Ari Chi
Tampa, FL | Established. Jan 01, 2013 | SELF
Music
Press
Florida is showing diverse culture in their new RnBass music. “In order to be a ColorFool you have allow yourself to show interest and acknowledge your infatuation. You can’t be afraid to fall in love. You must address the waves of self doubt that you’re going to face after you decide you’re going to swim. If you fall out of love, remember why and allow yourself time and space to heal. Last, you must determine what color your closure is, and find that hue in everything” quotes Florida Songstress Ari Chi. Singing on the streets of Tampa, FL’s Gasparilla landed her a gig which gave her the funds to finish her newest project “Color Fool” which we present to you today. Her story is quite interesting from traveled with her boyfriend alone, sleeping in the car, singing + ukulele in public & more.
To get to know her better, we asked Ari some questions.
What exactly is a ‘ColorFool”
– A Color Fool is Someone who allows themselves to become infatuated with the fact that without colors, there’s nothing.
What story does ‘ColorFool’ the album tell?
– It’s a chronological love story made up of fiction and bits and pieces of my reality.
How do you feel young girls can relate to this project?
– This will be very relatable because each song embodies a different emotion that every girl will go through at one point or another. I’m excited to see how this album will help people get through love and all that comes with it.
How does love and relationships play a role in ColorFool?
– Color Fool is a story breaking down 8 emotions that we will all go through in our lives. Interest, Infatuation, Falling In Love, Self Doubt, Heartbreak, Healing, Forgiveness, and Closure.
How do you feel you contribute to the R&Bass scene?
– I’m able to bring other elements of music into the R&Bass scene with my acoustic approach. I feel like Color Fool is going to be a breath of fresh air for people who love R&Bass but have been looking for something new and unique.
How does your personal relationship tie into the songwriting and making of this project?
– This is the most creative relationship I’ve been in being that we both express ourselves through our art before anything else. The first 4 songs are a reflection of my relationship and the last 5 songs were fictional stories that I wrote not knowing that everything would fall together so well.
If you could be a color, what color would you be?
– SEAFOAM GREEN
Stream her new RnBass project Color Fool below - RnBass
It's been nice getting to know Ari Chi.
Last March, we previewed her performance at the Gasparilla Music Festival, talked about her start as a Youtube cover artist and her songwriting process for her upcoming album Color Fool.
Last week, we got a taste of what that new album will sound like with the release of the single "Seafoam" and its accompanying video.
Since then, we've previewed Ari's new album Color Fool and man, is it good. Don't worry, you won't have to wait much longer to hear it, the album is due June 6. Ahead of its physical release and album release show on June 9 at the Attic Café in downtown Tampa, we got to, once again, chat with Ari and ask her about what we heard on her debut record.
Read: Tampa songwriter Ari Chi talks 'Sea Foam', upcoming Color Fool album release
Check out our Q&A, listen to the album and listen to a great interview with our friends at Cigar City Radio, below. - Creative Loafing (Tampa)
Ari Chi could have done the reality-show thing. The mix of her soulful voice and ukulele — not to mention her gift for transformative, viral covers of artists like Drake and Desiigner — could carry her far on America’s Got Talent, a la Grace VanderWaal. And Chi, 23, knows it.
“I actually planned to do The Voice next month, but I decided this is all I want to work on,” Chi said recently as she prepared for the release of her new album Color Fool. “I know someone locally who has been on American Idol, and guess what? Every single show she gets, it’s always, 'The American Idol!’ I do not want to be that. Because guess what? When you’re not following through, when you are plateauing, people expect way more from you if you’ve already been on TV. It’s hard to define yourself after you get off the show.”
Television’s loss is Tampa Bay’s gain — for now. Chi’s new album, which she’ll celebrate with a release party Friday at the Attic Cafe in downtown Tampa, is the statement she wants to make before she pursues fame and fortune in Hollywood.
