{"id":712414,"date":"2026-02-19T01:16:41","date_gmt":"2026-02-18T22:16:41","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2026-02-19T01:16:41","modified_gmt":"2026-02-18T22:16:41","slug":"choker-was-set-for-stardom-then-came-loss","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/choker-was-set-for-stardom-then-came-loss\/","title":{"rendered":"Choker was set for stardom. Then came loss."},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"content_blocks\">\n<style>\n<\/style>\n<style>\n<p> article.custom .custom-title, article.custom .custom-media .caption {\n   color: #f17777;\n }<\/p>\n<p> article.custom .custom-attribution, article.custom .custom-attribution a {\n   color: #f17777;\n }<\/p>\n<p> article.custom .content_block blockquote.pull_quote {\n   color: #f17777;\n }\n<\/style>\n<div id=\"content_block-277799\" class=\"content_block flush title center_align\">\n<div class=\"content_inner_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"custom-title\">\n      Choker was set for stardom. Then came loss.\n    <\/div>\n<div class=\"custom-description\">\n      On his first album in seven years, <i>HEAVEN AIN\u2019T SOLD<\/i>, the singer-songwriter makes up for lost time.\n    <\/div>\n<div class=\"custom-attribution\">\n<div class=\"author\">\n    <span><br \/>\n      By <span class=\"credit_name\">Tobias Hess<\/span><br \/>\n  <\/span><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"custom-media\">\n<div class=\"triple_gutter_left triple_gutter_right image center_align\">\n<p>  <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_1440,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/000754120006_g1pcoy\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_220,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/000754120006_g1pcoy\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg 220w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_300,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/000754120006_g1pcoy\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg 300w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_400,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/000754120006_g1pcoy\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg 400w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_600,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/000754120006_g1pcoy\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg 600w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_750,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/000754120006_g1pcoy\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg 750w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_840,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/000754120006_g1pcoy\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg 840w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_960,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/000754120006_g1pcoy\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg 960w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_1260,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/000754120006_g1pcoy\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg 1260w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_1800,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/000754120006_g1pcoy\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg 1800w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_2400,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/000754120006_g1pcoy\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg 2400w,\" sizes=\"100vw\" alt=\"Choker was set for stardom. Then came loss.\"><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"img_caption\"><\/p>\n<p>  <span class=\"credit\"><\/p>\n<p>      Tyler Smith<\/p>\n<p>  <\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"custom_share_buttons_top \" style=\"\">\n<div id=\"new_socials_bottom\" class=\"new_socials_footer  \">\n<p>      <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thefader.com\/assets\/FDR_SocialSharing_Facebook-747312c39722d47504a80f02500b8d4ad2e36acf922bad1c83799db1bc77f605.png\"><br \/>\n      <!-- <span>Share<\/span> --><\/p>\n<p>  <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" target='\"new\"' href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thefader.com%2F2026%2F02%2F18%2Fchoker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview%3Futm_source%3Df%26utm_medium%3Dtw%26utm_campaign%3Dshare&amp;text=Choker%20was%20set%20for%20stardom.%20Then%20came%20loss.&amp;via=thefader\" class=\"new_social_footer_button twitter new_social_share_button\" data-ga-event-category=\"Social Share\" data-ga-event-label=\"Twitter\" data-ga-on=\"click\" data-ga-event-action=\"cilck\"><\/p>\n<p>    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thefader.com\/assets\/FDR_SocialSharing_Twitter-8d78f695280aa3f8a4461702c68e9fcbfd6042af1600c62d49fdec4b735fb57a.png\"><br \/>\n    <!-- <span>Tweet<\/span> --><br \/>\n  <\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<style>\n<\/style>\n<div id=\"content_block-277800\" class=\"content_block paragraph text triple_gutter_right triple_gutter_left center_align\">\n<div class=\"content_inner_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"paragraph_wrapper center_align\">\n<p>\n            Where were you in the summer of 2019?\n          <\/p>\n<p>\n            I remember where I was. Meandering down salad day SoCal streets. Working in a mid-city book store. Still smoking too much weed and licking my wounds from a semi-freeing first year in college. I was listening to Choker.\n          <\/p>\n<div class=\"\" style=\"padding-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px; text-align: left;\">\n<\/div>\n<p>\n            The Detroit-born, Los Angeles-based artist, whose real name is Christopher Lloyd, released three EPs that winter that captured the pain and possibility of pop music. They were tragic, sunny, often roundabout pieces of sonic diarism. I played each of them \u2014 <i>Forever &amp; A Few<\/i>, <i>Dog Candy<\/i>, and <i>Mono No Moto<\/i> \u2014  in my mom\u2019s rumbling iron red Honda Element. I\u2019d keep the windows up, the space warm and cozy, as I turned up the volume.