Music

Full Length Albums

Comin’ Alive (2006)

I’m Just Warming Up (2009)

{Kael is a vibrant talent. A welcome island of wit and charm in a sea of whining, introspective cack!{
Tim Readman
Reviewer for Penguin Eggs Magazine, Canada’s Folk, Roots, and World Music Magazine
{Kael’s lyrical edge is sharp as a samurai, slicing away any of the mush that makes much roots/folk writing smell like cow patties. This faux-hawked folkie asks, “How am I going to get on the radio when I cuss and swear and sing about lovin’ women?” Well, writing songs this honest, smart and often gut-splittingly funny can’t hurt.  After you spin Kael’s sassy, honest songs you'll understand where that sparkle in her eyes comes from. This kind of precocious is precious and altogether rare.{
Stuart Derdeyn
The Vancouver Province
{Kael Reid is one of the funniest artists I've ever heard. Anyone who'd write a song called "The Only Dyke at the Open Mic" deserves a medal, and when she follows it up with "Co-op Girlz" (about trying to pick up a chick at a health food store) and "I‘d Go Straight for Ridley Bent" she should be eligible for the Order of Canada. Entertaining. Sharp. Honest. Funny. A person who breaks the  stereotypes and makes us all think as well as laugh. I am, not so secretly, in love with Kael.{
Richard Flohil

Doing it for the Chicks (2011)

Queer Across Canada (2013)

{

Kael Reid is one of the best songwriters I’ve heard in years. I’d put her on a stage any time, anywhere.

– Gary Cristall, Artistic Director, Vancouver Folk Festival 1978-1994, Vancouver, BC

{

Singles

fYreflies Lyrics

(Chase)
When I first arrived, I was scared, and I was shy
I didn’t know if I was going to be able to
Look anyone in the eye
I was terrified.
Now, I’m standing here in front of all of you
Trying to lay down a rhyme, or two
And I think it’s about time I told all of you…
About Camp fYrefly
F to the Y to the R – E – F – L – Y
What does that spell?
FYREFLY!
F to the Y to the R – E – F – L – Y
What does that spell?
FYREFLY!

I was thrown into my pod and right then and there I saw
All these friendly faces looking back at me
Tattoos, smiles, fabulous style
Piercings, crazy hair and whoa, there’s glitter like, everywhere!
And it dawned on me that it’s so rare to see
So many queer bodies in one place
And in that moment I thought, hey
For the first time in my life, I can finally be myself
In this positive fYrefly space

Chorus (Kael)
fYreflies, glowing in the night
fYreflies, lighting up our lives
fYreflies, we are so fine
fYreflies, this is our time to shine

(Chase)
Being here is like being back in kindergarten
Cuz I don’t gotta to worry about who’s my friend or who’s my enemy
Cuz I have just been accepted into
My new found family

You see, here at fYrefly, there is no prejudice, there’s only pride
And I’m never forced to pick any side
I don’t gotta worry about which bathroom to use
Because it doesn’t matter if I’m a chick or a dude
Or anything in between, cuz those binaries are just plain mean
This is my time, I can just be me
And you can just be you

Chorus (Kael)
fYreflies, glowing in the night
fYreflies, lighting up our lives
fYreflies, we are so fine
fYreflies, this is our time to shine

(Chase)
At fYrefly, I can be proud and I can be bold
I don’t gotta look over my shoulder
And worry about who’s judging me or who’s staring
Because it’s here where I know people truly care.
You know I love to see all of you smile
Because in this world we live in
Sometimes that can take a while
This camp changes the world, this camp saves lives
In fact, this camp saved mine.
Because the people here made me realize that
There’s a reason to be alive
At fYrefly, when I look into all of your eyes,
I feel recognized, I feel empowered and acknowledged
Like we are all unstoppable, like anything is possible!

Chorus (Kael)
fYreflies, glowing in the night
fYreflies, lighting up our lives
fYreflies, we are so fine
fYreflies, this is our time to shine

(Chase)
Laughing, Latin dancing, river rafting, arts and crafting
We’ve got hikes and dykes and open mics
Sex ed and that killer food we’re fed
Smores and spider dogs and campfire logs
Singing our hearts out and whispering after “lights out”

We’re movement makers, stereotype breakers
Chance takers, perception shakers and yeah….we’re heart breakers!
We are gender creative, trans celebrative
We’ve got our healthy minds team bringing us queer cheer
And to all the volunteers, I’m so glad that you are all here
We’ve got unicorns that are gay
And what can I say?
(Chase and Kate) We’ve got Kate and Tay

Chorus (Kael)
fYreflies, glowing in the night
fYreflies, lighting up our lives
fYreflies, we are so fine
fYreflies, this is our time to shine

(Chase)
Even though our days together at fYrefly will come to a close
I want you to know that that the bonds
We have created here will continue on, and on, and on
And no matter where we find ourselves
I know that when I yell “fyre”, you’ll yell  “fly”
“fYre?” “fly!” “fYre?” “fly!”, “fYre?” “fly!”
And now it’s time for us to go back into the world
But when life feels like a roller coaster or one of those tilt-a-whirl rides
Or if ever you’re feeling hurt or alone
Just remember this, you only have 361 days
Until you get to come back home.

