INTERVIEW: chhina
Interview by PORTIA BRAJKOVIC
Toronto-raised and London-based, Chhina can do it all. Rapper, singer, and producer, Chhina sits firmly in the driver’s seat, crafting a sound that pays respects to the great Toronto creatives before him yet carves his own distinct path. We spoke to the artist about his recent EP, Live Music / Die Music, a 2.5-year effort that spans a variety of sounds - operatic vocal samples, crunchy guitars, 80s synths - yet remains true to Chhina’s gritty sound.
Hey CHHINA, how are you?
I’m great. I feel blessed that I’m here today and I feel lighter now that I’ve released my project, but I’m ready for the next thing.
FIRST OFF, WHY MUSIC?
I always loved music when I was a kid. My family always had stereos in the house or music playing somewhere and I would be drawn to it every time. I tried multiple instruments in school growing up, from the saxophone, trumpet, to the drums, and didn’t really stick with any. Then, when the first Apple iPad came out and my mom got it from work, I downloaded Garageband. That’s when I realised that I could make my own music and piece together sounds without relying on my ability to play an instrument. It changed my thinking about music. From then on, I did it casually as a hobby until I heard Yeezus and Days Before Rodeo. That’s when I knew I wanted to produce music seriously.
CAN YOU DESCRIBE THE chhina UNIVERSE AND SOUND IN THREE WORDS?
Raw, multifaceted, gangster.
YOU’RE ORIGINALLY FROM TORONTO, HOME TO SOME OF THE MOST IMPACTFUL ARTISTS OF THE LAST DECADE - DRAKE AND THE WEEKND COME TO MIND. HOW HAS THE CITY SHAPED YOUR ARTISTRY?
Growing up in Toronto, a place where culture is everywhere, I had the privilege of creating within a diverse community. Everyone has an appreciation for international music and I think that is what shaped my sound. Plus living away from Toronto, every time I go back to the city it's changed and I think that reflects my style. Every time I look back at what I’ve released, it's significantly different each time, but at the core of it it’s still me.
"People in my life, past and present, are my biggest inspirations. My mother, my family, my current and past friends. Strangers that I overhear conversations from. I think just having conversations and living life inspires me. I can’t make music about something I haven’t experienced. I also can’t make music about something I’ve already expressed through another outlet. I need to find fresh experiences.”
— CHHINA ON INSPIRATION
TELL US ABOUT YOUR NEW PROJECT - LIVE MUSIC / DIE MUSIC.
Live Music / Die Music represents different emotions and stages of my life. I created it over a 2.5 year time period. It was really me exploring different sonics and collaborating with other artists on individual tracks which I then pieced together with solo tracks, almost like a puzzle. I wanted the listener to feel their journey and feel like they’re seen and heard. Much like life, I wanted to have a range of dynamics throughout the project, from loud to quiet parts. But through it all, we live by music and die by music.
YOU’RE SELF-PRODUCED. WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT TO YOU AND HOW DOES IT HELP YOUR ARTISTRY?
I think it helps me get more out of myself as an artist and push myself to try new things. The end goal is to make great music and I think producing myself allows me to explore more when reaching that goal. Not all my songs are self produced though, and I love working with other producers. But it's funny, there’s always at least one thing I’d change in a beat that gets sent to me and, oftentimes, that one thing will be the reason I don’t use the beat. Even if it's one small sound for 2 seconds in a beat. I’m very picky, but I have to be.
YOU PRODUCE FOR OTHER ARTISTS TOO? WHAT SETS YOUR BEATS APART? AND WHY DO YOU ENJOY PRODUCING FOR OTHERS?
I think my ability to bring in elements from other genres or have unexpected artists collaborate on a song sets my production apart. I don’t want to be a producer for a specific genre or type of song and I don’t want to be seen as a ‘beatmaker’. I think my favorite part of working with others is just having that extra dynamic or extra energy to work off of to keep the workflow going. When I’m collaborating I find the energy lasts longer.
your song ‘days and days’ was sampled by young eman on ‘2daside!’. what was that experience like?
It was definitely a learning experience. It highlighted how much my artistry means to me. When I put a lot of time into creating music, I want to make sure people know and hear that it’s me originally, especially when the lyrical content is so introspective. That being said, it means a lot knowing other artists feel inspired by my work… that keeps me going.
What would we find on your Spotify playlist?
Chhina of course. Kanye West, Travis Scott, Future, Hermanos Guiterrez, Ella Fitzgerald, The Tesky Brothers, Ryuichi Sakamoto.
WHAT DO YOU DO FOR PEACE?
Something creative - whether it's cooking, painting, building a website, or playing Minecraft. Just something to express how I’m feeling or what’s on my mind.
What’s next for you?
In the short term, I’m starting a new project. In the long term, I still feel like I have a long way to go. I aspire for my work to be globally recognised.
IMAGE CREDITS: @d.zamora11
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