Chi, an Atlanta native who attended Gibbs High School and the Pinellas County Center for the Arts, has been performing around town for several years, not just at events like the Gasparilla Music Festival and regular gigs like brunch at Gaspar’s Grotto, but on streets and at weddings and coffee shops. Her talent has already caught the ear of at least one record label that invested in one album — although she said she wasn’t comfortable with the sound, and the album is no longer available.
“A lot of people have it, and if they have it, they’re lucky, because I’m never releasing that again,” she said. “It’s definitely way more fulfilling to do it on your own.”
Like a lot of 21st century songsmiths, Chi’s path to independence has led through YouTube. Her soft, ukulele covers of hip-hop songs like Desiigner’s Timmy Turner (nearly 50,000 views), J. Cole’s She Knows (24,300 views) and Drake’s Controlla (12,700 views) have given her a degree of digital celebrity that she’s still not used to.
“I get awkward when two people a month ask me who I am, and I don’t know who they are, or they’ll ask me, 'Hey, you play the ukulele?’” she said. “I get super awkward. I appreciate it too; it warms my heart. But I’m not looking for that. I want everyone to respect my music.”
Thanks to her savvy marketing, that’s happening, too. Her original songs from Color Fool — an album she said was inspired by her friends who are visual artists — have also begun racking up thousands of spins. Though she worked with numerous collaborators on the project, she wants to continue doing her thing solo, as independently as possible.
“Some people will look at me and say I’m really put together, and then other people who are really established in the industry will look at me and say I have a lot of work to do,” she said. “It’s all about perspective, and I’m just trying to be the best I can be by myself. That’s what I want to continue to do. I don’t want to get signed. That’s not my goal. I just want to be heard by lots of people.”
She’s planning a move to Los Angeles at some point, maybe next year, where she believes a network of friends will help her land on her feet. Maybe at that point — when people have had months to get songs from Color Fool bouncing around their heads — she’ll take another look at reality-show stardom.
“I don’t even know exactly how far I want to take this, but I know that in order to get where I want to go to, I think it’s just going to take off on its own,” she said. “That’s the beauty of it.”
-- Jay Cridlin - Tampa Bay Times (Soundcheck)
The 2017 festival is taking place in Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, Kiley Gardens Park on March 11th & 12th and will feature musical acts from a wide variety of genres on several stages and cuisine from the region’s top restaurants. As part of its mission to support and promote music and education, the organization is involved throughout the year in several initiatives including providing scholarships and instruments to music students. - abc action news
We talk to Tampa based singer/songwriter/ukulele player Ari Chi about getting her start, ukulele hip hop covers, and learning production. She also tells us about her new album Colorfool, new single "Sea Foam", Ari Chi Fridays, and more.
Plus, she performs her track "Apple Pie" for us live in studio! - Cigar City Radio
PRODUCER: Holyman
FILMED & EDITED BY: Manny Montañez
Ari Chi is easily making a name for herself with tracks like “Sugar Rush” and “No Brainer.” It’s no surprise why you’ll find yourself falling in love with her captivating voice. Today we’re sharing her latest visual for “From A Distance” now you’ll immediately notice that this isn’t the typical beat you hear Ari Chi on, but i promise you it’s great! The visual captivates you with its vivid colors and bright murals found all around St. Pete, Florida, you probably won’t even notice it runs for over 5 minutes! - Citrus Rap
In the spirit of Holidaze, Ari Chi and Friends take a trek out of the city and into the forest with “Let It Be Known” soundtracking their adventure. Smoking weed in a tent, gleefully wandering the woods long into the night. At nightfall they wind down setting a campfire, toasting marshmellows and stargazing. With the night alight with high spirits music soulchild, Ari finally confesses deeper feelings to her boyfriend.
@itsAriChi
@_HarrisonPonce
-Brandon B.
@huxlee_ - MIEUX MAG
It’s safe to say the Tampa Bay Area has been blessed with an influx of talented artists, and some are rising to the top with ease and grace. Building a network through impeccable hustle and raw talent takes courage, and Ari Chi is more than ready for battle.
