Rachel Chinouriri reveals the harsh reality of being a Black pop star in emotional post
UK artist, Rachel Chinouriri took time out of her busy schedule opening for Sabrina Carpenter's European tour to respond to a fan comment about the challenges of being black in the pop music world
Singer-songwriter Rachel Chinouriri has shared a lengthy response to a fan’s comment comparing her to pop stars like Gracie Abrams, Olivia Rodrigo and Chappell Roan. The original comment drew attention to the added work black artists need to put in to gain mainstream attention in the world of indie and pop music.
The translated comment reads: “I fear she [Chinouriri] won't be able to make it like Gracie Abrams, Olivia Rodrigo, Chappell, because she's black... May God protect my girl”. The comment was written in Portuguese and posted alongside a clip of Rachel's performance at Sabrina Carpenter’s concert in Paris.
Rachel is currently opening for Sabrina Carpenter on the European leg of her Short ‘n’ Sweet tour, but took time to translate and respond to the comment. The Never Need Me singer expressed disappointment at being labelled a ‘black’ indie artist, despite her undeniable and monumental successes.
“Well… pressed translate and feel pretty sad to be honest but this just reminds me…You can open for the biggest popstar in the world and the internet will still remind you daily that simply being black will make it twice as hard to be an indie pop star,” Rachel started.
The pop star went on to advocate for her place in the music industry, saying race shouldn’t be the reason fans love or hate her: “I deserve to feel like I have a chance at a successful music career because I love story telling and hope people like me because of my music and not just because of my race.”
Rachel continued: “I have spoken about this openly since the beginning of my career, but I’ll remind you all that: I won’t let being a black woman stop me from trying and no matter how my career pans out, at least I know I tried my best.”
Many native Portuguese speakers have clarified that the comment was not meant to be an unsympathetic statement-of-fact but rather an expression they are rooting for the artist despite the unfair odds and barriers to entry, to which she added: “Lots of black girls aspiring to be in indie/pop music have this fear… I know it all too well…"
"I hope my fight to change this narrative behind the scenes and publicly contributes to inspire the future generations of young black girls to keep going and remember you are allowed to just be whoever you want to be and not what the world wants to shape you into," Rachel's post concluded.
Rachel has been resilient in taking initiative to gain the attention of the mainstream media that she rightfully deserves. In fact, Rachel infamously messaged Carpenter directly to vie for her opening act gig.
The artist shared a screenshot of her Instagram message to Carpenter writing: “I’d like to work late while opening for you on tour pretty please” (a reference to lyrics from Carpenter’s bop Espresso). One month after the initial message, Chinouriri shared she would be touring the UK and EU with the pop star.
This isn’t the first time Rachel has been compared to the likes of Sabrina Carpenter or Olivia Rodrigo. In 2024, fans pointed out the lack of diversity in the music industry and addressed the need for a new black pop star, to which Rachel responded with a clip of her single Never Need Me and the song went viral.
Hollywood actress Florence Pugh even starred in the music video for the hit song and told NME that the shoot with Rachel "was probably not just the highlight of my career but also my life."
Rachel debuted her first studio album, What a Devastating Turn of Events, in May 2024 to critical acclaim. The album details her life growing up as a black girl in London, infusing vulnerability into her distinctive electric sound. She will continue touring with Carpenter for the remainder of her European tour, heading next to Switzerland.