10 Things You Didn’t Know about Chika
When Chika hit the music scene in 2017, it was clear that she was unlike anything the industry had ever seen. In a genre where female artists often have to fit into a certain mold to gain mainstream success, Chika was determined to stay true to herself. Although she received lots of criticism from people who didn’t understand her confidence, she never wavered and she earned a lot of respect in the process. In 2020, her second EP, Industry Games, continued to further her career and served as proof that her success wasn’t just a fluke. Her witty style and versatile flow continue to leave people in awe. Although she announced that she plans to retire from music, there are people all over the world who are hoping that isn’t true. Keep reading to learn 10 things you didn’t know about Chika.
1. She Hopes Her Music Hits People On An Emotional Level
There are lots of artists whose only goal is to entertain people with their music, but Chika hopes to do something much deeper than that. During an interview with Time, Chika said, “I want to change the way that people process emotions. I want to bring back what’s real and let people be more in touch with themselves.”
2. She Is An Alabama Native
Chika was born and raised in Montgomery, Alabama. However, her parents immigrated to the United States from Nigeria. Growing up, Chika had a fairly rocky relationship with her parents because they weren’t sure what to do with her desire to work in the music industry.
3. She Is Bisexual
There are lots of people in the world who don’t feel comfortable being open about their sexuality because they are afraid they won’t be accepted for who they are. Chika, however, is very open about the fact that she’s bisexual and she has used her platform to raise awareness to issues that impact the LGBTQ+ community.
4. She Plays Piano
On top of rapping and singing, Chika also plays a couple of instruments. While talking to Interview Magazine, Chika said, ” I play piano and the ukulele, but not fluently. I took piano lessons for seven years. I can read music, but I’m not Alicia Keys. I wish I was Alicia Keys, but I’m getting there.”
5. She Almost Went To Berklee
By the time Chika was a teenager, she knew that she was serious about wanting to pursue a career in music. She applied to the prestigious Berklee College of Music and was accepted. However, she was unable to attend the school due to high tuition costs. Instead, she enrolled at the University of South Alabama but left after one year to focus on her music.
6. Barack Obama Is A Fan
You know you’ve made it when a President of the United States listens to your music. That is something Chika got to experience when her song “Crown” earned a spot on Barack Obama’s summer 2020 playlist. The song had previously gone viral in 2016 and helped put Chika on the map.
7. She Has Some Acting Experience
There’s no doubt that music has been Chika’s main focus, but it looks like she’s also interested in acting. She made her acting debut in 2020 in the Netflix original movie, Project Power. We haven’t seen her specifically mention plans to do more acting in the future, but it wouldn’t be too surprising.
8. She Has Dealt With Some Mental Health Challenges
In April 2021 when Chika announced her plans to retire from rapping, she cited the mental toll of the industry as being the cause. Chika has also expressed her experiences dealing with depression and she has been very adamant about highlighting the importance of mental health and self-care.
9. She Is An Award Winner
Even though Chika is still relatively new to music, her hard work and talent certainly haven’t gone unnoticed. In 2021, she won a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Breakthrough Music Artist. She was also nominated for a Grammy in 2021 for Best New Artist. The award ultimately went to Megan Thee Stallion.
10. She Would Love To Work With Andre 3000
Every artist has at least one person they’ve always dreamed of working with, and for Chika that person is the legendary Andre 3000. Although Andre is best-known for being a member of Outkast, he has also had a successful solo career. There are also lots of people who have him on their list of greatest rappers of all time. Chika also told Interview Magazine that she would’ve loved to have gotten the chance to work with Mac Miller before his passing.
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