{{Short description|American singer and activist}} {{redirect-distinguish|Superknova|Kilonova|Supernova (disambiguation){{!}}Supernova}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = SuperKnova | genre = {{hlist|Indie pop|Queer pop}} | occupation = {{hlist|Musician|Producer|Recording Engineer|Mixing Engineer|Mastering Engineer}} | image = SuperKnova Goals Purple Guitar Photo 3.jpg | caption = SuperKnova on the set of her Goals_ music video in 2021 | origin = Chicago, Illinois | years_active = 2017–present | website = {{URL|https://superknovaofficial.com}} | label = Self-released | instrument = {{hlist|Vocals|Guitar|Piano|Drums|Synthesizer}} | associated_acts = {{hlist|Dorian Electra|Left at London|Dua Saleh|Shamir|Backxwash|Ah-Mer-Ah-Su|She/Her/Hers|Be Steadwell|Freddie}} | alias = Ellie Kim }}
'''Ellie Kim,''' artist name '''SuperKnova,''' is a singer, activist, physician and musician.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Schoenberg|first=Nara|title=Under growing pressure from employees and activists, Lurie Children's Hospital may end controversial genital surgeries on children born with bodies that aren't typically male or female|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/living/health/ct-life-intersex-surgery-lurie-opposition-grows-0728-20200729-la773aekvvf7xpjmbt7uahbzz4-story.html|access-date=2021-09-21|website=chicagotribune.com|date=28 July 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Pidgeon Pagonis|url=https://news.wttw.com/tags/pidgeon-pagonis|access-date=2021-09-21|website=WTTW News|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Julious|first=Britt|title=Ellie Kim and SuperKnova like a blast of sonic fresh air|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/music/ct-ott-chicago-music-local-sounds-1006-story.html|access-date=2021-09-21|website=chicagotribune.com|date=4 October 2017 }}</ref> She has released two studio albums, ''American Queers''<ref>{{Cite web |title=American Queers, by SuperKnova |url=https://superknova.bandcamp.com/album/american-queers |access-date=2023-06-30 |website=SuperKnova |language=en}}</ref> and, most recently, ''superuniverse''.<ref>{{Cite web |date=May 24, 2023 |title=superuniverse by SuperKnova |url=https://superknova.bandcamp.com/album/superuniverse |access-date=June 30, 2023 |website=SuperKnova}}</ref> She is noted for speaking out publicly against non-consensual intersex surgery in infants while working at Lurie Children's Hospital in Chicago, Illinois.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Schoenberg|first=Nara|title=Under growing pressure from employees and activists, Lurie Children's Hospital may end controversial genital surgeries on children born with bodies that aren't typically male or female|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/living/health/ct-life-intersex-surgery-lurie-opposition-grows-0728-20200729-la773aekvvf7xpjmbt7uahbzz4-story.html|access-date=2021-09-21|website=chicagotribune.com|date=28 July 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-07-31|title=After Lurie Children's Pledges To Stop Surgeries On Intersex Kids, Activists Urge Other Hospitals To Follow|url=https://blockclubchicago.org/2020/07/31/after-lurie-childrens-pledges-to-stop-surgeries-on-intersex-kids-activists-urge-other-hospitals-to-follow/|access-date=2021-09-21|website=Block Club Chicago|language=en}}</ref>
== Education == Kim attended the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign where she studied jazz guitar.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Illuminating Identity: Ellie Kim Shines As SuperKnova|url=https://thesedaysmag.com/features/2018/1/17/illuminating-identity-ellie-kim-shines-superknova|access-date=2021-09-21|website=These Days|language=en-US}}</ref> She attended Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine and graduated with her MD.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Doximity |url=https://www.doximity.com/pub/ellie-kim-md |access-date=2021-09-21 |website=www.doximity.com |language=en}}</ref> She did not attend residency and instead chose to pursue a career in music after graduating.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Getting to know Superknova|url=http://www.kinkyelevatormusic.com/blog/2021/7/6/getting-to-know-superknova|access-date=2021-09-21|website=Kinky Elevator Music|date=6 July 2021 |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Music career == Ellie Kim started SuperKnova while in medical school.