Kat Von D has settled into her life in Indiana — but there are a few things that she misses about living in Los Angeles.
“I live in the middle of nowhere in Indiana,” Von D, 42, exclusively told Us Weekly while promoting her new single, “Illusion,” and her second album, My Side of the Mountain, which comes out in September.
Von D explained that both she and husband Leafar Seyer “love restoring old Victorian houses,” which is why they purchased a former bed and breakfast in Vevay, Indiana, in winter 2020.
“We really fell in love with this town,” she recalled of touring her now-home. “It’s a tiny town of, I believe, a population of 1,200 people. We have, like, one stoplight. Our downtown is a block, and we absolutely love it.”
Von D, who made a name for herself as a tattoo artist in California, revealed, “It’s the polar opposite of what Hollywood life is. And I think that’s what really drew us to it.”
While Von D said she’s “not knocking Hollywood,” she confessed that being able to watch her 5-year-old son, Leafar Jr., “run around without any sense of fear” outside their country home really sealed the deal for the family’s move.
“My husband [and] I were both born in Mexico, in very simple upbringings, we feel like there was a big benefit to not having a lot of things and being more in tune with nature,” she explained. “So, we want to give that gift to our kid.”
The singer continued: “I think there’s pros and cons to living in both settings. I absolutely don’t think I can handle the traffic anymore. … Our traffic is, like, an Amish guy on a buggy.”
Von D, who filmed her “Illusion” music video in the fields of Vevay, noted that she goes back to L.A. “about once a month” to work on her music.
The frequent visits have served the musician well as she told Us the one thing Indiana is missing is California’s food scene.
“I really miss food. California, hands down, has always had the best cuisine,” Von D declared. “I don’t care if I upset New Yorkers or San Francisco, but the truth is, L.A. is the best for food. We do miss that. The Midwest really needs to work on their cuisine.”
Since she thinks her town needs restaurants, she has toyed with the idea of opening up her own. However, Von D, who told Us that she doesn’t think she’ll ever “officially retire” from tattooing either, is currently all about her singing career.
“I’m so focused on the music, and we’re about to start a big tour once this album comes out,” she explained. “So it’s going to be a bit, it’s going to be a bit before I start tattooing [here].”
My Side of the Mountain, which is Von D’s second album, will continue to give listeners a taste of her more gothic side — even if her life is happy and light now.
“Even though I’m obviously happily married, I’m still a hopeless romantic. So I would say my genre of music is sad, but with just a tinge of hope,” Von D told Us of her new music. “I just want other people that feel the same, whether you feel like an outsider, that you don’t belong, that you know, you don’t feel alone in this world.”
My Side of the Mountain is available for pre-order before it drops on September 20. Listen to Von D’s latest single, “Illusion,” out now.
With reporting by Amanda Williams
