CHICAGO — “As an artist, it’s important to stay consistent,” said singer and rapper Ifeanyi Elswith. Elswith has remained consistent, maintaining a love of music since she was a young girl and cultivating her artistry by the time she was a preteen. The results of this can be heard on releases like 2020′s “Everything Festyle,” or new tracks like 2022′s “Hold You,” featuring friend and collaborator Wren.
“Ever since I could remember, I just knew that I had a gift of being able to sing,” Elswith recalled. “My earliest memory is of a woman on stage. I don’t know if it was Beyoncé or Mariah Carey. But I know it was one or the other. And I just knew that that’s what I wanted to do.”
Elswith grew up in a musical home, which she said directly influenced why and how she makes music. Her parents are both from Belize and her father came to Chicago to attend Columbia College for radio broadcasting. Her older sister, who she considers a second mother, influenced her taste in music and style of singing by frequently playing music by artists like Amerie, Brandy and Selena, among others.
