With viral singles such as “Body Language” and a debut project on the way, Montreal artist ChikoRuss is fusing Y2K grooves with 2025 energy.
What’s not to love about the democratization of music stardom? Twenty years ago, record labels were the sole gatekeepers—your favorite artist was handpicked by a handful of executives; their sound was developed and curated by A&Rs before they were properly introduced to the mainstream. Now, the entire system has been flipped on its head thanks to social media, allowing artists like ChikoRuss to thrive. The people have spoken: no longer must you reinvent *insert genre*. They want human time machines. Anachronism. Think late 90s to early 2000s, (with a modern twist). When all is said and done, nostalgia is the new normal.
“I originally wanted to be a dancer. I grew up in the Step Up era. In the eighth grade, I [heard] Bryson Tiller’s [‘Don’t’]. I was like, wow, I’ve never heard anything like this…This is a feeling I want to have on all of my songs.” -ChikoRuss
Born and raised in Montreal, ChikoRuss gained virality on TikTok—and subsequently, millions of streams and a record deal with 300 Entertainment—for his contemporary take on early 2000s R&B. Songs such as “Body Language”, “USC”, and “RaRa” appealed to fans who grew up listening to Usher, Ne-Yo, and Chris Brown. Not to mention, ChikoRuss has a distinct image and charisma which is eerily reminiscent of what the genre currently lacks: the 20-something year-old R&B heartthrob. The irony? ChikoRuss didn’t start as a singer—he wanted to dance.
“I originally wanted to be a dancer. I grew up in the Step Up era. In the eighth grade, I [heard] Bryson Tiller’s [‘Don’t’]. I was like, wow, I’ve never heard anything like this. Especially at that time, Trap Soul—that style of music was so different. That’s when I wanted to start doing music. I sang as a child, but not to a degree where [I] wanted to be a singer. When I got introduced to Bryson Tiller, I stumbled upon ‘Wild Thoughts’. I was like, this record is crazy. This is a feeling I want to have on all of my songs. The ‘Maria Maria’ [sample]. The fact that it was fun. It gave off the 2000s vibe. So I was like, okay, let me make sh—t like this”, he said.
Music was a big part of ChikoRuss’ family even if it wasn’t his first love. He described his parents’ hesitancy at letting him pursue singing before his success.
“My parents are Sri Lankan. My mom used to sing, my uncle sings, my grandma sings. But never professionally. I feel like I had the right song at the right time, and it took off in a way where they were able to believe in it. I’m the only one that knows about [the] music [industry]. My parents can’t help me. They wanted me to finish school. I told [them] this is what I want to do, and they support it”, he said.
Granted, ChikoRuss’ parents did create the perfect soundscape for their son to imbue what would later become his sonic signature. He recounted growing up with Ne-Yo, Chris Brown, Sean Paul, as well as ample Spanish and Caribbean music.
“I tell everybody [that] I tapped into [R&B] later on. I didn’t study the genre. Obviously, over the years, I’ve [listened to] more 2000s R&B records. It helps me get that feeling”, he said.
This comes to no surprise given that ChikoRuss is only 21. His intent is to borrow, not recreate: you will see him use modern song structures and production choices on songs that use 2000s-esque drums (“No Makeup”), or feature a Latin guitar riff à la “Maria Maria” while caroling lyricism which is exemplary of the overt suggestiveness of 2020s R&B (“Body Language”, “RaRa”). There is a demand for this kind of music, and ChikoRuss isn’t afraid to capitalize.
“When I make records, I translate the dance element into [songs]. That’s definitely [where] my dance background comes in.”
“When I make records, I translate the dance element into [songs]. That’s definitely [where] my dance background comes in. I feel like the dance community is rinsing out all the songs because they don’t dance to Much Music anymore. There’s not that many songs you can go crazy to, especially when a music era is so short. That’s why we have songs like Chris Brown’s ‘Wall To Wall’ going [viral]. It’s an old song. For that to re-pop off is pretty crazy. It shows people are missing that element of dance. I’m trying to bring that back”, he said.
ChikoRuss signed with 300 Entertainment—a division of Warner Music—in January 2024. He’s in good company considering labelmates Young Thug, Mary J. Blige, Gunna, and formerly, Megan Thee Stallion. Signing with a label can be a major gamble in the current music industry landscape—especially when artists like ChikoRuss are able to garner success independently. Still, hesaw the value of taking the label route, and recounted fondly his experience negotiating a deal after meeting with 300 Entertainment co-president, Selim Bouab.
