Grammy-nominated American rapper and songwriter Chika returns to Noise Nest Studios, the studio in LA where she recorded her debut album “Samson,” in the latest episode of “Live From My Den.” Combined with an in-depth interview on her album and artistry, Chika offers viewers a tour of Noise Nest and delivers an intimate performance of “Requiem For a Dream,” “High Rises,” “Show Me” and “Night 4.”
The 20-song record, which includes A-list features from Snoop Dogg to Lin-Manuel Miranda and Stevie Wonder, touches on the 26-year-old’s experience as a newcomer in the industry and “all the growth that I’d experienced,” said Chika.
“I started conceptualizing ‘Samson’ at the end of 2021 because I had been through a lot up until that point when it came to being a newcomer, a newbie in the industry,” she added. “What it looks like from the inside was something so vastly different than what I had dreamed of…”
Chika also touches on the tough themes that inspired “Samson,” namely her public battle with mental health, and how the people who surrounded her at the time uplifted her during the healing process.
“Upon returning home after that mental health scare, I immediately reached out to the label and was like, ‘Put me in a house. Put me by some water. If there’s no ocean, at least let the house have a pool. Leave me alone and let me record there. I need to get stuff off my chest,’” said Chika, who signed to Warner Records in 2019. “They were gracious enough to oblige. And from there, everything began to manifest and take shape. It wasn’t necessarily that I’d taken a break and I needed to come back for any specific reason, but it was more so that music is a therapeutic tool for me.”
This season of Live from My Den is made possible by Hard Rock and in partnership with Fujifilm North America Corporation.