\n          <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<style>\n<\/style>\n<div id=\"content_block-277817\" class=\"content_block paragraph embed triple_gutter_right triple_gutter_left center_align\">\n<div class=\"content_inner_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"media_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"\">\n    <iframe data-testid=\"embed-iframe\" style=\"border-radius:12px\" src=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/embed\/album\/6CwBR2GHX84xyA8T95HTM3?utm_source=generator\" width=\"100%\" height=\"352\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"\" allow=\"autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<style>\n<\/style>\n<div id=\"content_block-277818\" class=\"content_block paragraph embed triple_gutter_right triple_gutter_left center_align\">\n<div class=\"content_inner_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"media_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"\">\n    <iframe allow=\"autoplay *; encrypted-media *;\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"450\" style=\"width:100%;max-width:660px;overflow:hidden;background:transparent;\" sandbox=\"allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation\" src=\"https:\/\/embed.music.apple.com\/us\/album\/honeybloom\/1412959127\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"content_block paragraph triple_gutter_right triple_gutter_left\">\n<div class=\"content_inner_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"\" style=\"padding-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px; text-align: left;\">\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<style>\n<\/style>\n<div id=\"content_block-277801\" class=\"content_block paragraph text triple_gutter_right triple_gutter_left center_align\">\n<div class=\"content_inner_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"paragraph_wrapper center_align\">\n<p>\n            Those EPs were a distillation of the frothy musical concoctions Choker swirled up on 2018\u2019s <i>Honeybloom<\/i>. That album churned between R&amp;B, acoustic folk and cloud rap, Choker fitting into each sound via his slippery vocal shifts. It was co-produced by Michael Uzowuru (Frank Ocean, Vince Staples, and Childish Gambino) and Jeff Kleinman (FKA Twigs, Frank Ocean and Kevin Abstract). When it arrived in August 2018 amid a flurry of press and online buzz, the industry saw visions of a new crooner in the vein of Miguel, Maxwell, and Ocean.\n          <\/p>\n<p>\n            Ocean was heavily invoked in the press surrounding Choker during the period, and it\u2019s not hard to understand why. The <i>blonde<\/i> singer was at the peak of his cultural omnipresence and it seemed only natural that another \u201cOcean-type\u201d \u2014 in crude industry parlance, an alternative Black male R&amp;B-esque singer and auteur \u2014 would emerge and earn a major\u2019s backing. Choker\u2019s voice, heartfelt, subtle, and prone to surprising moments of expansion, was not dissimilar to Ocean\u2019s nor was his musical eclecticism. Reductive as it may be, such archetypes are the stuff of record deals and major careers.\n          <\/p>\n<p>\n            The path was laid. Choker\u2019s music was featured in the soundtrack for the Lena Waithe-penned thriller <i><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_new\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=G6Th84oGDno\">Queen &amp; Slim<\/a><\/i>. He booked a <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_new\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/Choker_\/comments\/muwto4\/choker_in_a_sprite_commercial_this_man_is_doing\/\">Sprite commercial<\/a>. He played Flog Gnaw and toured Europe. But then releases completely halted after 2019, as did almost all <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">social media<\/a> posts save for the scant anniversary post or reminder that yes, he was still working on music. By 2025, it was widely assumed that the experiment known as Choker was a brief albeit meaningful Harvard study. Those who listened, listened. The music would live on in perpetuity, available to stream for the heads.\n          <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<style>\n<\/style>\n<div id=\"content_block-277802\" class=\"content_block paragraph text triple_gutter_right triple_gutter_left center_align\">\n<div class=\"content_inner_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"paragraph_wrapper center_align\">\n<p>\n            Then, in late 2025, Choker began to post some teasers on Instagram and send postcards to fans. On December 8, Choker announced his return with a new album, <i><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_new\" href=\"https:\/\/shop.choker.cc\/products\/has-cd\">HEAVEN AIN\u2019T SOLD<\/a><\/i>, expected February 20, 2026 \u2014 seven years and two weeks after he released his last EP.\n          <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"content_block paragraph triple_gutter_right triple_gutter_left\">\n<div class=\"content_inner_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"\" style=\"padding-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px; text-align: left;\">\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<style>\n<\/style>\n<div class=\"content_block flush image\" id=\"content_block-277803\">\n<div class=\"media_wrapper\">\n<p>  <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_1440,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/000754120001_vfigq3\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_220,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/000754120001_vfigq3\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg 220w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_300,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/000754120001_vfigq3\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg 300w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_400,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/000754120001_vfigq3\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg 