Artist Spotlight: Chikaya
Photo Credit: Mitchell Jackson
Photo Credit: Mitchell Jackson
Chikaya is showing us that Bristol is not just about the DJ’s or producers but also the home to great traditional musical talent. The originator of what she coins as “Cosmic Trap”, Chikaya’s latest EP 'Descend' takes you on a journey of spacey beats and playful lyrics, with an amazing soulful voice that brings you gently back down to Earth.
Alfred: One thing that strikes me about yourself is that you have coined the term 'Cosmic Trap' I actually think it fits but tell me about it.
Chikaya: Cosmic Trap is the way I describe my sound and the whole EP is a product of one year of venturing through different musical genres and styles. This year my producer has helped me find something that really genuinely suits me and sounds like me! People that know me, and as you get to know me, will see my music rings true to my character and that for me is paramount.
Being from Bristol where the scene is a lot more DJ/Producer focused, is there an underground live music scene?
Yeah there is a lot of different music going on here, lots of bands and venues to go watch gigs all throughout the week, but I’d say you will go out on a Saturday night and find more DJ’s lined up than anything else. I think that is mainly because there hasn’t been many electronic singers here that recently, and now there is a few of us materialising so I’m confident whilst I’m still here in Bristol things will pick up and change.
Do you produce or DJ?
I don’t DJ but I definitely will in the future, I think its sick when artists do both on stage. It’s only a matter of time for me. Same with producing, my producer and I were very much 50/50 with it all. I’ve been there every step of the way listening through all the elements and choosing what I like and envision, because we both new this wouldn’t work if I couldn’t have creative control as that’s what has been the issue in the past. I could never have known half the things I do now if I hadn’t observed them first hand. I’ve learnt so much in 2018 it’s actually mad.
Tell us about your first performance?
My first time performing the EP was last month In a cool little venue called Take 5 for an ‘Illegal Data’ gig. I liked playing there it was dark and very intimate.
So your latest EP is called 'Descend'. What inspired that?
Descend is the name of the EP for a quite few different reasons. One of the more surface reasons was ‘cos I kept it in accordance with the spacey sci-fi style production and I thought having the word “descend” in there was quite appropriate. Kinda like I’ve landed.
When I listen to your music I get Aluna George meets Jorja Smith vibes, would you say that's a fair comparison?
I think we are three very different artists in our own individual lanes but I think Jorja and Aluna George are both very talented young women and to be compared to any young females/males who are perfecting there craft and bossing the game is a compliment for me mos’def :)
My personal favourite on the EP is 'Body'. Do you have a favourite and if so which one?
Wicked thank you! I have fond memories of writing to the melody of Body and knowing from those first few chords it was gonna be a banger. I just wanted to make the kind of EP that you can fully chill and zone out to but also let go and move about to, so I don’t have a favourite because they’re all special to me in different ways and they all have different moods. I’m a moody girl lol
So you have an event on the 18th in Brixton - tell us what we can expect?
You can expect lots of energy from me, and hopefully everybody else!
Will this be your first time performing the tracks live?
Yeah, this will be first London Show performing Descend- it’sgonna be live!
What is next on the horizon for Chikaya and the 'Cosmic Trap' movement?
Next on the horizon is to just keep it moving, this is what I love to do and hard work always pays off, so I’m just gonna keep going and moving with this flow.
Make sure you bump Chikaya’s latest EP ‘Descend’ below!