CHXRRY: TORONTO ARTIST iS UNFiNiSHED, UNBOTHERED & UNSTOPPABLE [INTERVIEW]

Chxrry, born and raised in Scarborough, Toronto, is a singer and songwriter whose music sits somewhere between soul, R&B, and pop. From the outside, her rise might look fast, but for her, it’s been a lifelong grind, one that still feels like it’s never really finished. She discovered early on that people were drawn to her voice and her confidence, and that realisation set her on a path that’s always been equal parts personal and unapologetically honest.

 From pouring her emotions into projects like ‘The Other Side’ to stepping fully into her pop-driven sound with Sirens, Chxrry has been carving her own space, on her own terms and in her own time. Her music evolves with her, and every stage & every live performance, is another chance to show who she is now, without holding back.

Where did you grow up, and how would you describe the genre or sound you feel most connected to as an artist?

I’m a singer / songwriter born and raised in Scarborough, Toronto. As for my sound, I feel most connected to Soul music with blends R&B and Pop

You’ve been steadily building your sound and presence over time. How would you describe your journey as an artist up to this point?

I feel like it’s been very, uh… most would say it’s been quick, but for me it feels like I’ve been working at this my whole life. So like, I don’t know if there’s really a journey. It never feels done. I never feel like there’s a peak. There are cool moments where I’m like, ‘oh, that was really cool,’ but I always feel incomplete.

Early on, what made you realise music was something you wanted to pursue seriously, not just creatively but professionally?

When I realised people became interested in me as a person because I had something rare that most people don’t have. But you know what it is? I think people really are drawn to people who believe in themselves a lot, and who are a little bit delusional about their dreams and their talents. And so I realised that early on. So it was just a way for me to make friends. People were just interested in me because I could sing, and so I was like, “I claimed it!” And so I think those two together went hand in hand.

Your project ‘The Other Side’  felt like a pivotal moment in your career. What did that era represent for you, and the things you’ve discovered about yourself?

It’s so funny that, like, it’s pivotal now because back then it was like, “I don’t know what the f*ck I’m doing”. [laughs] I really didn’t know what I was doing. I was just young, dating a really awful human being, you know? And I was really sad and depressed and really alone. And then I made that project and I was like, “I gotta f*cking make it!” But I don’t know, we didn’t know what was gonna happen or what was gonna come from it. I think projects like that, where you really have no intention behind it, you’re just throwing paint at the wall, usually end up paying off later on because they’re the more honest ones that you didn’t really try. You just feel like, “This is how I feel.”

‘Sirens’ carry a darker, but emotional tone. How did that project challenge or push you in a new direction musically?

Sirens was like, “All right, I’m here now. I want to be a pop star. Like, out of my way!” The other side I was like, “Oh, are they gonna like me? Or are they not? Is this real?”. And then with Sirens, I was like, “okay, this is real. Let me try.” And now my album is like, “okay, stop playing with me!”  [Laughs].

Do your singles usually come from personal experiences, or are they more about capturing specific moods?

Um, I’m really bad at picking singles. I’ve realised that is not my talent. I am good at making music and I make what I feel and I make what I love and then I let people decide. Sometimes it works for me and a lot of times it works against me because I don’t go with my own gut, but yeah.

You’re currently on tour supporting Mariah The Scientist. What has this tour taught you about yourself as a performer? 

Um, it just depends. Like, a lot of times when I get off stage, I don’t really have any thoughts. Usually within the 1st minute, I’m very nervous. You can’t see it, but I feel very nervous, and then once I see the crowd’s energy, then I know whether or not they’re gonna be into it or not. I can usually tell if it’s like a tough crowd or it’s gonna be a fun crowd. Um, and then I just like to let God take over.

How does performing songs from your albums translate live compared to how they were created in the studio?

Everything is so much better live because there’s way more creative freedom, and you can play with the songs. I just did a new rendition of ‘Favourite Girl,’ and it’s going viral on TikTok now, and I’m like, I knew they would love it. It’s so fresh and it sounds like what I would have done to ‘Favourite Girl’ now. Now that I know myself sonically so much more as an artist, there’s so many songs I hear now like, “f*ck!, I would so redo the production on that.” So now I get to do that live, and be like, “This is how I hear it now.”

Who or what continues to influence your sound and songwriting at this stage in your career?

I’ve just been studying a lot of Lady Gaga, Michael Jackson, and Kanye West, I’m really into icons. And like, just seeing everything down to like their look, to the music, to the performance, like what made them become what they are. I’m just really, really into that.

Who is an artist you’re inspired by, and what about their work resonates with you?

I’m gonna say I really love Lady Gaga. I really do. I think she’s somebody who’s really taken chances her whole career. And like, I feel like with me, people never get it. I feel so misunderstood all the time and like I don’t belong anywhere. And then I’ll see people appreciate it after, when someone else does it or even if it’s me, like they appreciate it later. And I just think Gaga was like the perfect example of somebody who was just so ahead of her time all the time. And it’s really draining. It’s not fun to be that person. I know people think it’s like this glorified thing, but it’s really not. It’s really invalidating, and sometimes it can feel frustrating because you don’t know if you’re doing the right things. No one gets it. But then, it’s always worth it in the end. I think she’s just a trailblazer, and I think she’s just really cool.

Do you have a favourite song on repeat right now? 

I really love Doja. I’m listening to a lot of Doja right now. ‘Need to Know’ is just amazing! Yeah, that’s literally like such an incredible song. I wish I wrote it. I wish it was mine. I wish I could just put it in my veins [laughs]. I love that song!

Outside of music, what inspires the themes and emotions behind your songs? 

Omg, probably like the quiet moments. I was on the tour bus earlier and I wrote some sh*t. I can’t remember now, but sometimes it usually comes when I’m alone. I’ll hear it over in my head.

If someone was visiting your hometown for the first time, what dish or restaurant would you recommend?

Oh, my brother’s restaurant, LYLA. It’s like Mediterranean cuisine. I love Mediterranean food. But it has everything you could ever want on one menu. That’s why I like it. The pasta is amazing, lobster pasta. They have crispy cauliflower. Bomb! And the best espresso martinis. I’m not just saying that because he’s my friend, I’m actually beefing with him right now, but I just love it! [laughs].

What do you value most about the relationship you’re building with your fans as your audience continues to grow?

Well, there’s two things. One thing I appreciate is that they understand my humor and the way I speak, because a lot of times I say things and it’s like really ripped apart. And my fans will laugh because they just get it. Like, I’m not a PR, like, media-trained person, and I just speak the way I speak, and then you get what you get. Another thing I really love about my fans is they really let me explore. Like, too many people are like, imprisoned by what their fans want from them or what they think they’re supposed to make. But every time I preview something new, from ‘Main Character’ to ‘groupie’, to ‘Just Like Me’ to now ‘Hall of Fame’, this new song, I’m teasing. They always embrace it with open arms and they’re always excited. It’s like they trust me. They trust my taste. And I love that a lot.

Photography: Alexandra Fraga