400w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_600,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/000754120001_vfigq3\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg 600w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_750,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/000754120001_vfigq3\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg 750w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_840,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/000754120001_vfigq3\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg 840w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_960,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/000754120001_vfigq3\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg 960w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_1260,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/000754120001_vfigq3\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg 1260w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_1800,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/000754120001_vfigq3\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg 1800w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_2400,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/000754120001_vfigq3\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg 2400w,\" sizes=\"100vw\" alt=\"Choker was set for stardom. Then came loss.\"><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"img_caption\"><\/p>\n<p>  <span class=\"credit\"><\/p>\n<p>      Tyler Smith<\/p>\n<p>  <\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<style>\n<\/style>\n<div id=\"content_block-277804\" class=\"content_block paragraph text triple_gutter_right triple_gutter_left center_align\">\n<div class=\"content_inner_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"paragraph_wrapper center_align\">\n<hr><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<style>\n<\/style>\n<div id=\"content_block-277805\" class=\"content_block paragraph text triple_gutter_right triple_gutter_left center_align\">\n<div class=\"content_inner_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"paragraph_wrapper center_align\">\n<p>\n            I call Lloyd in early February, a few weeks out from his album release. He\u2019s in his studio in Alhambra \u2014 a prototypical Los Angeles suburb, located just south of the verdant and historic South Pasadena neighborhood. Behind him is a wall of keyboards, synths, and soundproof panels.\n          <\/p>\n<p>\n            I\u2019d expected him to be as mysterious in demeanor as his internet presence has been this past near decade, but instead he\u2019s open and relaxed, wearing a trucker hat and square-framed glasses. There\u2019s a twinge of wistful California upspeak in his voice despite his Midwest roots. \u201cI guess the natural fear is that n****s are just like, <i>This shit sucks<\/i>,\u201d he laughs, discussing the new album. \u201c<i>You took over half a decade to just drop a dud<\/i>, you know?\u201d Despite his calm, he\u2019s terrified about the pending release. \u201cI definitely wouldn&#8217;t be stoked on that. But it&#8217;s not gonna shatter my life. That&#8217;s just part of making art.\u201d\n          <\/p>\n<p>\n            Lloyd\u2019s right. Waiting for new music is just a part of being a fan of any artist. But a seven-year hiatus in a music economy where attention is fleeting and fandom is fickle can be detrimental. The more pressing question isn\u2019t how Choker\u2019s music will be received but whether it will be received at all. How many are still waiting for Choker?\n          <\/p>\n<div class=\"\" style=\"padding-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px; text-align: left;\">\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<style>\n<\/style>\n<div id=\"content_block-277814\" class=\"content_block breaker triple_gutter_right triple_gutter_left image\">\n<div class=\"media_wrapper\">\n<p>  <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_1440,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/Choker_PressPhoto_A2_nts6xt\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_220,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/Choker_PressPhoto_A2_nts6xt\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg 220w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_300,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/Choker_PressPhoto_A2_nts6xt\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg 300w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_400,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/Choker_PressPhoto_A2_nts6xt\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg 400w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_600,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/Choker_PressPhoto_A2_nts6xt\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg 600w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_750,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/Choker_PressPhoto_A2_nts6xt\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg 750w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_840,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/Choker_PressPhoto_A2_nts6xt\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg 840w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_960,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/Choker_PressPhoto_A2_nts6xt\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg 960w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_1260,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/Choker_PressPhoto_A2_nts6xt\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg 1260w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_1800,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/Choker_PressPhoto_A2_nts6xt\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg 1800w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_2400,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/Choker_PressPhoto_A2_nts6xt\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg 2400w,\" sizes=\"100vw\" alt=\"Choker was set for stardom. Then came loss.