Chirine Sucks: “Nothing’s Just Going To Come To You Just Because You Want It”
Western Sydney R&B artist/producer Chirine makes music that’ll have you reflecting on your whole life late at night.
She’s released a handful of singles over the last couple of years, and appeared on BLESSED’s 2021 project LOCKDOWN TAPES VOL.1. She wrote, produced and mixed ‘New Devils’, a dark, brooding and thought-provoking track. If you’ve had walls up when it comes to love, ‘New Devils’ will resonate.
Junkee caught up with Chirine to celebrate the release of ‘New Devils’, and learnt about her love of carpet cleaning videos on TikTok, the amount of money she’s spent on Uber Eats and her view on representing where you grew up. I can also attest to just how mesmerising those carpet cleaning videos are — as well as the videos where people are pressure washing concrete. So addictive.
Junkee: A mistake that turned into an opportunity?
Relationships, break-ups, getting in the wrong situations, heartbreak in general, even in friendships. All of that has definitely sharpened my pen, it’s all made me a better songwriter/artist/producer. Not to romanticise trauma, but I guess you need to find the silver lining in making mistakes, because they’re inevitable.
Cringe quote you used to live by?
The cringiest quote that I think most people in the area used to say is “Only God can judge me”. Definitely a popular one!
Worst advice you got and blindly followed?
Manifesting/vision boards. This all means nothing without proper execution. Nothing’s just going to come to you just because you want it. Life’s a lot more complex than that.
The worst failure you’re up for sharing, and what you learned from it?
I try not to consider anything a failure cause looking back it led me to this point in my life. But I will say that my lowest points have definitely come from not trusting my intuition and allowing other people’s misguidance to steer me off my path. Biggest lesson I’ve learnt is that following and trusting your intuition is key, your life will do a 180 and you’ll lose a lot of people, but that’s all necessary for growth to be honest.
Anything you used to be wrong about?
Having to stay and build in your hometown. You can live anywhere and still rep for your area! The world’s a lot bigger than your city.
Embarrassing internet habit?
Googling symptoms to diagnose and heal yourself instead of going to a doctor. Not the best habit, but it’s definitely worked in my favour many times.
Ideal morning routine versus actual morning routine?
Ideally I want to get up early consistently, work out, pray, not touch my phone, have a healthy breakfast, write but right now that fluctuates and I fall short some days. I still try to get up early — on a good day it’s 4:30am, other days it’s 9am depending on if I had a late session. I try to get a workout in, get in the sauna for at least 10 minutes, shower/skincare routine, coffee is a must, then straight to work.
Something very off-brand for you?
Honestly not sure what’s off brand for me but I definitely watch a lot of stand up comedy more than any other genre. Actually, a weird thing I randomly watch is probably those carpet cleaning videos on TikTok. The end result is oddly satisfying.
Bad health decision?
Smoking Argileh (shisha) or a lot of screen time — if it’s not a laptop, it’s a phone, so disconnecting completely from time to time is the goal.
What do you waste money on?
Probably eating out, which I don’t do as much anymore, but when I was travelling it was close to a house deposit on Uber Eats.
Worst procrastination habit?
Scrolling on TikTok mindlessly, it’s probably the only social app that you don’t get bored using, but it’s the worst habit and I had to put a daily time limit on it.
Chirine’s new single New Devils is out now.
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Illustration credit: Matt Lauricella, @pigeonboyart.