After a busy summer that included a Lollapalooza performance and mixtape debut, R&B artist and 2012 Crete-Monee High School graduate Sherrionn is ready for what’s next.
“Really planning on dropping another project soon,” she said Friday. “We’re working on it — just more of my face being out there, more of my music.”
A decade after releasing her first track, Sherrionn is having her biggest year yet. She’s also found herself pulled in more directions than ever.
Following her signing with Chop Squad Records, Chicago rapper/producer Young Chop’s independent label, Sherrionn released her debut mixtape “Honey Trap.”
The music video for her first single, “Body,” has reached more than 430,000 views on YouTube since its May 19 release and exhibits Sherrionn’s proclivity for dance through smooth, seductive choreography.
Sherrionn’s sultry vocals are accentuated by Th3 Ink Factory’s atmospheric and bass-heavy production on “Body” and much of the mixtape.
R&B is Sherrionn’s first love, the performer having been introduced to artists Bobby Caldwell, Luther Vandross and The Emotions by her kindergarten teacher, who she said played their “legendary” records during nap time.
“I kind of just found my voice very young,” she said. “My mom randomly found me singing … and that went into my parents putting me in choir from elementary all the way through high school.”
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At Crete-Monee High School, Sherrionn said she learned singing in the classical style, which she has since strayed from as an artist. Her music now, while primarily R&B, incorporates pop and hip-hop influences.
Sherrionn said she always hoped to pursue a singing career, “but over time, it just became like —this is what I’m supposed to do, because anytime I would try to reroute, I could never stay away from it.”
She earned a degree in 2019 in audio engineering and recording arts from the former Tribeca Flashpoint College, which closed in 2022.
After a brief stint in Atlanta, Georgia, Sherrionn returned to the Chicago area and embedded herself in the local music scene, culminating in sets at Lollapalooza and, most recently, at Sofar Sounds in the Pilsen neighborhood.
Sherrionn took to the stage in Grant Park July 31 with a high-energy set that incorporated a stunt she never landed in practices beforehand.
“Honestly, that was probably I think my best performance I’ve ever had,” Sherrionn said. “I did like a split in the air, and I was picked up at the same time. I did not stick that in any rehearsal — like it just didn’t happen until I got on that Lollapalooza stage.”
At the same time, Sherrionn said the more intimate shows are her favorites, like at Sofar Sounds.
“It’s just an easier way for me to connect with the audience and really hone into … who’s literally just in tune with what I’m saying and what I’m singing,” she said. “My stage presence is just easier to digest. I love settings like that.”
Outside of singing and dancing, Sherrionn considers herself an influencer on platforms like TikTok, where she has about 174,000 followers.
She says social media has become vital for promoting her music and is grateful to have built an online fan base and community over time.
“It’s just easier now when people feel like they know you or know a lot more about you personally, for them to tap into your music,” Sherrionn said.
With so many focuses, the artist said she is learning to better enjoy each moment and express gratitude for her success so far while continuing to move forward.
“I honestly am going to say I don’t think I’m ever going to be super satisfied with where I am, because I’m always trying to accomplish something new every day, every season,” she said. “I’m just ready to grow and grow and grow.”