\"><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"img_caption\"><\/p>\n<p>  <span class=\"credit\"><\/p>\n<p>      Tyler Smith<\/p>\n<p>  <\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<style>\n<\/style>\n<div id=\"content_block-277815\" class=\"content_block breaker triple_gutter_right triple_gutter_left image\">\n<div class=\"media_wrapper\">\n<p>  <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_1440,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/Choker_PressPhoto_A3_jyjsbm\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_220,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/Choker_PressPhoto_A3_jyjsbm\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg 220w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_300,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/Choker_PressPhoto_A3_jyjsbm\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg 300w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_400,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/Choker_PressPhoto_A3_jyjsbm\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg 400w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_600,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/Choker_PressPhoto_A3_jyjsbm\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg 600w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_750,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/Choker_PressPhoto_A3_jyjsbm\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg 750w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_840,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/Choker_PressPhoto_A3_jyjsbm\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg 840w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_960,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/Choker_PressPhoto_A3_jyjsbm\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg 960w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_1260,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/Choker_PressPhoto_A3_jyjsbm\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg 1260w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_1800,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/Choker_PressPhoto_A3_jyjsbm\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg 1800w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_2400,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/Choker_PressPhoto_A3_jyjsbm\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg 2400w,\" sizes=\"100vw\" alt=\"Choker was set for stardom. Then came loss.\"><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"img_caption\"><\/p>\n<p>  <span class=\"credit\"><\/p>\n<p>      Tyler Smith<\/p>\n<p>  <\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<style>\n<\/style>\n<div id=\"content_block-277806\" class=\"content_block paragraph text triple_gutter_right triple_gutter_left center_align\">\n<div class=\"content_inner_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"paragraph_wrapper center_align\">\n<p>\n            <br \/>Llyod grew up in Detroit among a family of music lovers. His earliest musical memories were of listening to the radio while en route to soccer or basketball practice. Local jockeys would broadcast mixes that merged local ghettotech and techno with Miami Bass, Atlanta Bass, and House music from nearby Chicago. That, combined with his brother\u2019s love for Midwest Emo and Frou Frou, made up his music taste. \u201cI was eight years old, listening to both ghetto tech and Bjork,\u201d he says. \u201cIt was just a big cacophony of influences.\u201d\n          <\/p>\n<p>\n            Lloyd first considered himself a writer. He wrote short stories, poems and <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">script<\/a>s. But eventually his curiosity around music led him to apply his pen to songwriting. Around the same time, he began frequenting music blogs and digital magazines like 2DopeBoyz, Pigeons and Planes, and this very publication. It was the tail end of 2010s, he remembers, when blogs and digital magazines were still breaking new artists like Odd Future, Chance The Rapper, and Mac Miller everyday.\n          <\/p>\n<p>\n            \u201cThere were teenagers just throwing their music on the internet and then actually being able to have careers after,\u201d he says. \u201c[Seeing that] was huge for me.\u201d\n          <\/p>\n<div class=\"\" style=\"padding-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px; text-align: left;\">\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<style>\n #content_block-277820 {\n   background: ;\n   padding-bottom: 40px;\n }<\/p>\n<p> #content_block-277820,  #content_block-277820 blockquote.pull_quote, #content_block-277820 .img_caption .caption {\n   color: #f17777;\n }\n<\/style>\n<div id=\"content_block-277820\" class=\"content_block breaker triple_gutter_right triple_gutter_left pull_quote\">\n<div class=\"media_wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"pull_quote\"><p>I guess the natural fear is that n****s are just like, <i>This shit sucks<\/i>. I definitely wouldn\u2019t be stoked on that. But it\u2019s not gonna shatter my life. That\u2019s just part of making art.<\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<style>\n<\/style>\n<div id=\"content_block-277807\" class=\"content_block paragraph text triple_gutter_right triple_gutter_left center_align\">\n<div class=\"content_inner_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"paragraph_wrapper center_align\">\n<p>\n            That same ecosystem, however, would soon break him. After he released his pop-sensible debut album, <i><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_new\" href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/album\/3DlqoysgHCd3CLV4LUOCnh\">Peak<\/a><\/i>, in 2017, he flew to Los Angeles, \u201ctook some meetings,\u201d and met up with Uzowuru, who, as the producer behind songs like Ocean\u2019s \u201cNights\u201d and \u201cChanel,\u201d was establishing himself as someone who could push the boundaries of popular music in strange and surreal directions. Lloyd met more new friends and posted up in an Airbnb to begin making what would become <i>Honeybloom<\/i>. \u201cI was just on some young, natural, rebellious energy,\u201d he says. \u201cI was very much like, \u2018Yo, I want to get out of Michigan.