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Getting to know Superknova|url=http://www.kinkyelevatormusic.com/blog/2021/7/6/getting-to-know-superknova|access-date=2021-09-21|website=Kinky Elevator Music|date=6 July 2021 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Rebecca|first=it's|date=2020-11-30|title=SUPERKNOVA|url=https://www.equality-empowerment.com/post/superknova|access-date=2021-09-21|website=music is her passion|language=en}}</ref> During this time, she began her gender transition and wrote songs as a form of therapy to process her emotions around coming out. She initially did not plan on releasing them. However, a friend eventually convinced her to put them on Bandcamp.<ref>{{Cite news|title=SUPERKNOVA|url=https://bopsandflops.com/stanlist/2019/11/6/superknova|access-date=2021-09-21|website=BOPS & FLOPS|date=6 November 2019|language=en-US|archive-date=September 21, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210921183641/https://bopsandflops.com/stanlist/2019/11/6/superknova|url-status=dead}}</ref> Her first album ''Splendor Dysphoria'' was released on Bandcamp in June 2017.<ref>{{Cite web|title=SuperKnova|url=https://superknova.bandcamp.com/|access-date=2021-09-21|website=SuperKnova}}</ref> She chose the artist name SuperKnova based on her childhood fascination with space. The name is based on the cosmological phenomenon of a supernova, the final most energetic explosion before the death of a star. She saw this as an analogy of how she wanted to live life: giving it her all and seeing beauty in the chaos.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Rebecca|first=it's|date=2020-11-30|title=SUPERKNOVA|url=https://www.equality-empowerment.com/post/superknova|access-date=2021-09-21|website=music is her passion|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Getting to know Superknova|url=http://www.kinkyelevatormusic.com/blog/2021/7/6/getting-to-know-superknova|access-date=2021-09-21|website=Kinky Elevator Music|date=6 July 2021 |language=en-US}}</ref> Her second album ''American Queers'' is one of the “all-time best selling transgender albums” on Bandcamp.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Transgender Music & Artists {{!}} Bandcamp|url=https://bandcamp.com/tag/transgender|access-date=2021-09-21|website=bandcamp.com}}</ref>
== Production == Kim is a singer, multi-instrumentalist, producer and audio engineer. She writes, produces, records, mixes and masters all of her own music.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Rebecca|first=it's|date=2020-11-30|title=SUPERKNOVA|url=https://www.equality-empowerment.com/post/superknova|access-date=2021-09-21|website=music is her passion|language=en}}</ref>
== Activism == As a physician, Kim has advocated for intersex justice alongside activist Pidgeon Pagonis.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Pidgeon Pagonis|url=https://news.wttw.com/tags/pidgeon-pagonis|access-date=2021-09-21|website=WTTW News|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=How Pidgeon Pagonis Helped End Intersex Surgeries at Lurie|url=https://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/October-2020/Pidgeon-Pagonis/|access-date=2021-09-21|website=Chicago Magazine|language=en-US}}</ref> On July 23, 2020, Kim became the first physician at Lurie Children's Hospital to publicly speak out against cosmetic, medically unnecessary surgeries performed on intersex infants without their consent.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Schoenberg|first=Nara|title=Under growing pressure from employees and activists, Lurie Children's Hospital may end controversial genital surgeries on children born with bodies that aren't typically male or female|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/living/health/ct-life-intersex-surgery-lurie-opposition-grows-0728-20200729-la773aekvvf7xpjmbt7uahbzz4-story.html|access-date=2021-09-21|website=chicagotribune.com|date=28 July 2020 }}</ref> She advocated for change within Lurie Children's Hospital in collaboration with Robert Garofalo, division head of Adolescent Medicine.<ref>{{Cite web|title=How Pidgeon Pagonis Helped End Intersex Surgeries at Lurie|url=https://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/October-2020/Pidgeon-Pagonis/|access-date=2021-09-21|website=Chicago Magazine|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Garofalo, Robert, MD, MPH|url=https://www.luriechildrens.org/en/doctors/garofalo-robert-1632/|access-date=2021-09-21|website=www.luriechildrens.org|language=en}}</ref> On July 29, 2020, Lurie Children's hospital formally changed their policy regarding intersex infant surgery and became the first hospital in the United States to do so.