the dancefloor is also encouraged.
“Small Fry” offers the first taste of STOP PLAYING SMALL WEIRDO, a new Kitty Crimes album expected to arrive in early 2026.
In the meantime, Midas MSL feels a new sense of freedom from the return of Kitty Crimes.
“I think we are bound by nothing,” they stress. “I just really want to bring something new to the concept of queer performance that is outside the bounds of what has been done. I don’t feel bad singing about sex, but also having a completely different professional atmosphere where we’re talking about spirit. So I just want to offer something that people might not have considered.”
Kitty Crimes’ Reverse Gay Psyop (Queer Dance Party) with Rare Byrds and DJ Buddy Bravo, 8 p.m. Saturday, September 27, hi-dive, 7 South Broadway. Tickets are $18.85.