“When [‘Body Language’] popped off, that’s when I started getting calls from labels. I was very interested in Atlantic [Records] and Def Jam. It was pretty crazy because I’m just a kid from Montreal…I was ready to not sign at all…Out of all the labels, they [300 Entertainment] showed the most effort.”
“When [‘Body Language’] popped off, that’s when I started getting calls from labels. I was very interested in Atlantic [Records] and Def Jam. It was pretty crazy because I’m just a kid from Montreal. You have to be vigilant in this industry on who has your best interest and who doesn’t. Me and my manager, [we had] been seeing what deal made the most sense, because I was ready to not sign at all. Then, Selim flew out from New York [and] we had dinner. He told me, ‘I came from New York to sign you. Our label is a rap label; it’s not conventionally R&B, but I know you’ll be good here’. It did resonate. Out of all the labels, they showed the most effort”, he said.
“Body Language” became ChikoRuss’ first viral hit. He was in Business school before the song’s release, until he asked his parents to take time off to focus on music in September 2022. They obliged, but only for a semester, and he had to find a job in the meantime. By January 2023, the clock was ticking—ChikoRuss needed a song. ASAP. Unbeknownst to him, a trip to Toronto would change his life forever, seemingly overnight.
“I [needed] some music in the vault. Me and one of my best friends, Junior, decided to go to Toronto. He was with his girlfriend at the time, and her mom got really sick. We didn’t get to work on music. We [only] got to work on ‘Body language’. He was in-and-out of the hospital. And sadly, her mom did pass away. It was a very tragic week. [Junior] felt bad. Then it’s March, and my other best friend is harassing me to post something. He’s like, ‘bro, you’re keeping your songs because you’re a quality freak’. So I’m like, f—ck it. I’m just gonna drop it. [‘Body Language’] did 100,000 views the first day on TikTok. I was like, how is that possible? I did not know how much it would resonate with people because of that 2000s old-school style. The only song I was able to work on was a blessing in disguise”, he explained.
“That was, till this day, the best moment of my life[opening for Bryson Tiller]. At the time, I had never even sung in front of my family. And you’re telling me my first time performing is going to be on the same stage as my idol?
ChikoRuss never went back to school given the immediate popularity of “Body Language”. He gained tens of thousands of followers and, refusing to squander his momentum, signed with a manager. In June 2023, ChikoRuss’ journey came full-circle when he got to open for Bryson Tiller in Toronto.
“That was, till this day, the best moment of my life. [At the time], I had never even [sung] in front of my family. And you’re telling me my first time performing is going to be [on] the same stage as my idol? It was such an amazing experience. After that, we went to dinner. He was hella chill. I go up to him, saying, I’m a huge fan. I started my whole career because I was a huge fan of you. How do you feel coming back to music? He [does] one of the funniest things ever. He was like, ‘honestly, it’s whatever. I’m just trying to play my game’. He [was wearing] one of those army-type vests. He whips out a Wii U. I’m like, did he just nerd out on me? I’m like, that’s what’s up. Can I get a picture? It was such a crazy moment. I still [remember] the jacket I wore. I’m waiting to get it back so I can get his signature and get it framed”, he said.
ChikoRuss released a slew of singles after signing with 300 Entertainment. “In 2 Deep” followed a similar formula as “Body Language”, though the acoustic guitar gets swapped out in exchange for a sizzling electric riff which carries through the entire record, and ChikoRuss displays his French-Canadian roots in the second verse (Yeah, she said, “Salut, coucou, mon chéri” / I said, “What’s up, baby girl? Let me see you, mami”). “USC”, released in April 2024, exists within the same sonic ecosystem as previous singles. The song and music video were praised for paying homage to the cult classic movie, Love and Basketball (2000).
![Chikoruss - USC [Official Video]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/m3C-thgOELU/hqdefault.jpg)
“‘USC’ wasn’t a song I planned to do. One of my homies, Malik Ninety Five, had this beat, the hook and the first verse. We cut it in four hours. We wrote the second verse together. The fact that it was called ‘USC’—he randomly [picked] that name out of all the schools, and creatively, the videographers had the idea to [pay homage to] Love and Basketball. But if I’m honest, it’s one of my least favorite songs. It’s not a song I can sing and show [my] vocals. Sometimes you connect to a record, and sometimes you don’t. Who knows—I might perform it one day and it might come out really fire for the die-hard fans”, he said.
