Chi Waller is a melodious fusion of raw talent amalgamated with an entrepreneurial heart and a student-first mentality. Formerly known as Aaliyah Nicole, the Chicago native’s musical journey began at an early age. Chi Waller grew up as a pastor’s kid (PK) on the west side of Chicago where she started singing in the choir at three years old.

Waller was always surrounded by music, identifying her father as one of her all-time favorite singers and praising her mother’s immaculate taste in music. “I’m a PK, so of course I grew up immersed in gospel music, but at home I was listening to a lot of what my momma was listening to, and that was mostly her Dusties. I grew up old-school, first being introduced to 60s and 70s Soul/R&B, and faithfully listening to Herb Kent the Cool Gent on the radio. I mean, like even when it came to rap, Kurtis Blow was my first introduction to the genre,” she recalls.

As things were constantly evolving in the world of technology and mass media during the 90s and early 2000s, Chi’s generation had the unique privilege of growing up with its progression. The half-hood, half-suburbanite, who moved to Oak Park, Illinois at the top of her seventh grade year, started to discover modern hip-hop, r&b and pop music not just on the radio or at school, but also on the internet and television. “Man, what a time! Growing up learning about the Chicago and Midwest hip-hop and r&b scene, 90s r&b as a whole, BET, MTV, let’s just say it was everything I didn’t know I needed.” Waller passionately conveys.

Chi always expressed a deep appreciation for the artform; she realized at age 10 her ability to write, but at the time it was basketball that had her heart. It wasn’t until a few injuries and a couple of relocations later that she started to no longer recognize the sport as her true love, but forever a fan of the game.

Waller continued to dabble in the world of performing arts, mostly at church or at school, but it was after one performance she was pulled to the side by one of the talented actors from her church’s drama ministry, who saw something in her that she didn’t even know was there yet. The late Ricky Campbell, Sr. saw a superstar that Sunday, as he affectionately began to call her, and on that day he lit a fire under that 12 year old little girl that has been burning ever since.

Chi has gone from starting her first group at age 12, a record label at 14 and uploading bad quality music on Myspace to hosting anti-violent talent showcases in her late teens and early 20s, opening up for the late actor Tommy Ford and Grammy nominated singer, Raheem Devaughn her freshman year of college to presently releasing new music under her production company, Superstar Dream Entertainment and garnering millions of views on Facebook with her hilarious social media personality.

Though unexpected, Waller gracefully began to pivot in a new direction and a full rebrand at the top of 2022. From loss of employment in 2020, relocating back to Atlanta by way of Texas in 2021, struggling to find work and ultimately experiencing homelessness changed everything for her.

It was during Chi's darkest and lowest moments in life that her creative juices began to flow like never before. Only this time she didn’t recognize her voice as Aaliyah Nicole; she heard someone else. It wouldn’t be until nearly four months later that she would divinely discover that voice to be the one and only Chi Waller.

The soul-spitta gives listeners just that in every record, leaving none to question the love, passion and faithfulness she has for and to the craft. Chi Waller is a melodious fusion of raw talent amalgamated with an entrepreneurial heart and a student-first mentality. Formally known as Aaliyah Nicole, the Chicago native’s musical journey began at an early age. Chi Waller grew up as a pastor’s kid (PK) on the west side of Chicago where she started singing in the choir at three years old.

Though unexpected, Waller gracefully began to pivot in a new direction and a full rebrand at the top of 2022. From loss of employment in 2020, relocating back to Atlanta by way of Texas in 2021, struggling to find work and ultimately experiencing homelessness changed everything for her.

It was during Chi's darkest and lowest moments in life that her creative juices began to flow like never before. Only this time she didn’t recognize her voice as Aaliyah Nicole; she heard someone else. It wouldn’t be until nearly four months later that she would divinely discover that voice to be the one and only Chi Waller.

The soul-spitta gives listeners just that in every record, leaving none to question the love, passion and faithfulness she has for and to the craft. In July 2023, Chi kicked off her "6x6" run where she is set to release a new single every month through the end of the year. Picking up from where Aaliyah Nicole left off, but with a more confident, refined and polished approach, now is the time to take notice of this exceptional talent, who has stayed under the radar long enough.