Photos / Roger Guarisma
Story / Samuel Aponte
You have probably listened to CRIS CHIL for years without realizing it. Her pen sits directly behind massive global records for Kali Uchis, Drake, and J Balvin. Stepping straight out from behind the scenes, the multi-platinum Ecuadorian songwriter and producer reclaims her own narrative on “La Respuesta,” the lead single from her upcoming debut EP “UMBRAL.”
The track captures that exact, volatile second when a toxic ex calls and your hand hovers over the screen, a split second of weakness before cold reality sets in.
Fresh off launching her creative hub CHIL HOUSE and directing her own video with a dangerous baseball bat in hand, CRIS CHIL opens up about moving from hitmaker to artist, discovering the power of saying “No,” and turning survival into thriving.
What does the shift from behind the scenes as a successful songwriter to being in the spotlight feel like for you?
It feels like a full-on activation of my purpose. As a songwriter, I’ve spent years helping other artists execute their visions and tell their stories, and I’m incredibly grateful for that chapter because it shaped so much of who I am creatively. But stepping into the spotlight as an artist feels like I now have the opportunity to fully execute my own purpose, to share my own message and my own perspective, and ultimately to use everything I’ve learned along the way to create something that feels completely true to me.
As a songwriter, producer, artist, and director, do you find those roles conflicting at times within yourself during the creative process?
Not at all. I’ve always said that writing for another artist is a lot like acting. I really step into the shoes of the artist and the human being behind the artistry. I try to understand their perspective, their emotions, and the story they’re trying to tell, so in those moments I’m creating from their world, not mine.
I’ve never felt like that conflicts with my own artistry because I’m very clear on what my message is and what I want to say as an artist. I don’t think I’ve ever written a song for someone else and thought, “This should have been mine.” They’ve always felt like very separate creative worlds to me.
On a similar note, you launched CHIL HOUSE to house a label, publishing arm, and studio space under one roof. What about the industry makes this the right move for you?
I’ve always felt that part of my mission is to help shape, empower, and guide the next generation of creatives, whether they’re artists, producers, songwriters, or creators in general. CHIL HOUSE gives me the opportunity to create an environment where people can develop their own art and identity without feeling like they have to compromise or become someone they’re not in order to succeed.
I’ve encountered a lot of situations throughout my career where creatives weren’t treated with the care, fairness, or respect they deserved. I think having experienced that firsthand gives me both the responsibility and the opportunity to do things differently.
Tell us a little about where “La Respuesta” comes from and why it feels like the right single at the moment to announce your upcoming EP, “UMBRAL.”
It’s where vulnerability and empowerment meet. “La Respuesta” is a major moment within UMBRAL. After surviving the worst relationship of my life, it represents that moment when I become vulnerable again, even though I know this person isn’t good for me. It’s that split second when the phone rings and I almost pick up the call I know I shouldn’t.
For me, the song is about recognizing that it’s okay to be vulnerable. You can miss someone, you can question yourself, you can even want to go back for a moment, but ultimately, you have to put yourself first and remember what you already know is right for you.
And when you’re looking for that answer, sometimes there can only be one: NO.
By the time you finished producing the final master, did you actually find the answer you were looking for?
One hundred percent. There is only one clear answer, and that answer is NO.
NO to the past.
NO to a toxic partner.
NO to neglecting myself.
NO to going back to what once hurt me.
If your previous work was largely about helping other people tell their stories, what is the story you most needed to tell yourself with “UMBRAL”?
The story I needed to tell myself was that no matter how broken I felt after the worst relationship of my life, a relationship that almost killed me, there is always another day, another opportunity, another chance to start over.
UMBRAL helped me understand that it’s okay to embrace the process with everything that comes with it. The overdose of emotions, the adrenaline, the rage, the sadness, the partying, the reflection, self-forgiveness, acceptance, and ultimately the transformation. You don’t have to skip over any of it. Sometimes you have to move through every part of it to reach that threshold that will lead you to the stronger and better version of yourself.
And what I discovered when I finally crossed that threshold was that I didn’t just survive it. I came out stronger and better than I was before.
What’s that question that drove you to this moment in your career?
I think it was as simple as asking myself, “Who am I really, and what is my true purpose?” The answer came pretty easily once I realized there was something I needed to say, something that could help others process their own healing and transformation. That’s when everything started to make sense. I’ve never felt more aligned with my purpose than I do right now.
What’s up next for you as the release date for “UMBRAL” gets closer?
Right now, as the release gets closer, I’m working on the final details of a big surprise I’ve been preparing for the release of UMBRAL. I can’t say exactly what it is yet, but I can say that it’s a visual surprise that I’ve poured my blood, sweat, and tears into for a very long time. It’s a side of me that I’ve never shown before, and I’m really excited for people to finally see it.
At the same time, I’m continuing to create music for myself while writing and producing for other artists. There’s a lot ahead on both sides of my creative world, and I feel like this is only the beginning.
CRIS CHIL makes a strong opening statement with “La Respuesta,” setting a high bar in a way that feels both necessary and deeply personal. It’s no wonder that her upcoming EP is titled “UMBRAL” (the threshold) because she’s standing right at a major one in her life and career, and if her track record is any indication, she’s about to step into a much wider room.
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