Chxrry has always been a star — a fact she’s intuitively felt nearly her whole life. “I knew I was going to be famous,” she says without a shred of doubt percolating in her voice. “When I was younger, I would get really drunk and tell my cousins, ‘You should be nice to me, I’m going to be an icon.’ I wasn’t sure how, but I just knew it was going to happen.”

This inexplicable knowing has guided Chxrry throughout her journey, even when it was unclear how everything would come to fruition. Now, as the burgeoning artist stands on the cusp of mainstream stardom, it seems all her “childish” fantasies were actually vivid premonitions of the success that was to come. From her provocative, unapologetic lyrics that chronicle the escapades and emotions of a contemporary it-girl to her equally striking persona and enchanting aesthetic, the (redacted)-year-old singer is finally letting everyone in on what she’s known all along.

Born Lydia Habtemariam, Chxrry first discovered her vocal prowess in childhood singing at home and during church. Raised in the suburbs of Toronto by Ethiopian immigrants, she cites music as her outlet for building confidence and connecting with others during her youth. Key artists such as Kanye West and Lana Del Rey stand as notable influences, helping her tap into her latent confidence.

“I was quiet as a kid, but I always thought highly of myself,” she says. “So once I started getting into music, it made me feel seen. It showed me that others felt like I did and gave me the fulfillment I had imagined for myself.”

Despite her nascent bashfulness, the spotlight seemed inevitable for Chxrry, something she quickly embraced after establishing herself as a legitimate talent. Following her first semester of college in 2018, Chxrry dropped out, unmotivated by her studies, choosing instead to fully devote herself to becoming that undeniable icon she so clearly saw herself as.

Encouraged by her friends, the hopeful starlet began recording covers of chart-topping songs — the most notable being Rihanna’s ‘Work’ and West’s ‘Waves’ — a move that quickly paid off, growing her following overnight. “I went viral when it actually meant something,” she cheekily notes. “I’m so delusional, I told my dad to quit his job right after it all happened.” This delusion, bolstered by an intrinsic certainty, drove Chxrry to continue chasing the vision that felt closer than ever.

As she began producing original tracks for her own catalog, the artist’s stock surged, drawing serious interest beyond her social media feed. By 2022, she had struck a deal with XO Records, becoming the label’s first female artist — a rise that was nothing short of prophetic, given she had always envisioned an outcome like this.

“Nothing surprises me anymore because I think I'm going to be one of the biggest artists in the world,” she declares. “There's never been anyone or anything like me. So when everything started to fall into place, I was like, ‘Oh, this all makes sense.’

Beyond what is immediately understood about Chxrry — her captivating looks, her charmingly brazen personality — part of her allure lies in the ability to straddle the razor's edge between unabashed confidence and undeniable arrogance. What could seem off-putting to others feels naturally fascinating in someone like Chxrry. “There’s such a thin line between the two, but I think arrogance is kind of fire,” she says with a playful smile. “I just exist in my own world. I’m always having the best time, and I don’t care if anyone doesn’t get it; maybe one day they will.”

This tension lies at the core of her music, allowing her to create a singular sonic environment — ruled only by Chxrry. On songs like ‘Just Like Me’ and ‘Poppin Out,’ she immediately asserts herself as a force to be reckoned with, while on ‘Groupie’ she demonstrates her dominance in a more covert and intimate fashion, where submission unfolds on her terms (“Tell me that you love me when I’m on all fours” / “Only you can finish on this cherry tattoo”).

Passionate, raw, and explicit, Chxrry’s hedonistic musings serve not only as recounts of a life lived without compromise but also as potent affirmations that fuel the artist’s unwavering ethos. “When I hear a song like ‘Main Character,’ I feel like I could rob a fucking bank,” she shares with unbridled passion. “Believing in yourself all the time can be hard with so many outside forces telling you what’s wrong with you. So in my music, I really try to push that confidence and that self-belief, because words are powerful. If you're not saying something productive or beneficial, why should people be listening?”

With two records already in her catalog, Chxrry has operated as an open book, sharing deeply personal thoughts and vulnerable moments. Yet with some artists, who can’t help but “live for the plot,” as she says, there’s always more to add. With her forthcoming project, Chxrry aims to make the most defining statement of her career, distilling what it means to be that bitch from someone who knows firsthand.

“I think after this project, everyone will understand what a Chxrry fan looks like, dresses like, what they would say. It has a lot of shock value, but it wouldn't be me if it didn't. My world is fully built out, and I’m taking people all the way in,” she says. Where to after that? “We’re going up. We’re going straight to the moon!”