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Intersex Care at Lurie Children's and Our Sex Development Clinic|url=https://www.luriechildrens.org/en/blog/intersex-care-at-lurie-childrens-and-our-sex-development-clinic/|access-date=2021-09-21|website=www.luriechildrens.org|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|author=Nora Neus|title=Major children's hospital apologizes for history of cosmetic genital surgeries on intersex infants|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/29/health/intersex-surgeries-chicago-hospital/index.html|access-date=2021-09-21|website=CNN|date=30 July 2020 }}</ref>
== Personal life == Kim is a genderfluid, transgender woman and uses ''she/her/hers'' pronouns.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Rebecca|first=it's|date=2020-11-30|title=SUPERKNOVA|url=https://www.equality-empowerment.com/post/superknova|access-date=2021-09-21|website=music is her passion|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Music - SuperKnova |url=https://superknova.bandcamp.com/music |website=Bandcamp |access-date=12 August 2024}}</ref>
== Appearances in media == SuperKnova's song "Glitter and Blood" appears in Season 1, Episode 2 of Showtime's ''Work in Progress''.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Music from Work in Progress S1E02|url=https://www.tunefind.com/show/work-in-progress/season-1/93988|access-date=2021-09-21|website=Tunefind}}</ref> She also sings a cover of The Beat's "Mirror in the Bathroom" (produced by Ethan Stoller) that appears in Season 1, Episode 4, the "Bathroom" episode.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Music from Work in Progress S1E04|url=https://www.tunefind.com/show/work-in-progress/season-1/94155|access-date=2021-09-21|website=Tunefind}}</ref>
In 2023, beauty retailer Sephora added SuperKnova to their Sephora Sounds artist roster, a music collective that "reflects the authenticity of Sephora's broader beauty community".<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://newsroom.sephora.com/sephora-launches-music-collective-to-champion-and-invest-in-diverse-artists-for-a-more-inclusive-creator-community/ |date=August 1, 2023 |title=Sephora Launches Music Collective to Champion and Invest in Diverse Artists for a More Inclusive Creator Community |website=Sephora Newsroom |access-date=August 27, 2025 |language=en-US |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230810230801/https://newsroom.sephora.com/sephora-launches-music-collective-to-champion-and-invest-in-diverse-artists-for-a-more-inclusive-creator-community/ |archive-date=August 10, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.instagram.com/reel/C5Lb7RARiSH/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== |title=Get ready with Sephora Sounds artist @superknovacmusic as she shares her journey of self self-love and empowerment, shining bright for TransDayOfVisibility! |date=March 31, 2024 |access-date=August 27, 2025 |website=Instagram}}</ref> She was one of three artists to be featured on their TikTok page alongside the announcement of the program.<ref>{{Cite web |title=sephora on TikTok |url=https://www.tiktok.com/@sephora/video/7262438190735314218?is_from_webapp=1&web_id=7185528534714271275 |access-date=2023-08-09 |website=TikTok |language=en}}</ref>
== Awards == In 2021, SuperKnova's music video for her song "Goals_" was selected to the 44th Asian American International Film Festival in New York City.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.aaiff.org/aaiff44/goals_/ |title=Goals_ |website=AAIFF 44 |access-date=August 27, 2025 |archive-date=September 21, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210921183640/https://www.aaiff.org/aaiff44/goals_/}}</ref>
In 2023, SuperKnova's music video for her song "Islands" was selected to the 46th Asian American International Film Festival in New York City.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.aaiff.org/aaiff46/islands-2/ |access-date=2023-08-09 |website=Asian American International Film Festival |language=en |title=Islands}}</ref>
== References == <references />
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Category:Transgender women musicians Category:American LGBTQ singers Category:LGBTQ medical doctors Category:Intersex rights activists Category:LGBTQ people from Illinois Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Living people Category:Genderfluid musicians Category:Transgender women singers Category:American indie pop musicians