At the ripe old age of 24, Grammy-nominated newcomer CHIKA is retiring from music.
In an announcement published to Twitter Saturday, the rapper and songwriter announced that the “mental toll” the music industry was taking on her was not something she could easily “bounce back” from.
“I’ve told my team, I’ve told my therapist, I’ve told friends and acquaintances. Today I told Twitter,” the rapper wrote on Saturday, before alluding to experiences of harassment on the platform. “What followed was a hoard of psychotic fans rejoicing in the decline of my mental health.”
CHIKA added that the weight of the abuse she experiences online is particularly heavy amid her pre-existing struggles with mental health.
“When you have depression, the negative self talk you have towards yourself is deafening,” she said. “Now imagine a slew of weirdos dogpiling on top of thoughts you already have to fight off yourself.”
The news is a heartbreaking twist after CHIKA’s quick rise to fame, which seemed to suggest an even brighter future in the industry on the horizon. The XXL Freshman Class member was poised for superstardom, it seemed, after she released her first EP, Industry Games, last March — which won her a Best New Artist nomination at the 2021 Grammys. Soon thereafter, the bisexual musician landed the biggest accolade of all: She was included in President Barack Obama’s 2020 Summer playlist.
The Grammy for Best New Artist ultimately went to Megan Thee Stallion, but in March, she put out a hotly anticipated second EP, Once Upon a Time. Reaction was highly positive, with reviewers praising CHIKA’s ability to mix great storytelling with nostalgic beats. On the album’s final track, “Save You,” the rapper talks about her history with depression and the problems with searching for validation in romantic relationships.
“Fuck what they may do,” she sings. “Only you can save you.”
It seems that, after a series of Twitter troll attacks, CHIKA is taking some time to save herself. In her note, she cites the mean-spiritedness with which internet attackers keep coming for her as one reason for stepping out of the spotlight.
“It’s not ‘trolling’ or ‘stan culture,’ You’re pushing people to a point of no return,” CHIKA said, seemingly addressing cyberbullies who targeted her after opening up about her struggles with health and wellness. She added, bluntly: “And no, i don’t feel bad for wishing death on people who sh*t like that cuz you deserve the same fate as the people you effect [sic].”
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CHIKA ended the note with a simple “I’m out.” But to fans already praying for her return, she hinted that she may come back to music if “things don’t work out.”
This isn’t the first time an artist in their prime has walked away from the music industry or at least threatened to, with musicians from Meg White of the White Stripes to Lauryn Hill citing the intense burdens of fame. Back in 2012, Adele shocked fans by announcing she was planning on “fucking off for four or five years.” (Which she of, course, did not exactly do, with her chart-topping 25 debuting in 2015.)
And this February, singer Summer Walker had words to say about the hyper-visibility required of artists in the social media era. “lol I’m deadass never making another song after 2020,” the singer shared on Twitter.
It would be a serious shame to lose one of the brightest rising stars in music, but here’s hoping that CHIKA simply needs some time to unplug, unwind, and heal from the never-ending crap show that is the internet. Whatever happens, we’re wishing her strength and support through it all.
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