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Samuel R. Delany

Jonathan Bailey

Piet Oudolf

Beanie Feldstein

Daniel Roseberry

Radha Blank

Katerina Tannenbaum

Ethan Hawke

Christopher John Rogers

Katie Stout

Raja Feather Kelly

Aleshea Harris and Whitney White

Jamie Nares

Saweetie

Patricia Urquiola

Rirkrit Tiravanija

Faith Ringgold

Louise Erdrich

Sheila Hicks

Virginie Viard

Tschabalala Self

Jordan Casteel

Toshiko Mori

Caroline Polachek

Daniel Romualdez

Ivo van Hove

Pim Techamuanvivit

Pierre Hardy

James Whiteside

Mona Mansour

Chika

Manuel Solano

Kid Cudi

Rapper
Chika
Recording New Music

Jane Chika Oranika, a.k.a. Chika, 25, in a Balmain coat, price on request, balmain.com; Nike top, $35, nike.com; and Khiry earrings, $495, khiry.com. Photographed in her Los Angeles home studio on Jan. 13, 2022.

Photograph by Clifford Prince King. Styled by Tess Herbert

Chika Has Never Lost Sight of Her Dream

Even when the rapper is taking a break from work, she has the urge to get up in the middle of the night and record in her home studio.

April 21, 2022, 5:01 a.m. ET

I get the most work done at night. I like when it’s light out and the world’s up, but when it’s quiet or when everybody’s asleep, I can go uninterrupted. The years that my peers were in college, making friends and forming bonds, I was working toward a dream. In lockdown, when everyone experienced what it was like to basically do everything by yourself, from the internet, at home — I’ve been doing that since I was a kid. My EPs “Industry Games” (2020) and “Once Upon a Time” (2021) were the culmination of all my dreams coming true. When I put “Industry Games” out, my team and I were popping bottles and celebrating. Three days later, the world shut down. So I’ve gotten to experience success but also feel as though I’ve lost it.

The artist raps some of “Int’l Players Anthem (I Choose You)” by UGK (featuring Outkast).Eric Coleman

I always say that since I chose my actual name as my artist name, there’s a very fine line between my work life and my personal life. I took a step back last year to redefine myself as a person outside of my work, and to make sure I understood that not being happy in one facet of my life doesn’t have to mean the end of everything. That break was really about reconnecting with myself and celebrating how far I’d come. But while my job is my art, art isn’t work. Being separated from my job doesn’t mean that I stop being a creative person. I still have the urge to get up in the middle of the night, go into my home studio and record a melody that I heard and want to expand upon. I never stopped doing that. If I ever did, I wouldn’t be here.

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I’ve had no opportunity to tour, so I’m really excited to finally get to see the people who support me in person. I’ve created a relationship with my fans where I think they understand me. Even on bad days, they reach out and let me know that they’re there for me and care about me. That’s the overall tone of social media for me right now: It’s a support system when I don’t feel like I have one. Sometimes, you get on the internet and someone will be like, “Actually, you suck,” but I try to dwell on the good.

It’s been a long time — of breaks, of dealing with mental health, of all kinds of different things. At a certain point, I’ll be able to actually say thank you in a tangible way, by performing these songs and hearing them come back to me. That’s been my dream since I was a kid. Until I get to do that, I won’t say that I’ve made it.

This interview has been edited and condensed.

The Artists

A glimpse into how creative people live and work, from dawn to dusk to the early morning hours.

Rapper ChikaRecording New Music

24 Hours in the Creative Life

The Artists

5 a.m.

Samuel R. Delany

Writer

6 a.m.

Jonathan Bailey

Actor

7 a.m.

Piet Oudolf

Garden Designer

8 a.m.

Beanie Feldstein

Actor

8 a.m.

Daniel Roseberry

Fashion Designer

9 a.m.

Radha Blank

Writer and Filmmaker

9 a.m.

Katerina Tannenbaum

Actor

10 a.m.

Ethan Hawke

Actor

10 a.m.

Christopher John Rogers

Fashion Designer

11 a.m.

Katie Stout

Artist and Furniture Designer

11 a.m.

Raja Feather Kelly

Choreographer

12 p.m.

Aleshea Harris and Whitney White

Playwright and Director

12 p.m.

Jamie Nares

Multidisciplinary Artist

1 p.m.

Saweetie

Rapper

1 p.m.

Patricia Urquiola

Architect and Industrial Designer

2 p.m.

Rirkrit Tiravanija

Artist

2 p.m.

Faith Ringgold

Artist

3 p.m.

Louise Erdrich

Writer

3 p.m.

Sheila Hicks

Artist

4 p.m.

Virginie Viard

Fashion Designer

4 p.m.

Tschabalala Self

Artist

5 p.m.

Jordan Casteel

Artist

5 p.m.

Toshiko Mori

Architect

6 p.m.

Caroline Polachek

Singer-Songwriter

6 p.m.

Daniel Romualdez

Architect and Decorator

7 p.m.

Ivo van Hove

Rapper
Chika
Recording New Music