Q&A: This is David Chief
“I’ve actually realized I’m most creative first thing in the morning. However, due to things like my 9-5 job, I mainly make music late at night.” - David Chief
It was a pleasure to recently interview David Chief, a musician who I’ve listened to for a couple years! I particularly enjoy listening to David’s music because it is the perfect soundtrack to a quiet evening. We discuss his musical beginnings, his latest single, growing success, collaborations, and his love of pizza! Be sure to check out the playlist below at the end and continue to support his future work!
How did you get started making music?
I started making music and DJing during my freshman year of college in 2014. I finally had a space to call my own, and wanted to pick up some new hobbies.
Tell me about your latest single “Takayama”.
“Takayama” is a collaboration between myself and Crispy Beats. I originally found a sample and sent it over to him, which he then replayed live on his guitar. We threw in some drums & bass, and then layered it all together. I am really happy with the way that one came out, so expect more collabs from us soon!
You’ve collaborated with Notation on your last two albums “Embers” and “MIST”. How does the production process differ when two artists are working on an album together as opposed to working alone, which you did on your debut album “Gems”?
Working on an album with someone is great, because you can keep each other on track, and bounce ideas off of each other. What makes the tapes with Notation even more special is the fact that we are really good friends in person. When we are hanging out the collaboration just comes naturally, and the music is being made in real time. It differs from a solo album, because everything is a joint effort and joint decision.
Many of your songs deal with the late night hours (“2am Drive”, “Lava Lamps”, “Dusk”, “Until Dawn”). How does the late night inspire your music?
I’ve actually realized I’m most creative first thing in the morning. However, due to things like my 9-5 job, I mainly make music late at night. The sleepy lofi beats already make for good nighttime listening, which has probably influenced a lot of my titles.
Which of your three albums is your favorite?
Embers and Mist are tied for my favorite album, because of all the effort that went into making those. Tons of memories were made when collaborating on those projects, and they feature some of my close friends.
Name a few lofi hip hop musicians you are a fan of.
Some of my favorite lofi artists include Es-K, Joe Nora, Notation, Rsnz, & Kurt Stewart. I’ve actually had the pleasure of meeting and collaborating with all of them!
What can listeners expect in 2024?
I recently secured my first Chillhop release, so my goal is to keep working with them, as well as other big labels like Lofi Girl and Chill Beats. I will probably have another solo album on the way in 2024 as well.
If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
If I could only eat one food for the rest of my life, I think I would have to go with pizza. I feel like there are so many different toppings, and new combinations you could come up with 🍕.