If Chxrry22 (pronounced Cherry-22) established her artistry in 2022 with her debut EP The Other Side, then she strengthened and elevated it to impressive standards with her second EP Siren, released at the end of 2023. The Toronto-based singer, the first female singer signed to The Weeknd’s XO Records label, exudes a level of self-awareness, vulnerability, and honesty (for better or worse) that many of us could only dream of fearlessly having.
Chxrry22’s The Other Side presented all of this under a gloomy cloud of realization and acceptance that she played both the villain and victim in the realm of love. “Do It Again” craves the return of an expired love and “Call Me” hopes to re-spark a toxic flame. In the end, “Wasteland” is Chxrry22’s moment of recovery as she dusts herself off and takes a step forward with a newfound commitment to herself and peace within.
That very commitment is the launching pad into the dominating Siren that Chxrry22 presents herself as on her 2023 EP. The gloom of The Other Side is no more, and instead, we’re hit with the fiery passion that blares as loud as the warning signal that shares the name of her most recent project. Chxrry22 dares a partner to be as passionate as she is on “Ride 4 Me” and goes even further with a sultry request to put their words into action on “Never Had This.” For seven songs on Siren, Chxrry22 asserts he dominance and captivates with her euphoric energy.
Months removed from Siren, Uproxx spoke with Chxrry22 to learn more about her start in music, the one artist from whom she needs a feature, and the advice she’d give her 18-year-old self.
What is your earliest memory of music?
I feel like music was a part of me before I was even born. Both of my parents could sing and they were in a choir, so they would make my brothers and I sing Ethiopian songs and record us. I’m not even kidding when I say that in every single home video I have from my childhood, I’m singing. I don’t think they thought that one of their children would actually grow up to be a musician, but I think it was their love language and also a way to teach us our language.
Who inspired you to take music seriously?
My mom. She used to make me perform everywhere growing up. Birthdays, weddings, you name it — I’d do it. She would pass around a hat for people to put money in. When I saw people actually giving a child money to sing my brain went off like, oh this is lit.
Do you know how to play an instrument? If so, which one? If not, which instrument do you want to learn how to play?
I’ve actually tried learning how to play the guitar and keys multiple times but my schedule gets hectic and I never have a chance to see it through. I actually just ordered a keyboard on Amazon to my LA apartment so we’ll see how long it lasts this time. But I do wish I could, it’s one of my goals.
What was your first job?
A hostess at a restaurant. I’ve had a million jobs and I’ve been fired a million times.
What is your most prized possession?
My voice. My health. My ideas.
What is your biggest fear?
I actually have two. Having a painful death but also just having regrets in life.
Who is on your R&B Mt. Rushmore?
Whitney, Marvin Gaye, Anita Baker, D’Angelo, Keyshia Cole. I think that’s a few too many, but you get the point.
You are throwing a music festival. Give us the dream lineup of 5 artists that will perform with you and the location where it would be held.
Dead or alive? Kali Uchis, Lana Del Rey, Michael Jackson, Amy Winehouse and Nina Simone. Held in my hometown, Toronto, of course.
You get 24 hours to yourself to do anything you want, with unlimited resources: What are you doing? And spare no details!
Donate to every cause imaginable and use whatever’s left to buy every vintage bag in sight.
What are your three most used emojis?
. Classic.
What’s a feature you need to secure before you die?
Lana Del Rey. No questions asked.
If you could appear in a future season of a current TV show, which one would it be and why?
Girls. 100% Bring them back!
Which celebrity do you admire or respect for their personality and why?
I don’t know, I don’t really pay attention.
Share your opinion on something no one could ever change your mind about.
That celery is disgusting. It actually makes me gag.
What is the best song you’ve ever heard in your life and what do you love about it?
Omg, I love this question. Also so hard to answer but for sentimental reasons I’ll say “Unforgettable” by Nat King Cole. It’s so simple but heartfelt. It’s the soundtrack to my life.
What’s your favorite city in the world to perform, and what’s a city you’re excited to perform in for the first time?
My favorite is always Toronto because I get the most love and it’s for me, duh! No, but in all seriousness it’s always so special looking into the crowd and seeing your friends and family. But, I have so many fans in London and Atlanta so I can’t wait to perform there. Atlanta actually holds a very special place in my heart because it’s where I really found myself as an artist. I lived there for a few years when I first got signed, and it’s actually where I wrote “The Falls” and the majority of my first project.
What would you be doing now if it weren’t for music?
I’d love to be a creative director and help other artists in some capacity! Or a hairdresser. I’m shockingly good at hair. Anything that lets me create freely would be a dream.
If you could see five years into the future or go five years into the past, which one would you pick and why?
The past was too traumatizing, so I’ll say the future haha. Also, I’m really nosey so I want to be ahead of the curb.
What’s one piece of advice you’d go back in time to give to your 18-year-old self?
Don’t date him. Don’t date anyone until you’re 25 honestly.
It’s 2050. The world hasn’t ended, and people are still listening to your music. How would you like it to be remembered?
I think like every other artist, I hope people can still connect and feel something when they listen to my music years down the line. I want to be remembered as someone who represented my city and my culture, and if I’m lucky, I’ll have said and done enough of the right thing that they know my heart.
Siren is out now via XO Records/Republic Records. Find out more information here.