Chika (logy): Living, Evolving, Cycles Revolving
In a Lincoln Heights A-frame art space beneath wood-beam rafters, I sat on the floor behind a wedge monitor, crisscross applesauce, tuning in to the frequency of the room. It was cozy. The loftiness and shape of the space reminded me of small churches I'd been to in the past. The walls were covered in art, and I thought of all the paintings and portraits throughout time that have lived in churches, and how I believe that art (music included) is one of the closest things to God, source, the divine, or whichever home base you subscribe to. It's always a privilege to experience a conscious room with an attention span.
I watched the saxophone player take his seat in a rocking chair as the keys player pulled up an old piano bench. Sofar Sounds is always amazing at putting together intimate, live shows that feel like you've stumbled into someone's living room while they were mid-jam sesh.
Chika enters the room with a quiet, grounding confidence. She speaks on the victory of standing on a stage that night, considering there were times she wasn't sure she'd be there. This was her first time performing live in over a year, and the love and silence in the room held her vulnerability as we all took her testament to heart. Chika began to tell her stories and sing her songs, weaving between tight, percussive pockets of wisdom and velvety, vulnerable vocal agility. The perspective and growth in her writing and delivery are poignant and were eagerly met by every ear in the building.
"There's better days ahead, but all my favorites are behind"...
Deep, cutting concepts like a home you can't return to, unrequited love, dreams of travel and grandeur dissolving into dreams of holding on to our parents a little longer, and her recent revelations of neurodivergence and autism—which I know personally can tend to make all things a bit more complex. She spoke on people's willingness to accept and celebrate the highs of a person while distancing themselves from and shunning the lows, and the fact that we are all truly full-spectrum beings.
It's often the most sensitive of us who turn to music and art as an outlet. People love the fruit of the creative tree, but when winter comes, we often stop cultivating and caring for the roots beneath the surface, making it harder to bloom for the next season. Chika has never shied away from her seasons, and in doing so, has empowered me and so many other neurodivergents to have grace for our personal winters. She can be blunt, blatant, and as honest as they come, and it's one of the most refreshing and beautiful things about her and her artistry, in my opinion. She's so human and gives us all permission to do the same.
Ritual Mag is looking forward to all facets of Chika to come. 🌿✨
Presented by Sofar Sounds LA and Wonzimer Gallery. 10.24.26
Shot and covered by Nikki Flores for Ritual Magazine 2026 ⓒ