“RaRa” is another standout from ChikoRuss’ discography. Both in production and lyricism, the track feels like a B-side to DJ Khaled, Bryson Tiller, and Rihanna’s “Wild Thoughts”.
“It was [written with] my boy [Marcelo Wright] and Mishon Ratliff. Mishon grew up around Leon Thomas. My producer, Luya, understands the 2000s very well because he’s older. I love working with him. I heard the beat when I was in LA. I was driving with my manager, and I’m like, bro, this beat is freaking nuts. Let me go to the studio and record this with my favourite writers. We locked in. Hella runs, hella different hook ideas, verse ideas. And then we structured the record and boom”, he said.
“No Makeup” was a slight departure from ChikoRuss’ previous work. It leans more heavily into pop and has a slower tempo than previous records. Legendary producer JR Rotem (“Replay” by Iyaz, “Watcha Say”, “In My Head”, “Ridin Solo” by Jason Derulo, “Stutterin” by Fefe Dobson, “Fly” by Nicki Minaj and Rihanna) masterminded the track at a writing camp organized by ChikoRuss’ label.
![Chikoruss - No Makeup [Official Video]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/HIZ8ebzmAv4/hqdefault.jpg)
“A lot of the bigger 300 Entertainment artists were there. They were like, ‘yo, we have a session set up for you with JR Rotem’. I check his discography and I’m like, oh sh—t! That’s JR Rotem. And then I met him—one of the nicest people ever. He is so funny, has so many stories. I was telling him I wanted something acoustic. The reference I gave was ‘We belong Together’ by Mariah Carey, but we drifted to something different. That’s how ‘No Makeup’ came [about]. We were playing around with the keys. It has that November, it’s-getting-cold type of feeling. That’s what I wanted to have for this song. It was such a fun experience. I love JR”, he said.
In 2025, ChikoRuss released singles “Bestfriend”, “Vogue on Vogue”, “Potential”, and “My Speed” as he gears up to release his first project. The latter three show a clear desire to evolve his sound—we hear more and more contemporary hip hop/R&B production.
“Sometimes you gotta do certain things to make people happy. But the new music is more me. A lot of it has been handpicked by me. There’s gonna be some dancehall.”
“‘Vogue on Vogue’ and ‘Potential’ are from the same producer, Diego Ave. He’s from Miami, very much a trap producer. My label was like, ‘do you want to try a different style? Let’s say, not fully R&B. Maybe use a rap beat and sing on it’. A lot of times, that [sound] resonates with Instagram, the clubs. So I’m like, it doesn’t hurt to give it a try. I heard ‘Vogue on Vogue’ and I was like, the beat sounds crazy as hell. I wanted it. I sauced it my own way. Sometimes you gotta do certain things to make people happy. But the new music is more me. A lot of it has been handpicked by me. There’s gonna be some dancehall. I have this one Detroit/Flint type of beat, a little bit like ‘Whatever She Wants’ [by Bryson Tiller]. I got slow jams—I haven’t made a slow jam besides ‘No Makeup’, but that’s modern. I have more of an old-school slow jam. I’m excited to have it out”, he said.
Luckily for fans, the project is in its final stages, and ChikoRuss’ plans to release it this year. He is optimistic about the future of his career, and hopes to collaborate with many of the artists who have paved the way for new acts such as himself.
“We’re getting the whole project mixed and mastered. I’m calling the record R&Bounce Volume 1. The point is to [have] fun with it. The dancehall track I have is similar to Kevin Lyttle’s ‘Turn Me On’. The slow jams are similar to ‘One Wish’ by Ray J. The upbeat ones are more like ‘Wall To Wall’. I’m trying to bring that element of the 2000s”, he concluded. “I wanted to have certain collaborators, but it’s mainly going to be solo and I might have remixes. I want to work with Young Adz from D-Block, Bryson Tiller, obviously. Lil Baby’s hard as hell. Ella Mai. She’s so underrated. Kehlani, obviously. Those are the people I can make something cool with.”
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