These Days
Chicago Artists to Watch
Spring / Summer 2022
Approaching the Spring/Summer iteration of our biannual Artists to Watch feature is particularly exciting. With just a few weeks until summer, there's an eagerness that can be felt by both artists and the These Days team to reconnect, create fresh experiences and learn more about each other while basking in the creative energy from all over the city.
Gathering a bunch of people brimming with talent and gravitating personalities always leads to fascinating interactions. But what’s especially unique about this class is the existing connections and friendships they brought with them. Like Senite knowing a couple of our contributors or GoldHaze and Sherren catching up between video interviews. Or even Heartgaze and Groupthink’s expressive, mutual love for each other's work. Even for those meeting people for the first time, as Groupthink put it, there’s a “tangible chemistry” between these creatives that was felt during the shoot at South Facing Windows.
As the sun beamed and the room bubbled with energy, we documented these eight artists’ journeys with a little help from our friends over at Dreamer Data, who captured behind-the-scenes photography and video interviews conducted by our staff.
We feel grateful to have not only brought these eight artists together but to have a chance to uplift and share their talent with you. Meet the storytellers and voices shaping the Chicago music scene now and for years to come below. - Iman Music
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CP
CP is a superstar in the making for the generation that grew up on Soundcloud and anticipating the next Lyrical Lemonade video. His deep, raspy voice delivers street rap boasts that personify an unbridled and unmatched swagger. He complements his distinctive tone with heavy production balancing dark undertones, raw energy, and thumping bass that’s likely hazardous for your health at full volume. Fitting for his 6' 2" frame, his music commands immediate attention: you’d know a CP record is being played as soon as you’d recognize him stepping into a room. A Chicago native with roots in the city’s North and West sides, CP is more interested in how the music is experienced as a whole rather than impressing you with “lyrical miracle” rhymes. He makes records that feel like you’re racing on Lower Wacker Drive or breaking nine tackles on a way to a touchdown like you’re 2011 Marshawn Lynch. That’s not to say that he can’t bar out —he discovered his talent after ciphers during smoking sessions in friends’ cars got to a point where they just wanted to hear him freestyle. The self-described, “Chicago motherfucker that been lived here all their life,” also packs a bunch of the city’s language and spirit in his songs. His newest EP, YOTD, features a song titled “Decent” and an ode to juke music in “Chicago.” - Pedro Gonzalez
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Ebony Loren
Marked by vocals carrying a honeyed lightness, Ebony Loren’s music could be the soundtrack to spring. The Milwaukee native's latest release Phone Static layers her sweet-toned singing over playful guitar chords, creating a sun-soaked ode to the complicated relationship we have with our phones. Like the seasonal ascent into summer, the soulful singer/songwriter is going through her own transitional phase of life. This May, she will be graduating from Chicago’s Columbia College. Navigating a full college course load is hard. Simultaneously paving a path toward a musical career is harder. Graduating symbolizes a new era for the O Pato singer to completely immerse herself in her artistry, where music can finally be her sole prerogative. For Ebony, this new chapter guarantees that she will be able to give her all into each release, forging a sound that is completely and authentically herself. - Halle Mohr
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Gold Haze
When it comes to artists to watch lists, and music-focused media in general, most of the attention is given to the vocal performers. It makes sense, as they are the voice and face of the songs, but behind every song is the producer that lays the foundation for our favorite records. Following in the footsteps of Kanye West and No I.D., Gold Haze is carrying the torch as Chicago’s next great hip-hop producer. He recently earned his first platinum and gold plaques for his collaboration with Pooh Shiesty and G Herbo and has been working under the tutelage of the legendary Timbaland. Even with his early success, Gold Haze is just grateful to be in the position he's in and oozes an infectious positivity that makes him easy to root for. Following the start of the pandemic, Haze locked himself in his bedroom to refine his sound and would post videos of himself chopping samples and asking followers which rappers they thought would best fit on his beats. Whether it be silky smooth soul loops or bass rattling trap beats, Haze can do it all and is more than worthy of being 2022’s artist to watch. - Alejandro Hernandez
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Groupthink
