Indie Music Women’s Artist of the Day is…
Cherice Cosentino (@nihilistabyssmusic)
Chicago native, Cherice Cosentino, has had her fair share of painful life experiences. At least, that’s what she hopes you hear in her music. Established in 2017, Cherice began healing her past and rectifying her future through music under the name Nihilist Abyss. Inspired by industrial elements and the soundtracks of horror movies, the music is an electrically charged layer of synthesizers, lush atmospheres and hard-hitting drums providing the perfect backdrop for dramatic, soaring melodies and choir influenced harmonies.
Born in Chicago to an Italian immigrant guitarist father, Cherice grew up with music. Teaching herself to play the piano by age 10, she went on to play the flute in the school band, and sang in the choir. Her father’s untimely death, while she was a teen, as well as her struggles with mental health, have played major roles in shaping the sonic landscape and emotional depth of her music.
Still a newcomer to the alternative music world, her debut single, “Dark Days”, was released in August 2019 and by December of the same year, it was included on Chicago Music Guide’s “Best of 2019” list. Her follow-up single, “Mother Winter” has received air time on Chicago’s alternative radio station 101wkqx. With more singles planned for the start of 2020, Nihilist Abyss will continue to connect with and ensnare listeners in Cosentino’s moody, and honest world.
Cherice shared with me what it means to her personally to be an indie music woman artist:
“First and foremost, I think that women are the fucking future of music, and we’re continuously breaking new ground where genre-bending and new sounds are concerned. I’m proud to consider myself part of that now, and I hope to further push the boundaries of music in the future, and hopefully help other women see that they can also succeed in music. My band name, “Nihilist Abyss” is a nod to Emily Haines of Metric. One of their songs questions whether they’ve ever helped anyone to believe in the power of songs and the power of girls, and I took that and ran with it and said “yes! You have!” and I hope to inspire those same feelings in others.”
You can hear Nihilist Abyss’ single, “Mother Winter” on the Indie Music Women’s Spotify Playlist.