\u2019\u201d\n          <\/p>\n<p>\n            One of those new friends was <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_new\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/royblair\/?hl=en\">Roy Blair<\/a>, who was also releasing music in L.A. and ran in similar circles. \u201cPeople were throwing the label \u2018bedroom pop\u2019 on stuff [when <i>Honeybloom<\/i> came out, ] but you can\u2019t apply that to what Choker was making,\u201d Blair says. \u201cIt felt like the first time I had heard the music that inspired me when I started making music,\u201d\n          <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<style>\n<\/style>\n<div id=\"content_block-277819\" class=\"content_block breaker triple_gutter_right triple_gutter_left embed\">\n<div class=\"media_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"\">\n    <iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"CHOKER - STARFRUIT LA\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/0BchbfH966Y?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"content_block paragraph triple_gutter_right triple_gutter_left\">\n<div class=\"content_inner_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"\" style=\"padding-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px; text-align: left;\">\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<style>\n<\/style>\n<div id=\"content_block-277809\" class=\"content_block paragraph text triple_gutter_right triple_gutter_left center_align\">\n<div class=\"content_inner_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"paragraph_wrapper center_align\">\n<p>\n            A few EPs later, Lloyd embarked on his first tour, and the odd reality of the newfound attention he\u2019d amassed began to dawn on him. Those were the first shows he ever played, and by that point he had skipped some steps, like finding his bearings for the limelight first as an opener.\n          <\/p>\n<p>\n            \u201cBeing in a room with a bunch of people staring at you, expecting something \u2026 It made me reckon with the idea of myself beyond being just Chris,\u201d he says.\n          <\/p>\n<p>\n            For the longest time, perhaps due to his humble, midwest roots, he\u2019d partitioned his music career in the same category as an accountant, as someone working in a trade. But after standing in front of a fawning crowd, that illusion suddenly shattered. \u201cI realized I have this artist persona, this other version of myself: Choker,\u201d he says. \u201cI\u2019m not a brand. I\u2019m a very anxious person. I\u2019m a big over-thinker.\u201d\n          <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<style>\n<\/style>\n<div id=\"content_block-277808\" class=\"content_block breaker triple_gutter_right triple_gutter_left image\">\n<div class=\"media_wrapper\">\n<p>  <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_1440,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/Choker_PressPhoto_A1_p0mlqd\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_220,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/Choker_PressPhoto_A1_p0mlqd\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg 220w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_300,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/Choker_PressPhoto_A1_p0mlqd\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg 300w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_400,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/Choker_PressPhoto_A1_p0mlqd\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg 400w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_600,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/Choker_PressPhoto_A1_p0mlqd\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg 600w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_750,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/Choker_PressPhoto_A1_p0mlqd\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg 750w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_840,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/Choker_PressPhoto_A1_p0mlqd\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg 840w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_960,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/Choker_PressPhoto_A1_p0mlqd\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg 960w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_1260,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/Choker_PressPhoto_A1_p0mlqd\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg 1260w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_1800,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/Choker_PressPhoto_A1_p0mlqd\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg 1800w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_2400,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/Choker_PressPhoto_A1_p0mlqd\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg 2400w,\" sizes=\"100vw\" alt=\"Choker was set for stardom. Then came loss.\"><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"img_caption\"><\/p>\n<p>  <span class=\"credit\"><\/p>\n<p>      Tyler Smith<\/p>\n<p>  <\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<style>\n<\/style>\n<div id=\"content_block-277810\" class=\"content_block paragraph text triple_gutter_right triple_gutter_left center_align\">\n<div class=\"content_inner_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"paragraph_wrapper center_align\">\n<p>\n            This seed of discomfort grew into something sturdier after the pandemic. He initially planned to use that quiet time to \u201ctransition into a different way of putting out music,\u201d but the slowdown morphed into a complete stasis as longstanding realities began to surface. In 2018, a close friend of Lloyd\u2019s had committed suicide and the emotional impact of that event, which Lloyd says he had not fully processed, manifested into \u201ca lot of negative effects of depression.