Missouri-born, California-based comic Kristin Key is bringing her CA-CAW tour to Portland’s State Theatre on Oct. 8.

Her only prior visit to Maine was a few years ago, when the cruise ship she was performing on had to stop in Bar Harbor because a hurricane was headed toward its actual destination, Bermuda.

Key fondly remembers eating lobster rolls and popping into a few shops. Her love for the state runs deeper than those couple of days, thanks to its most famous author.

“Everything I know about Maine, I know from Stephen King. He has painted such a great picture of it,” said Key, who is confident she’ll fall promptly in love with Portland. “When I mention it on stage, I’m sure I’m gonna feel like I want to move here, and I don’t say that everywhere I go, but I already have such a love affair with Maine.”

Key in fact already, albeit inadvertently, namedrops Maine in her hilarious song “Lesbian National Anthem.” The line is “my purse is functional, it has Burt’s Bees.”

When told that Burt’s Bees, the company that makes personal care products, including its popular lip balm, was founded in Maine, Key was quick to offer a suggestion: “It’s one of my favorite brands. I mention it so often that they should sponsor me. I have one in my pocket right now.”

Over the last couple of years, Key’s viral clips have racked up more than 100 million views and she has just under 1.2 million followers across multiple social media platforms, including Instagram.

Key’s fusion of comedy and music started several years ago when a friend asked her to write a Valentine’s Day-themed song for a college radio station show. Key came up “The Passive Aggressive Love Song.” She said she wrote the song in a few minutes. “When I realized how easy it was, I was like well, I wanna write more.”

About 15 years into her career as a comic, Key’s use of music in her shows was still minimal. Once it was suggested that she play more, something clicked and Key realized she didn’t have to play her guitar the entire time. “I started holding the guitar and it became a superpower. If I just hold it up, we have a prop, we have something that creates timing, beats, moods and ambience,” she said.

Now you’ll never see Key without an acoustic guitar strapped to her body. From whole songs to little snippets and quick flutters of strumming, the guitar adds another layer to Key’s engaging stage presence.

Key, 46, took piano lessons starting at around age 4 from an instructor she described as being in his 80s and a hardcore chain-smoker. When Key said she also wanted to learn guitar, he was game. “But he died before I learned much, so it sat in a closet.”

During the pandemic, when live comedy shows — and just about everything else — shut down, Key began posting video clips, some of which went viral. She also made a concerted effort to grow her social media following, taking advice from fellow comics.

It worked. About three years ago, Key caught the attention of musician Brandi Carlile, who was nudged by her fanbase to invite her to be part of the Girls Just Wanna Weekend music festival in Mexico. Key has performed there for the past two years and has hosted Carlile’s fan version of karaoke called Brandi-oke. She’ll be there again in mid-January.

Along with the music, Key is known for quick-on-her-feet crowd work during the Q&A part of her set.

It turns out, the question and the fan doesn’t matter all that much. “They’re irrelevant,” said Key. Some fans ask clever or weird questions, which give her a lot to work with. Others are boring and awkward, which are even better. “My job is to make them funny.”

In August, Key shared a brief video on her social media platforms explaining that she and her wife were divorcing. While in the clip she asked for her privacy, she was open to talking about how it impacts her as a comic.

“I was curious what it was gonna do to my standup. When I’m going through something personally difficult it blocks a creative channel in a way, and it makes it difficult to access the comedy flow state,” said Key.

But being on stage is exactly where Key is most comfortable, and although aspects of her personal life are challenging, Key finds herself feeling curious. “I wonder what’s gonna happen next. I’m kind of a person where I don’t see that as being scary, I see it as I wonder what’s around the corner, what fun little adventure.”

8 p.m. Oct. 8. State Theatre, 609 Congress St., Portland, $24.50-$49.50 reserved seating. statetheatreportland.com.