Today we’d like to introduce you to Chai.
Hi Chai, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I started making music young — recording in my bedroom closet as a freshman in high school, before I had resources, a plan, or an audience. That small space was where I learned how to turn emotion into sound and survive through creativity. Music was freedom, but it was also ambition. I didn’t just want to express myself — I wanted to build something real.
From the beginning, part of my drive was the desire to get rich and take care of my mom and my family back in Chicago. Music felt like a way out and a way forward, a chance to change circumstances instead of being trapped by them. Years later, after the traumatic birth of my daughter, that drive deepened. She didn’t start my journey, but she gave it new meaning — a reason to keep going when life felt heavy. Creating now is about survival and legacy — processing pain while building something honest for myself and for her. Music is where I go to remember who I am, where I’ve been, and why I continue.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It hasn’t been easy at all. I lost my grandma Emma, then learned I had lupus — a diagnosis that forced me to confront my own body betraying me while I was still trying to function and survive. Lupus brought chronic pain, exhaustion, and uncertainty, making everyday life feel heavier and more fragile. Not long after, I lost my cousin China, and then her mother — my Aunty Tammy. Losing the people I would normally lean on left me navigating pregnancy, illness, and grief without the support system I needed most. Becoming a mother while managing a serious autoimmune condition and a toxic relationship meant carrying everything alone, physically and emotionally.
Grief started to stack on top of grief, with barely any time to breathe in between.
In the middle of all that loss, I gave birth to my daughter in a traumatic way and found myself in an emotionally and physically abusive relationship.
There were moments where everything felt like too much at once — my body, my heart, my circumstances all under pressure.
But I kept going.
Not because it was easy, but because I had no other choice.
Those experiences didn’t break me — they changed me, and they continue to shape the way I move, create, and survive.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m a singer, songwriter, rapper, actress, and voice-over artist who works across music, film, and storytelling. I specialize in emotionally honest work that blends vulnerability with ambition — whether that’s through songwriting, performance, or voice. I’m known for my ability to move between genres and spaces, from hip-hop and R&B to EDM, film, and gaming, without losing my identity.
I’ve worked with Grammy-nominated producers, co-written songs for EDM artists, and contributed to projects connected to major platforms like gaming and television. I’m currently working on a TV show soundtrack with a legendary producer, which has been one of the most meaningful milestones of my career so far. Alongside my creative work, I serve as the Operations and Outreach Coordinator for a nonprofit based in Phoenix, where I help support youth and community initiatives — a role that keeps me grounded and connected to purpose beyond the industry.
What I’m most proud of is my resilience. I’ve continued to create through loss, illness, motherhood, and personal challenges without losing my voice or my vision. What sets me apart is that I don’t create from trends — I create from lived experience. My work reflects survival, growth, and legacy, and I’m intentional about building something that lasts, not just something that’s seen.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://totalopportunities.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chaithacoldest/
- Youtube: https://youtu.be/Hbgj90Rp7Fs
- Other: https://youtu.be/nE50EM90vT4
Image Credits
@christoeclear
@royalevisionmedia
@gerrygarciaphoto
