It’s early March at the YouTube Theater in Los Angeles, and an onslaught of flashing lights greet Chxrry22 at Billboard’s annual Women In Music event. But she’s not new to this. Appearing for the second straight year, the singer-songwriter flashes a smize as sharp as the heels she’s paired with her slinky chiffon dress—an ode to the ’90s supermodels that currently make up her moodboard.
While floating across the blue carpet, Chxrry gently touches up her dark tresses while photographers capture every pose, grin, and off-shoulder look. The moment is everything Chxrry adores about being a woman—the conviction of confidence that has led to such creative highs in her budding career.
In 2022, the Toronto native became the first woman signed to The Weeknd’s XO Records, and her progressive R&B is bold and jaunty, soaked in a femme energy only she can conjure. Chxrry sings of a topsy-turvy love on her 2022 breakout single, “The Falls,” but blows up the dance floor with the buoyant “Do It,” demonstrating an emotional range that’s resulted from experimenting out loud.
“I’m making songs that I wish I heard growing up, or that I could hear on the radio that make women feel good about themselves,” Chxrry tells Genius.
In just a few short years, the artist has released two EPs, 2022’s The Other Side and 2023’s Siren, both of which showcase her love for the “quiet storm” era of R&B and play up the feminine mystique. Chxrry got her start singing at family gatherings as a child, and in 2017, before the release of her highly praised projects, she began posting covers on the internet, inadvertently catching the attention of Abel Tesfaye. Since then, her star has been ascending. She’s landed on many “artists to watch” lists for 2024 and nabbed a spot on the East Coast leg of Mariah the Scientist’s To Be Eaten Alive Tour, kicking off in April.
“I want women to listen to the affirmations in my music and build that confidence in themselves,” Chxrry says. “I try to do that in my music, and seeing girls DM me and say, ‘I just love your music, it takes me to another world,’ it makes me feel like I’m doing my job.”
Her latest single, “Favorite Girl,” featuring Offset, soundtracked many of her fans’ Valentine’s Day social posts to themselves, taking the meaning behind the song to a new level. The duality of her music is also something she’s incorporated into the idea of Chxrry22. When asked about the differences between the performer Chxrry and the songwriter Lydia Habtemariam—the name she was given by her Ethiopian parents, both of whom sang in a choir—she describes her stage persona as something like a shadow self.
“I’ve always been shameless, but as I’ve gotten older, [Chxrry] has more of those qualities than I do,” she says. “Sometimes I’m a soft, sweet girl who, you know, is getting played BTS [behind the scenes], but in Chxrry’s world, she’s the queen, the dominant one, the fantasy. She knows no bounds.”
This can be heard throughout Siren, where she dives into various R&B styles, from uptempo jams like the aforementioned “Do It” to the trap-leaning “Ride 4 Me.”. It’s a departure from the intimate space she shared with Grammy-nominated team of Sensei Bueno and Daijah Ross (Snoh Alegra, Janelle Monae) while making The Other Side, which primarily focused on slower-tempo jams. With Siren tapping into so many styles of R&B, Chxrry felt “manic” about the collection.
“I wanted to showcase so much in such a little body of work, so it was stressful for me, because I wondered if people would get it,” she says. “People need things to be spelled out for them, so I wasn’t sure if they were going to get it. I had concerns about sharing different parts of me, but overall, my ‘don’t give a fuck’ attitude took over.
“Noise comes from every level, but I feel like my delusions are getting even crazier, because the more I go on, the more you see no one knows what they’re talking about. I feel like that’s the best feeling ever, since it fuels my art and how I create. I can live in my own world and do whatever I want. It’s not about doing what’s cool or trendy. It’s creating the right thing that works for you.”
These days, Chxrry is busy doing three-mile runs in preparation for the tour and working on new music. Her recent inspiration stems from her family roots—specifically the Ethiopian musical scales that inform her artistry.
“This whole time I’ve been singing a certain way that is a direct lineage to my roots,” she says. “We have a very rich culture and a distinct sound, so I’m trying my best to incorporate that into the new music.”
The pressure to meet the expectations of others doesn’t exist in her world. Although she’s performed on big stages at SXSW and NHL All-Star Weekend in Toronto, she’s not letting the early accolades feed her ego.
“The real prize is seeing people love your music,” she says. “I don’t let the highs get me too high, don’t let the lows get me too low. I used to be like that, and it’s draining. People fucking with my music in real life feels better than any list.”
Chxrry’s rise comes at a good time, as R&B is reclaiming its place in modern popular music. Muni Long is enjoying mainstream success with “Made For Me,” while veteran Keyshia Cole is having a well-deserved viral moment thanks to all the middle schoolers screaming along to her 2005 hit “Love.” The 2024 Grammys also reminded the world of the power of women in R&B, as wins from Tyla, Coco Jones, and Victoria Monét suggested a bright future for the genre.
“I was really happy watching the Grammys because so many girls, especially Black girls, were winning with music they enjoy making,” Chxrry says. “There doesn’t need to be so many boundaries with what we create.”
When asked what lessons The Weeknd and the rest of the XO crew are learning from her, she laughs modestly.
“I’m the newest one, so I’m really just soaking up from everybody,” she says. “I think I’m the one doing all the learning right now.”