Armed with soulful melodies and ukulele, she's a multi-faceted double threat and she'll be the first to tell you she's “Made In Music!” Her video for fresh single “Let It Be Known” is icing on the cake for what has already been a stellar year for such a captivating songstress.
Ari Chi brought the world a sliver of peace with her sultry lullaby and smooth riffs on the stoner friendly love song, which couldn’t have arrived on a more perfect day with its sparked and smoked visuals: April 20 at exactly 4:20 p.m.
Director Harrison Ponce — who's been building a name for himself with other Tampa music makers, including Trapfone, Betty Dawl, and She.go. — captures friendship at its finest in a video that finds Ari chilling with her squad in the forest ... and it feels like a camping trip worth being invited to, as she puff-puff keeps your undivided attention.
It's high time to make s'mores and transport yourself into a world where time doesn’t matter and a smoke circle is the only thing that’s LIT! Check out "Let It Be Known" below and watch for more from Ari Chi in the near future. - Creative Loafing (Tampa)
Potent yet sweet, easily describes Ari’s youthful and fresh new sound, “Sugar Rush”. I fall in love all over again each time I press play. This song bird’s style is soulfully sexy. Neo-soul meets R&B meets honey; I think Ari has created a new lane for our conscious yet sensual Queens! I enjoyed listening to her vocal rifts showcasing her musical abilities. Amazing songstress! “Sugar Rush” is a winner for sure. Definitely awaiting more sounds from this artist!
Chorus by Andrew Williams
@itsAriChi
www.AriChiMusic.com
-Sheniqka M.
@shyneniqka - MIEUX MAG
colorful.co - WFLA
It’s safe to say that R&B doesn’t sound the same as it did 20 years ago and thats okay because the soulful sound we may have lost in the 1990s has been reborn into Tampa based artist Ari Chi. When it comes to R&B, passion is the key to great music and passion drives Ari’s latest project Color Fool. It brings out real emotions of love that may not reflect in her current love life, but can easily relate to any girl going through a roller coaster of a relationship.
Ari Chi pours her heart and soul into her project through story telling. From beginning to end, the album unravels the story of a girl slipping and falling in love from their meeting to the break up and self-realization that sometimes the life lesson is worth learning. ‘This will be very relatable because each song embodies a different emotion that every girl will go through at one point or another. I’m excited to see how this album will help people get through love and all that comes with it,” says Ari Chi.
“Color Fool is a story breaking down 8 emotions that we will all go through in our lives. Interest, Infatuation, Falling In Love, Self Doubt, Heartbreak, Healing, Forgiveness, and Closure,” says Ari Chi. She brings the stories of love to life through the phone conversations at the end of select tracks to bring listener along with her through her relationship. Although the relationship didn’t work out, she finds realization and strength in herself.
Color Fool sits at nine tracks long including an intro with no features allowing her music to speak for herself, but what she does ask is if you could be a color, which color would you be? - RnBae
Mieux Magazine caught up with central-Florida based ukulele player and vocalist, Ari Chi, to talk about her debut album, "COLOR FOOL".
Watch as we talk about the meaning of the album, her relationship with artist Jitt Brodie, her journey into producing her own music, and so much more!
"COLOR FOOL" is available now:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/col...
host: @whatupdri
director: @cameraking_ced
http://mieuxmagazine.com - Mieux Mag
Discography
Still working on that hot first release.
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Bio
Ari was born in Atlanta, GA and currently lives in St. Pete, FL. She was singing before she could talk and became fascinated with writing stories and lyrics then turning them to melodies. She studied classical music from sixth to twelfth grade in three different performing art programs. Singing had always been what she wanted to do, but in 2010 when she was given the ukulele she had hinted at for christmas, singing became so much more exiting. She taught herself and she's still progressing every day and though she still doesn't consider herself a "ukulele player", some are amazed by the way that she performs with it in hand. It never leaves her side and usually if someone asks her to play she breaks right out in song. She's very passionate about making her music in general, but live performances are what gets her adrenaline and energy pumping the most.
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