Meet Chanté Linwood | DJ, Artist & Boy Mom of 3

We had the good fortune of connecting with Chanté Linwood and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Chanté, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
My whole life I knew that working for other people was not for me. I always felt as if I had great ideas, ambitions and/or goals and I was rarely understood, let a lone supported. Growing up in an area devoid of most skin colors, I was treated poorly for being brown skinned and black. I was often degraded, excluded and discriminated upon so I am no stranger to this treatment and often thought of ways to cope.

That being said, being a black woman adds an entirely new level of challenges – add to that being a DJ and artist in a sea of male dominated spaces. I realized years into my work as a DJ that most spaces I was invited to , women were rarely there for just their talents, but mainly their looks and subject to constant objectification. This realization prompted me to start a party series featuring all women DJs, artists, photographers, etc. called Pu$$y Control, and subsequently to get a few women together to start an artist collective, Cliché (Collectiv). We named it cliche to poke fun at the notion that the idea is not new or reinventing the wheel, but rather common, or cliche.

I always felt there was a hole that needed to be filled in the entertainment industry – especially involving women. So, I guess, long story long, I thought constantly about the way women were treated and I wanted to create spaces that we could dominate and lead w/ far less misogyny and resistance. That is not to say that it hasn’t been difficult to break down the barriers or “shatter the glass ceiling”, but it is a lot easier to feel respected by fellow artists & entertainers when you don’t feel you are there just to be an object.

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I feel the mission for the organization, Cliché (Collectiv), encompasses a lot of what I really feel and why I started all this stuff.

The Cliché (Collectiv) is a by women for womxn, exclusively inclusive, creative collective founded to support, uplift and acknowledge womxn through art, events, education and activations.

Our mission is to empower, glorify and showcase women and their voices in our attempt to bring exposure to creators and organizations via our intersectional, collaborative lens. We work to dismantle societal barriers and stigmas affecting women with the goal of positively impacting society as well as stimulating community growth.

By creating together and uplifting one another, we hope to break the social stereotype that women are in constant competition with one another – when in reality, we are strong collaborators.

We think it is very important to show young girls, and women of all ages, that it is ok to be, as well as, celebrate themselves and to love who they are. We aim to inspire more women and girls to create opportunities for themselves and to never feel boxed in.

We are for anyone and everyone – all shapes, colors, ages and sizes – anyone that wants to get together to collaborate, uplift and create! Our definition of a creator is anyone that has a passion and creates space for that passion to live. We do not believe that what is considered cool, is too cool for certain people to be involved.

WE WANT YOU, AS YOU ARE.

YOU are beautiful. YOU are strong. YOU are talented. YOU are you!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am a do it all kind of person/artist.

As a kid, I painted, danced, sang, edited and filmed shorts, hustled mp3 cds w/ self made/designed covers, designed all the school’s graphics for programs/performances, acted in theatre, played the clarinet, bass clarinet and violin, etc.

I have always done a lot, maybe too much (time management is permanently on my yearly resolution to get better at).

I have toured w/ big artists, performed w/ even more but, right now, I am really excited for all the music I have been working on personally. I am most proud of The Dollhouse – the org I founded and our 14 interns built and designed a monthlong installation to celebrate women during Women’s History Month and the MCA checks in – The Museum of Contemporary Art asked me, personally, to design and build out an installation inspired by Laurie Simmons inside of the Chicago Athletic Hotel.

I got to where I am by staying true to myself and never giving up. I don’t easily take no for an answer – no is just a pivot point for me. I believe in myself and my ideas and I am not easily deterred. I believe life is what you make it and so I strive to make life fun, creative and full of love for my boys and me.

No, it has not been easy. Being a mom, I experience a lot of criticism for choices I make despite them being my own. I also have experience domestic violence and some negative attention when coming out against someone abusive to me. During that time, I felt alone and found out who my real friends were. I had to bring myself out of the dark and it taught me a lot. I had to take a long break from creating and it added to the extreme depression and mania I was already predisposed to.

I would love for people to be able to see how much I care about what I do. I want people to remember me as a good person and someone who affected change in the world – big or small. Then I want them to also be like, “what a milf”.

Lol. No, but really I would love to tell my story more of being a young mom, mixed growing up non-black, being in the industry and nightlife as a woman and a mom, how you can & will overcome mental health struggles + how you can do it all, but it will be hard.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I suck at this lol. I would mostly be like – come see me dj. Or take them to the spots I am frequenting that moment in time. If I have to answer:

– Monday: A drink & dinner at Big Star
– Tuesday: Movie ($6 movie Tuesdays might still be a thing)
– Wednesday: Lunch @ Cafe Con Leche + Game night w/ the kids at home
– Thursday: Lunch @ Soho House + Trampoline park w/ the kids
– Friday: Studio session @ The Major Studio w/ Ksenia + Drinks/Games at Emporium Wicker Park
– Saturday: Brunch @ Bongo Room + Latin night @ The Mine Music Hall (until 5 am)
– Sunday: Brunch @ Tweet (far north) + Bowling at Diversey Bowl

Also, every night would end in kid hang time, haha.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would have to say Jane Claire! She never ceases to amaze me w/ all the work she puts in w/ the most intention. She is a true inspiration doing amazing things in Austin, TX. Literally one of my favorite people.

Also, shout out to Bianca Shaw – one of the most inspiring and beautiful ppl I know – plus she can rap and sing her ass off

anndddd

Ksenia aka Ksound – one of the greatest people and engineers in Chicago. My life has been a million times better knowing all these women.

Ok, can i say another?

Anji Starling – my rock, my bff and just all around my main support system – she’s also insanely smart and beautiful

Oh yea!

Ollie Tousius – took my baby (Cliché) and gave it so much more purpose. She is the most intentional person I know w/ the best heart.

Website: https://www.chantedoesstuff.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chantator

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chantator/

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chantator

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chantaetor

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCraAj9yYhQOZV0RYp5eUo6A

Image Credits
@HELLOIMBIANCA @KROD_VISUALS ONE MORE I CANNOT FIND THE @ FOR