The Audience Is VAMPLIFIED: Crowning the 2019 Darkest Goth Girl [SPOTLIGHT/ANNOUNCEMENT]

Karen St. Claire as VAMPLIFIED VAMPIRE GIRL

The 2019 DarkestGoth Spokesmodel search has been one of the most robust in our history, as finalists were challenged not only to submit galleries, articles, and videos, but also to promote their work and show that they were community minded in the process.

At the end of the search, one contestant perpetually worked their butt off and pushed the envelope.  And even when confusion and miscommunication arose, they pushed through and corrected the issues as speedily as could’ve been expected!

That contestant (and now winner): is Karen St. Claire (or Vamplified, as she’s often known in the music world) from Los Angeles, CA.

We wanted to share with you a spotlight on who she is, what her background is, and what her personality is.

Who are you?

Karen St. Claire (Original Submission)

“Who Are You, Who Who, Who Who? I Really Wanna Know…”– Pete Townshend

First of all, I am a story teller and right now I’m ready to tell you a true story….

[According to Wikipedia], the lyrics of “Who Are You” were inspired by an incident Townshend experienced. After going out drinking with Steve Jones and Paul Cook of the Sex Pistols, Townshend was found in a “Soho doorway” by a policeman, who let him go if he could safely walk away.

Okay, so who are you, really?

As a Vampy Goth Rocker with a Burning Desire for Edginess, My skills include keyboard player, vocalist, lyricist, music producer, creative writer, composer, lyricist, author, art director. My hobbies include Gothic interior design and collecting Goth art & photography.

I love to travel to haunted hotels and supernaturally acclaimed places. I love spas and the great outdoors!

I love Goth clubs and rock concerts. I have a fangtastic time with my online retail apothecary where I make my own candles, bath salts, shower elixirs for the Dark and Decadent types! Besides being a Goth artist, I am a HUGE Goth fan! Last but not least…. my schedule is highly flexible and I have a valid passport!

Carrefour Vampir

Carrefour Vampir

If you had to brag on things you’ve done, what would be some of the things you’d brag about?

I am quite humble but, if you really want me to tout my horns on bragging rights, here are a few:

  • As Trailer “Trash” Osbourne, I was the trailer girl on “The Osbournes”.
  • As keyboard player and performing musician in “Alice’s Nightmare,” an Alice Cooper Tribute band, I’ve played everything from dive bars to high class venues.
  • I landed a VIP winning lottery ticket which put me in an actual Alice Cooper show. As I followed the man with the gas mask, I was instructed to throw mega sized balloons out to the crowd of roaring Minneapolis fans! It was a haphazard job for scrawny little thing like me but ended spectacularly when I was invited by guitarist Ryan Roxie to sing back ups with him on “Schools’ Out!” It was at Minneapolis State Theater, a truly beautiful concert hall.
  • As I walked into Psychic Eye in Sherman Oaks, I unexpectedly landed a spot on Criss Angel’s “Mindfreak”. What a cool guy and he was real! He could read my mind and he even pulled a book out of the shelf called “The Egyptian Book of the Dead” and said “You have this book at home” Whoa! “Yes, I did!”
  • My paintings have been featured on John Landis’ “Slasher”, Dick Clark’s “Beyond Belief”, HBO’s “Six Feet Under,” and somehow landed on The Conan O’Brien Show when they were filming footage on Lankershim Boulevard in North Hollywood.
  • I’ve won a few music awards, walked the red carpets, and hit #1 on a few radio stations however I do not consider myself famous.
  • I donated an antique crystal doorknob with a COA that I obtained from the estate owner of “Jim Morrison’s Last Known US Residence” to the GRAMMY museum.
  • I’m also involved in MusiCares fundraisers and have met a lot of really cool celebrities who have interacted and autographed my ongoing music cookbook series for the charity event.
  • I am in the top 3% of “Most read writers residing in Los Angeles county” on Trip Advisor.
Haunted Island

Haunted Island

So what led you to apply to being the DarkestGoth spokesmodel?

I already love the spotlight. As a Dark Goth artist, I knew I would have a blast representing Darkest Goth Magazine. I have experience as a model and even was a “Live Mannequin” at a fashion show once.  I played the role  of Death Row’s Dungeon Master in a Spiritualist community haunted house for Halloween.

As a Goth Rock musician and composer, I delight in entertaining crowds, fans, and berserkers.

Simply put, it is part of who I am.

Video Profile: Interview With A Vamp

Conclusion

In closing, we are very happy to have Karen St. Claire representing DarkestGoth Magazine and the Gothic/Alternative community that makes up our readership! Be sure to check out the work she’s already published here at DarkestGoth in the Karen St. Claire section of our magazine! 

Author: JT Hanke

J.T. Hanke is the founder and current editor-in-chief of DarkestGoth Magazine. Founded in 2012, DGM took a break from publishing at the height of the pandemic so that all the staff could work through their own issues, but was able to return in January of 2023.

Share This Post On

Trackbacks/Pingbacks

  1. Karen St. Claire: Necromancing The Throne [VIDEO ANNOUNCEMENT] | DarkestGoth Magazine - […] learn more about Karen St. Claire, check out her earlier spotlight article. For future content, like our NAMM coverage,…

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.