Chiano Sky is out of this world

She was one of a limited number of English female artists to hit the South Africa charts and at only 20 years old, her career was just beginning. A number of singles came out of that collection and would lay the foundation for a bright future. But at such a tender age, Sky was not only juggling fame and fortune, but her transition into womanhood.

She says, “I was going through a lot of life changes at the time, moving out of home, dealing with break-ups and just growing into the woman I wanted to be. This made it hard to write the follow-up album I desired.

“I don’t see the point in bringing out a new album if you’re not in tune with it.” An artist’s second album is often regarded as the defining album, whereby the artist establishes his or her distinct sound. “It can really make or break an artist,” she says. “You have to show you have grown, pushing yourself as an artist to the next level. It’s been a bit nerve-wracking,” she admits.

Not wanting her second album to be a “just-because”, she decided to delay writing new material until the time was right. And the time is now. Sky has been hard at work and is ready to release what she hopes will secure her place in the market as a dedicated, talented and pioneering musician.

Chiano Sky has released a new album. Picture: Supplied.

She signed with Futurenow Records and teamed up with industry experts Produced by VAM, saying once she had found the right people to work with, things began to fall into place.

Drawing on her infatuation with the sex appeal of the late 1960s and 1970s, her second album, Inferno, captures an era of love and sensuality. She balances it out with futuristic elements from a world beyond our own. One of the tracks is based on Romeo and Juliet, but is depicted in space. She calls the genre “Cosmic Pop – music for people who are out of this world.”

“I wanted to create a world,” she explains. “Inferno is really a universe with 12 tracks, 12 planets. I wanted to write music that excites me, music that makes me feel good.

“A lot of music these days is very crude and I wanted to steer away from that – no booty, no ass and no thug stuff. That kind of stuff won’t last, it’s momentary. People aren’t going to listen to it 20 maybe 30 years from now. I wanted to write timeless music that will last forever.”

Fusing this newfound sound with her passion for fashion, Sky and her band will introduce a series of other-worldly outfits. “It’s the full package,” she says. “I want to give my audience the full experience.”

The debut single from the new album, Dancing With Vam is out and received more than 1 000 hits within the first 24 hours of its release. The song is a slick dance track and embodies the journey of a dreamer whose bravery and curiosity in life brings him closer to his inner desires.