Chorus (Chase and Kael)
fYreflies, glowing in the night
fYreflies, lighting up our lives
fYreflies, we are so fine
fYreflies, this is our time to shine

Phoenix Lyrics
I’ve been doing a lot of running through my life
Running from them, running from myself, running from my truth
I’ve been hiding something inside of me
And my foot’s on the gas
Feels like I’m driving a thousand miles too fast
And now I’m just running on empty

See, over the years, I’ve been making lists
I gotta do this, gotta do that
Get things done and prove I’m someone
I go to college, get good grades and graduate
Find a man, land a job and start a family
Cuz, that’s what they expect of me

Now, I’m tired of pretending and in the end
There’s nowhere to go when I feel boxed in and split in two
I can’t seem to find a way to say it
I open my mouth but nothing comes out
Except some sweet smiling southern talk
But that’s not really who I am

And, I remember how it felt when I first crossed that line
How it felt to redefine myself and come clean in my own mind
We were listening to “Cannonball” and I still recall all I wanted
Was to kiss her, we were just sixteen
But that wasn’t exactly on my list

Bridge
Since then, I feel like I’ve been dying except something’s coming alive
And now I’m standing here, my feet are on the edge
I’m looking out across the abyss and I see your face in the distance
But the hardest step is taking that leap of faith
And this whole thing might go up in flames
But I’m hoping that you’ll wait for me

Cuz from these ruins baby, I’m going to rise
And when I breathe
Will I find peace?
And if I’m tender and I’m tough
Is that good enough?
Am I good enough?

So, I’m done with running, I’m done with checking my list
I’m giving it all up to chance, with a whispered prayer and a touch of risk
And I keep stoking this fire that’s burning inside me for you
Knowing that on some morning so sublime
I’ll be waking up with your body next to mine
Your body next to mine
Your body next to mine
Your body next to mine
Your body next to mine

Breast Cancer Pink (2014)

by Kael Reid & Dr. Chelsey Hauge-Zavaleta

Breast Cancer Pink Lyrics

I think I’ve got everything under control
It’s going to be fine; it’s going to be fine
I’m just trying to find a way to hide this new body of mine
I’ve got me some of those loose-fitting, with-the-sleeves-rolled-up-
Hipster-boyfriend-button-down shirts to pull around my chest
Shirts that make me look like I wouldn’t
If you saw me undressed

But there’s one more problem, I want to feel normal again,
I want to look normal again
I want to look like what people expect normal should look like
Whatever normal should look like, what does that look like?
I need to fill in this space the surgery left behind
Something to cover up this scar zigzagging across my ribcage and my mind

Chorus
Cuz they took my left tit away
Like they didn’t even give a shit
And I’m on the brink of a fit of rage
Cuz all I’m surrounded with is
Breast cancer pink

At the lingerie store it’s all about the perfect rack
From that straight male fantasy
Whether it’s Victoria’s Secret, or the store for women like me
With partial mastectomies
But excuse me, what’s so perfect about
Bras for chicks with no left tit, trying to make me look all flawless
This is one more space in which my body just doesn’t fit

Chorus
Cuz they took my left tit away
Like they didn’t even give a shit
And I’m on the brink of a fit of rage
Cuz all I’m surrounded with is
Breast cancer pink

Everywhere I turn all I see is this ghastly pastel shade
Pink bows, pink lace, pink ribbons, pink panties all over the place
What’s any self-respecting, no-left-breasted, post-structural feminist supposed to think?
What can I say?
This gendered cancer game feels like a straitjacket to me

Bridge
And they call us all warriors, as if we’re fighting a war
Then they call us badass survivors when we don’t die
Well, warriors don’t wear pink lace lingerie
And survivors don’t hide behind little bows
So gimme some underwear with attitude
Gimme some red and black gitch
Stitch it up with rhinestones and spikes
But nothing proper and nothing lady-like, no!

Chorus
Cuz they took my left tit away
Like they didn’t even give a shit
And I’m on the brink of a fit of rage
Cuz all I’m surrounded with is
Breast cancer pink

Something 'Bout You and Me Lyrics
It all started back in ‘87
We were seventeen sitting side by side in science class
And instead of paying attention to what the teacher had to say
I made it my personal mission to make you laugh

You were brainy and I was always getting in trouble
Because studying biology wasn’t really my thing
All that talk about cells and genes didn’t do it for me
But I learned something about chemistry

Chorus
And I felt Newton’s law of attraction with your body next to mine
I was more of a hands-on learner anyway
And Plato’s law of affinity flashed across my mind
I guess those old boys knew something ‘bout you and me

I was dating a boy and teaching myself to play guitar
You were playing sports and doing your homework
And you passed that class because you were good at science and math
And I failed miserably but I never forgot your laugh

And then twenty-five years later, I was playing music on the road
And I ran into you in bar in Ontario
We didn’t recognize each other ‘til you put two and two together
Your math skills came in handy that day

Chorus
I felt Newton’s law of attraction with your body next to mine
I’m more of a hands-on learner anyway
And Plato’s law of affinity flashed across my mind
I guess those old boys knew something ‘bout you and me

Now, I want to study the curves of your anatomy
Forget what I’ve learned about love and begin again
Traverse your skin and know the scent and taste and touch of you
Conduct a thorough investigation of you

Chorus
Cuz’ I feel Newton’s law of attraction when your body’s next to mine
I’m kind of a hands-on learner anyway
And Plato’s law of affinity flashes across my mind
I guess those old boys knew something ‘bout you and me
And I feel Newton’s law of attraction when your body’s next to mine
I’m kind of a hands-on lover anyway
And Plato’s law of affinity flashes across my mind
I guess those old boys knew something ‘bout you and me
Those old boys knew something ‘bout you and me
Something ‘bout you and me