Chatting with the First Woman of XO Records, Chxrry22
A recent XO signee and fresh off of her debut of The Other Side, Chxrry called into our press conference from a Japanese hotel room at 3am. The time of day seemed irrelevant for the singer, however, as her excitement to chat radiated through the hour-long call – further emphasizing the powerful and earnest energy that she puts forth in her sound.
While she is originally from Toronto, Chxrry22 was quick to tell us that she feels like she musically grew up in Atlanta after moving at 20 years old. In Atlanta, she lived down the street from her producer Bueno, resulting in a month of near constant residence in his home studio to put together The Other Side. Her fondness for Bueno’s work was evident, even laughing about how in sync they were without him realizing it.
The seven songs that comprise The Other Side discuss the decisions and mistakes Chxrry has made in life and love, with the concept of duality being an important mainstay within the creation of the project. Growing up, Chxrry felt like people perceived different sides of her, leading to confusion on who she was. The concept of duality rings true for her now as someone who is aware of her own imperfections, and looking into the specific stories Chxrry shares throughout The Other Side, she admitted that it is scary to share such vulnerable and personal experiences and missteps with the world. Rather than cowering in shame, however, Chxrry has found power in exploring the ways in which she is a multifaceted woman who grows and changes.
“I’m both the victim and the villain, it just depends on the day. I’ll always make music about my stories on both sides. Duality will always continue.” - Chxrry22
A big fan of therapy, Chxrry shared with us that she used to have really bad anxiety until she learned that shame is the root of anxiety. Chxrry now hopes The Other Side can be something other women connect to as a release of the shame held in different decisions, stating “It’s okay to be like ‘I did that, I grew from that, and I’m owning it.’”
Now reveling in the experiences of being a signed artist with a fantastic debut project out, Chxrry admits that she still hasn’t fully grasped the burgeoning celebrity that comes with her music unless friends or family make a comment about how cool it is themselves. She’s dreamed of this career and been working at it since first going viral for her singing in 2017, and looking back, she wishes she could tell her younger self to just chill out and go take a walk. “I would tell younger Chxrry that she isn’t delusional. But also, delusion pays off,” she laughed when giving herself advice for the career she now has.
A self-proclaimed member of “Team Girl,” Chxrry spoke at length about her desire for women to get equal opportunities in the music industry. Joking about her Aries nature, Chxrry discussed being headstrong and confident with no boundaries and no filter, yet also mentioned that in the music industry, she’s a massive advocate of having the awareness to step back and reevaluate when things are not working in your career. While aware of the pressure that comes with being the new female face of XO, Chxrry mentioned not considering herself a role model as the first woman of XO Records and instead thinks she is just one woman who got very lucky amongst the pack.
“If I needed an opportunity like this then I know that other women need an opportunity like this. I’m Team Girl for real and forever.” - Chxrry22
Looking to the future, Chxrry has goals to take the world by storm with desires to start a clothing line, work as a model, and maybe even become an actress. Joking again about her self-described delusional nature, “I want to take over the world and do as much as I can while I'm still around. I’m so delusional I might start a tech company.”
Musically, Chxrry mentioned that she already thinks she has outgrown a lot of the music on The Other Side and is excited for what comes next. Her desire to continually grow and shake up the expectations placed upon her rings throughout The Other Side, and in the weeks after our chat she released a cover of The Weeknd’s “Sacrifice” that immediately turned heads for its sultry and fresh new take on the hit single.