Groupthink is producing anthems for the undefined. A project they describe to be bigger than themselves, the Chicago-via-North Carolina artist has become a supportive figure for like-minded innovators who experiment outside the mainstream. Through a journey of self-education, Groupthink gradually picked up producing and dabbled with instruments as a way of processing their own emotions. What began as a healing practice eventually grew into the act that Groupthink represents today. Influenced by guilty pleasures and counter-culture, Groupthink’s sound is loose and alternative. In combining indie-rock with pop conventions, Groupthink embraces ideas of variety and contrast. Lyrically, there’s a certain romance within their music that’s introspective yet playful —akin to the comfort felt when remembering one’s first crush. For times when we may feel like an outcast in our own environment, Groupthink is here to reassure us that there’s always a place for us in their world. - Ellie Naughton
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Heartgaze
“Fearless” may be the best word to describe 21-year-old Clem Calandra, who makes music as Heartgaze. Growing up in Argentina, Clem took a leap of faith to come to the U.S for college. He recalls struggling to find his footing in Chicago, especially with their first year mired by a pandemic. Still, Clem managed to surround himself with supportive musicians like Victor Internet, Cece Maravilla, and Adan Diaz, and folks who have his back on the creative side, such as Laly Viveros and Marjorie Matamoros. His earliest project on DSPs, Hiding in Bleachers, saw them singing primarily in English and mainly operating in a gloomy bedroom pop lane. But he’s become a different kind of artist entirely since then, incorporating elements of hyperpop, hip-hop, gospel, house, dembow, and a hell of a lot more. Interestingly enough, Clem’s move to the States coincided with a switch in the language he uses in each song; he now sings and raps almost exclusively in Spanish. Heartgaze puts on an electric live show and is committed to creating authentic community in Chicago. For all these reasons, tuning into Clem’s upcoming debut mixtape is a no-brainer. - Ben Moskow
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Semiratruth
Semiratruth is the voice for themselves and their ancestors. An embodiment of their family tree, the 21-year-old rapper-producer from the city’s South Side uses their platform to represent the accumulated perspectives and stories of the ones who came before them. Like many of your favorite Chicago musicians, Semiratruth first discovered their passion for writing through poetry, later uniting these narrative skills with their love for hip-hop. Admired for their captivating opening lines, Semiratruth’s background in slam poetry can be heard throughout her wordplay. Her sound travels through time and space, further creating depth within their storytelling. Influenced by 60’s vocal groups, Semiratruth’s instrumentals rely heavily on chopped up soul and jazz samples and repurposing these older sounds with contemporary elements of electronic music ultimately contribute to the complexity and shape of their mixes. Bodying every song with pure confidence, Semiratruth is a bright soul to be heard throughout the city. - Ellie Naughton
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Senite
Pioneering the term “Sunflower Rap,” which she describes as a fusion of poetry and rhythmic words, Senite is establishing herself as a non-conventional artist fighting back against being creatively pigeonholed to a specific genre. Her personality is warm and vibrant with an understated coolness, which on record can translate to different sonic territories and a vast repertoire of emotions: some songs feel like an embrace and others like a burst of energy. Thoughtfulness is the driving factor for the neo-soul musician who released four interlocked EPs described as “the home series;” intended to navigate listeners through her mind and heart, Senite has figuratively opened up her home (specifically the guest room, the living room, and the hallway) to the public. With no plans on closing her doors anytime soon, the charismatic singer-songwriter is carving a space for herself in the industry while inviting the rest of the world in. - Hannah Gonzalez
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Sherren Olivia
Silky, delicate, and emotive, Sherren Olivia's sound encapsulates the essence of R&B. You’ve likely heard her sultry vocals featured on the tracks of fellow Chicago musicians, but make no mistake; Sherren is on the verge of a massive solo career, and her debut album, Oasis, is only the beginning. Themes of love, lust, and loss are woven throughout her work, allowing a space for nearly any listener to find representation through tracks that exhibit a vast range of emotional acuity. Sherren’s willingness to put her heart on her sleeve, backed with alluring harmonies, displays her inherent ability to enter the next part of her career while simultaneously proving she’s worthy of the attention. - Hannah Gonzalez
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Listen to Sherren Olivia on Spotify & Apple Music
Follow Sherren Olivia on Twitter & Instagram
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FURTHER LISTENING
CREDITS
Interviews by: Pedro Gonzalez, Ellie Naughton, Halle Mohr, Hannah Gonzalez, Alejandro Hernandez & Ben Moskow
Produced by: Eric Montanez, Patrick Welby, Brent Butcher, Carlos Castillo, Pedro Gonzalez & Iman Music
Photography by: Michael Salisbury & Julien Carr
BTS Photography by: Naima Woods
Videography Directed & Shot by: Dreamer Data
Design by: Hannah Pahl
Captured at South Facing Windows (Chicago)