FEATURED ARTIST – JiaQi
JiaQi is a Chicago-based singer and songwriter. She grew up in the south side of Chicago and attended Curie High School. There, she joined and devoted most of her academic years to an after school program called Musicality Vocal Ensemble. With the direction of Michael Gibson, who was also her choir teacher, JiaQi was able to pursue her passion for music through free vocal training and opportunities to perform at shows throughout the city. The group was eventually invited on to the show “America’s Got Talent”, and placed in the semifinals before getting eliminated.
Since then, JiaQi’s music career was out on a brief hold, due to going to college and her director relocating to LA. After attending college far away from home and not having her artistic needs met, she moved back to Chicago to help her family and focus on creating music that brings healing to her soul.
Most of the songs she’s released has a theme of love and heartbreak as she ties in sensual and calming elements with her voice. She has a few songs out as of now, but has many projects coming out soon.
JiaQi’s musical history consists of performing covers of pop and classical music, but her original music is far from that. Experimenting with sounds of R&B, alternative, and other genres, her music is hard to fit into one specific category. She’s performed at the House of Blues, Lollapalooza as a backup singer for Bishop Briggs, the annual Thanksgivings Day parade, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, as well as other music venues/events in the city with her group Musicality.
As a solo artist, JiaQi has worked mainly in basement home studios, anywhere she can get her hands on recording her songs. She spends hours listening to YouTube beats to find the right one that matches the energy of her lyrics. On the side, she took on side gigs and opportunities, such as modeling and acting as extras in music videos for Chance the Rapper and Lyrical Lemonade. She released her first single in 2020, named “Deal Lay Guo Ma” and her debut EP “Insane and Inlove” in 2022.
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Links:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jiaqinna/