“No matter what city I’m performing in or what I’m doing, you can hear Chicago in me. Growing up here gave me a real perspective on life.”
Xella Red is a Chicago recording artist and producer known for her fearless style and boundary-pushing blend of trap metal and experimental hip-hop. She began making music at a young age, releasing her debut single “BXLLY” at just 12 years old. Since emerging from Chicago’s underground scene, Xella Red has built a reputation for her raw energy, bold creativity, and genre-defying sound, establishing herself as one of the city’s most unique rising artists.
Q: Chicago has a sound like nowhere else. How has the city shaped you as an artist?
Xella Red:
I’m from the South Side of Chicago, so shit gets crazy. I feel like the energy of Chicago flows through me. No matter what city I’m performing in or what I’m doing, you can hear Chicago in me. Growing up here gave me a real perspective on life. We go through a lot, and I like to reflect those experiences in my music.
Q: Was there ever a moment where you almost walked away from it all? What kept you going?
Xella Red:
Honestly, no. Maybe when I was about 15 and got kicked out of school, I was like, “Damn, am I a fuck up? Should I quit rapping?” But then I was like, “Nah, fuck that.” I kept myself going, and my fanbase, the Kult, has supported me through everything. I can’t thank them enough.
Q: What was the process of creating your latest project, Ravage?
Xella Red:
Ravage was about a six-month process. All the songs were written in February, but the project just dropped. To me, Ravage is about purging fear. The whole process was about facing my fears, whether it was performing in front of people in the booth or embracing my own success. It was about letting go of fear and going after what I really want.
Q: Which visual you’ve created hits different every time you watch it back, and why?
Xella Red:
Probably “Crack a Rib.” We got kicked out of the place where we were filming, but we finished shooting the video anyway. The security guard was being a dick, and we were like, “Fuck it, we’re shooting this on the way out.” Looking back on it makes me laugh because I probably can’t go back to that hotel anymore.
Q: If someone had never heard your music before, what song would you play them and why?
Xella Red:
I’d play “Believe What You Heard.” I think that song connected with people the most, and honestly, I just think that song is fucking fire.
Q: What is one thing you know you still need to level up on as an artist?
Xella Red:
Probably staying on beat. It’s funny because I produce my own music and can quantize instruments perfectly, but sometimes my brain moves faster than the beat when I’m rapping. That’s something I’m always working on.
Q: Are you looking to sign a record deal or remain independent?
Xella Red:
I definitely want to stay independent. If somebody brings me a deal that makes sense, doesn’t hurt Xella Red’s future, lets me keep my creative freedom, and allows me to live comfortably, then I’ll fuck with it.
Q: What is something the industry doesn’t tell you about being an independent artist?
Xella Red:
People don’t tell you that you can stay independent, own your business, and partner with a label instead of signing everything away. If you build your own LLC, trademark your work, and establish yourself, you have options. People hear words like “contract” or “label” and immediately think negatively, but everything isn’t bad. If it benefits me, cool. If it doesn’t, it won’t happen.
Q: Who in Chicago do you think is slept on right now and deserves more flowers?
Xella Red:
Xella Red.
Q: Where do you see yourself in the future?
Xella Red:
Touring for hundreds of thousands of fans, living comfortably, hopefully with a great therapist. Maybe a Grammy, but honestly, I value real support more than awards. If people are showing up for you in the rain and snow, singing your songs, that’s the real recognition.
Q: Give us something nobody knows about you—a real exclusive.
Xella Red:
I’m actually really introverted. Off stage, I play Minecraft. I also read every single night before I go to sleep, and my favorite food is canned chicken noodle soup, Progresso.
Q: What never fails to put a smile on your face?
Xella Red:
Hearing people sing my lyrics back to me. I write those songs alone in my room to deal with anxiety and depression, so hearing people connect with them is beautiful. It reminds me that God is always with me. I feel like He gives me these ideas, and it’s my job to bring them to life. Seeing people turn those emotions into something powerful means everything to me.