\u201d\n          <\/p>\n<div class=\"\" style=\"padding-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px; text-align: left;\">\n<\/div>\n<p>\n            \u201cI was brute force using my career as a crutch rather than actually focusing on any inner turmoil. I reached a point where I needed to stop and deal with \u2014 not only this grief that I have, but \u2014 this fog that has plagued my life, which is depression and anxiety,\u201d he says of that time. \u201cI was just running on empty.\u201d\n          <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<style>\n<\/style>\n<div id=\"content_block-277821\" class=\"content_block breaker triple_gutter_right triple_gutter_left embed\">\n<div class=\"media_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"\">\n    <iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"CHOKER - PROOF (OFFICIAL VIDEO)\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/nqJyC1uQVS4?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<style>\n<\/style>\n<div id=\"content_block-277811\" class=\"content_block paragraph text triple_gutter_right triple_gutter_left center_align\">\n<div class=\"content_inner_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"paragraph_wrapper center_align\">\n<p>\n            Luckily, Lloyd had the benefit of time. He had never signed a record deal (and still hasn\u2019t, despite the offers), and gets to claim the rare status of being an independent artist who\u2019s able to fully live off of his music, albeit modestly. The freedom was a blessing, but at times destabilizing for him as he tried to regain a sense of routine and purpose. \u201cYou know those memes about your unemployed friend on a Tuesday,\u201d he says, \u201cI was just up to some bullshit.\u201d\n          <\/p>\n<p>\n            He began to re-find his creative and personal footing in 2022 after zeroing in on a healthier routine (a more typical sleep and social schedule rather than nonstop studio toiling). When I remind him that that was still a whole four years ago, he chalks the remaining years to his new album to the \u201ctime sink\u201d of perfectionism. He looked to his idols Stevie Wonder and Joni Mitchell; and the passing of D\u2019Angelo was especially piercing for him given the fact that the soul titan was one of his North stars. But after banging his head against the wall for seven years, Lloyd eventually had to accept the statue he\u2019d chipped away at, and unveil it.\n          <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"content_block paragraph triple_gutter_right triple_gutter_left\">\n<div class=\"content_inner_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"\" style=\"padding-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px; text-align: left;\">\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<style>\n<\/style>\n<div id=\"content_block-277822\" class=\"content_block paragraph text triple_gutter_right triple_gutter_left center_align\">\n<div class=\"content_inner_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"paragraph_wrapper center_align\">\n<hr><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<style>\n<\/style>\n<div id=\"content_block-277812\" class=\"content_block paragraph text triple_gutter_right triple_gutter_left center_align\">\n<div class=\"content_inner_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"paragraph_wrapper center_align\">\n<p>\n            The portrait Lloyd paints on his new album <i>HEAVEN AIN\u2019T SOLD<\/i> is emotionally thick. Deep and warm pianos blanket the record, as do layers of his voice which feels more worn and weary than when we last heard him. The music strikes you, but the lyrics are still hazy and ambiguous. \u201cI don&#8217;t want to be a phantom,\u201d he coos on opener \u201cGepetto.\u201d\n          <\/p>\n<p>\n            Lloyd says that the album is about the pitfalls of being an adult, of \u201cmaking mistakes, of having really big feelings.\u201d Of feeling desperate and embarrassed. The embarrassment is a product of desire, but maybe most importantly, it\u2019s the embarrassment of feeling chronic disconnection. \u201cOf being like, <i>I&#8217;m so pitiful right now<\/i>,\u201d he says.\n          <\/p>\n<p>\n            It\u2019s also about loss: grief, heartbreak, and losing former versions of yourself. \u201cLosing your spark,\u201d he adds. Ambiguous as it is, that word \u2014 \u201closs\u201d \u2014 is big enough to carry the cloudy grief of the record.\n          <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"content_block paragraph triple_gutter_right triple_gutter_left\">\n<div class=\"content_inner_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"\" style=\"padding-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px; text-align: left;\">\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<style>\n<\/style>\n<div id=\"content_block-277816\" class=\"content_block breaker triple_gutter_right triple_gutter_left image\">\n<div class=\"media_wrapper\">\n<p>  <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_1440,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/000746240028_zmackq\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_220,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/000746240028_zmackq\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg 220w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_300,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/000746240028_zmackq\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg 300w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_400,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/000746240028_zmackq\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg 400w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_600,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/000746240028_zmackq\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg 