CHI

Chi isn’t a complete greenhorn when it comes to making music; the singer has worked with TDH Productions as well as Grades.

‘Hard To Be Happy’ is her first solo single, though, and it’s a folk-R’n’B mashup that stays true to her dual roots in Bristol and Spain and weaves a somewhat heartbreaking tale swathed in romanticism.

Upon first hearing Chi’s delicate voice accompanied by a classically-inflected guitar, you might think that she’s just another sweet little singer-songwriter telling dainty tales about lost love. For those of us who are getting a bit weary of Laura Marling clones, though, Chi turns out to be much more than this.

Her vocal range is pretty impressive, though her voice never loses its tenderness; above all, she actually sounds like she means what’s she’s singing.

It’s not unfathomable to think that Chi is singing from the heart here. Though the track adds atmospheric layers of drums that adds a powerful element to the overall sonic experience, it’s in Chi’s voice and her sentiment that something special can be found.

Words by Eve Johnson

Tipped by Charlotte Holroyd from Bitter Sweet Symphonies