600w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_750,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/000746240028_zmackq\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg 750w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_840,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/000746240028_zmackq\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg 840w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_960,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/000746240028_zmackq\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg 960w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_1260,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/000746240028_zmackq\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg 1260w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_1800,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/000746240028_zmackq\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg 1800w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_2400,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/000746240028_zmackq\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview.jpg 2400w,\" sizes=\"100vw\" alt=\"Choker was set for stardom. Then came loss.\"><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"img_caption\"><\/p>\n<p>  <span class=\"credit\"><\/p>\n<p>      Tyler Smith<\/p>\n<p>  <\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<style>\n<\/style>\n<div id=\"content_block-277813\" class=\"content_block paragraph text triple_gutter_right triple_gutter_left center_align\">\n<div class=\"content_inner_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"paragraph_wrapper center_align\">\n<p>\n            When we talk, Lloyd has already released the first singles. The lead, \u201cProof,\u201d the most bulletproof track on the record, is inspired by the new jack swing of the \u201990s and is a lyrical one-shot about the pain of yearning. If old Choker was prone to ramblings, this song\u2019s directness seemed to show restraint.\n          <\/p>\n<p>\n            He\u2019s pleased, he tells me, with the response it\u2019s received. On <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_new\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=nqJyC1uQVS4&amp;list=RDnqJyC1uQVS4&amp;start_radio=1\">YouTube<\/a>, the top comment reflects on how \u201cListening to choker [&#8230;] just gets better and better.\u201d And Blair, who\u2019s also not immune to long waits between projects, is all compliments. \u201cThe proof is in the pudding. I took my time and maybe it didn\u2019t benefit my career in terms of [Spotify] monthly listeners, but I\u2019ve retained the same fanbase because my fans grew up with me. Chris\u2019s fans are exactly the same.\u201d\n          <\/p>\n<p>\n            One of my favorite songs on the record is \u201cUneven.\u201d Lloyd worked on his piano skills for the making of the album and on this track his playing veers between buoyancy and drama. Its chorus swells with thunderous chords: \u201cLet me in \/ It\u2019s not my fault \/ I\u2019m scratching at your door like a dog,\u201d he sings, his voice peaking with falsetto. The image it evokes is of pitiful desperation, like the one Lloyd told me about earlier,  but expressed simply, resonant, and true. I can\u2019t claim I had been consciously waiting for Choker throughout this long near-decade, but when I hear his words, the feelings envelop me like I\u2019m 19 again.\n          <\/p>\n<p>\n            I ask him about the heaven invoked in the album title. He describes it as a kind of contentment. A peace that\u2019s earned and can\u2019t be sold. Has he found it?\n          <\/p>\n<p>\n            \u201cNot at all.\u201d He laughs. \u201cI feel a lot closer. That\u2019s all you can ask for.\u201d\n          <\/p>\n<div class=\"\" style=\"padding-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px; text-align: left;\">\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<style>\n<\/style>\n<div id=\"content_block-277823\" class=\"content_block paragraph text triple_gutter_right triple_gutter_left center_align\">\n<div class=\"content_inner_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"paragraph_wrapper center_align\">\n<p>\n            <i><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_new\" href=\"https:\/\/stem.ffm.to\/HAS?utm_source=ig&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_content=link_in_bio&amp;fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAGnM8HnkVdl6DM3axhT87BIXmLZvfI4T6Ia9Qr6yoMi9-9_BTsm48pLNZPuWO4_aem_8taPZbQV8d0mda68kZxWnw\">Choker\u2019s \u2018HEAVEN AIN\u2019T SOLD\u2019 is out February 20<\/a>.<\/i>\n          <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div class=\"author\">\n    <span><br \/>\n      By <span class=\"credit_name\">Tobias Hess<\/span><br \/>\n  <\/span><\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMN63nwsw68G3Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more Like this articles, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" target=\"_blank\" >Social Media category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thefader.com\/2026\/02\/18\/choker-heaven-aint-sold-album-interview\" target=\"_blank\" >Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Choker was set for stardom. Then came loss. On his first album in seven years, HEAVEN AIN\u2019T SOLD, the singer-songwriter makes up for lost time. By Tobias Hess Tyler Smith Where were you in the summer of 2019? I remember where I was. Meandering down salad day SoCal streets. Working in a mid-city book store&#8230;.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-712414","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-social-mediaa"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/712414","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=712414"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/712414\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=712414"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=712414"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=712414"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}