D and Chi

Meet D and Chi

COSIGNed by: @CHOSENMUSICIANS
INSTAGRAM: @dandchimusic

In our latest installment of #1000COSIGNs we conduct a short interview with D and Chi to discuss the release of their latest visual for “Amazing Grace.” Check out the interview below to see why we #COSIGN D and Chi. #COSIGNLife

What’s the premise behind your new video “Amazing Grace?”

The idea is that stability is a villain. People chase comfort and convenience when in reality there’s a real dream that you are destined to be chasing. Stability will almost always try and stay in the way of it

Why is music important to you guys?

Music is the tool in which this world uses to escape from their situations. We believe our music provides the musical medicine to a broken heart

Who inspires you to create music?

People. Traveling the country we meet people from all walks of life. They are searching for something to put their hope in. The state of the nation is a huge concern for us. As christians, we want to help the world find themselves. Our music is our best tool to do that with

What’s your definition of success?

A room full of people singing our lyrics back to us…but not only singing them…believing them

What would you like to see happen in 2017?

We would like bigger platforms, bigger stages. 2016 saw afew of our band members make the full time musician jump. In 2017 I’d like to see our whole band operating out of that. That means 100% focus on changing the world through music

Who does D and Chi #COSIGN?

John David Castillo @johndavidcas
Cameron Ray @cameronray
Reginald Titus @reginaldtitusjr
Brandon Alva @dumbstarr
Kylee Kimosh @kyleeki
Justin Lyons @guitarslayer24
A.D. Johnson @Chosenmusicians
Maurice Alexander @therealmalex
Carter Davis @mrcarterdavis
Nick Melita/Jake Hull @cinderblocksessions - COSIGN

WAXAHACHIE - Music is a universal language that moves people in such a unique, unexplainable way, no matter someone's ethnic background. From Mozart to Bruno Mars, Garth Brooks or Twenty One Pilots, music has a knack for intertwining lyrics and melodies into a personal ethereal experience. Up-and-coming band, "D and Chi," is taking the stage with music that not only reaches the ears in a pleasant way but also speaks to the soul.

Red Oak natives and musicians, Darren "D" Eubank and Chima Ijeh, began "D and Chi" as a unique ensemble with a distinctive sound of indie-pop and R&B that is knocking out the "genre giant."

"We always say indie-acoustic, hip-hop, pop-rock," laughed Eubank about their music's style.

An eclectic collaborative of talent that includes members from diverse musical backgrounds have come together in a balance of harmony.

"Our sound isn't straight up pop, or straight up rock, each one of us comes from different musical backgrounds and training, and it's all in the music. Somehow it all comes together very pleasing to the ear. I think that in and of itself, honestly, it's a blessing from the Lord and it's something that sets us apart," added Ijeh.

THE ROOTS

Starting in the summer of 2013 in the heart of the Bishop Arts District in Dallas, Eubank and Ijeh developed their sound from busy street corners during their earlier performances.

"A friend of ours invited us out to the Bishop Arts district just to play music out there and to see what would happen. We ended up making quite a bit of money out there. That's actually where our band came from. That's where people discovered our sound," Ijeh said.

Eubank and Ijeh played for a wide variety of onlookers and spectators before booking any venues.

"There'd be times where we'd be catering to pre-teens, and the next minute, we'd be singing to an elderly couple," Eubank said. "We had no intention of really taking it - 'oh, let's make a band out of this,' but the more we played down there, the more they were asking for music when our next show was. And we didn't have an answer to either of those questions. We were just kind of like, 'well, let's take steps to do a show.' One show to another, here we are."

Ijeh also added, "One of the cool things, anyone I show our music to - they like it. So whether that's kids, older people, whether they're black, white, Hispanic, it's just a sound that's very universal."

Growing in popularity, Eubank and Ijeh have played in over 70 shows this year alone, which included venues, such as The House of Blues, The Door, Club Dada, and over 22 Universities across the countryside where they played for a crowd of 2,500.

"This whole year has been our first year touring and traveling the country. We've really been catering to the college age," said Eubank.

LIFE IS A HIGHWAY

Through the miles traveled touring, both Eubank and Ijeh recalled their favorite highlights of the year. "We played Deep Ellum Arts Festival this year. When we finished our set, and we're backstage congratulating everybody and this woman who is not a performer, she sneaks backstage and comes up to me and says 'I haven't felt anything in two years, and when you guys started to sing that last song, I started to feel things again.' She began to break down in that moment. I don't know what it feels like to not feel for two years, but that's a powerful thing that our music can help that," claimed Eubank.

Interestingly, a story written in Conscious Lifestyle Magazine, reports: The field of music and neuroscience is significantly expanding and is indicating many beneficial ways music can engage and change the brain. Research shows that music stimulates emotions through specific brain circuits. Listening to music can create peak emotions, which increase the amount of dopamine, a particular neurotransmitter that is produced in the brain and helps control the brain's reward and pleasure centers.

In addition, a study from the Journal of Music Therapy shows that using songs as a form of communication could increase emotional understanding in autistic children. The study incorporated specific songs to portray different emotions. The children could then indicate and identify emotions based on the songs that represented them. Music succeeded where verbal language failed. Music was able to bridge the brain and heart.

"It's really a phenomenon. We're praying that our music will pull on heartstrings and it's a cool thing to see that almost tangibly happen while we're playing. After the show, your talking to people and their responding in a way that hearts are leaving softened. And for us, that's a positive thing," said Eubank.

The power of music can evoke profound sentiments that trigger the brain to process emotions. It can also reconnect songs we pair with memories through emotional response. This reaction is made possible through the brain's self-recognition of neural connectors and the highways they create throughout a person's lifetime.

Consider music as the HOV lane, stimulating and sometimes rerouting the brain through emotional acknowledgment. When music plays - the road is open, the cars of emotion pass through the brain. When the music stops, the lane closes as cars resume on the original highways our mind first built.

Whether listening to a song or playing an instrument, music is an undeniably powerful tool that influences individuals and connects people together.

"Everything we do really shows up when we can do a show with our band. In those moments, you're sharing that stage with your brothers. There's such an energy up there, and you're also sharing it with everyone attending the show," said Ijeh.

Music isn't only purposed for entertainment, but also for inner healing.

"We're living in a world where it'd be very easy to have a solid, rock-hard heart and not really be open to anything. But for us, we're pulling on heartstrings the whole show," added Eubank. "Being able to find a common ground with someone that you never met before, someone who has an absolutely different lifestyle than you, and be able to speak with them is honestly is just a win in and of itself."

WE'VE ONLY JUST BEGUN

The future of "D and Chi" is bright as they continue to play, encourage people, and plan out their next tour in 2018.

"We're looking to release new music at some point next year. [We're] looking to tour more, and we're looking at more partnerships that could help to expand the brand that is 'D and Chi.' We have no plans of stopping anytime soon," said Ijeh.

"I don't think we'll slow down," Eubank agreed. "I think you'll see us doing a lot of touring next year. I know we're going to be taking some steps to revamp. We're going to keep our foot on the gas pedal and keep going forward."

To find out more, visit D and Chi's at dandchimusic.com or @DandChiMusic

- Chelsea Groomer, @ChelseaGroomer - Chealsea Groomer

When Darren Eubank and Chima Ijeh met in
sixth grade, they had no idea they would eventually
partner to form a successful music duo. “We met
in peewee football,” Chima, nicknamed “Chi,”
remembered. They were only acquaintances throughout
school, not close friends. Darren, known to his
friends simply as “D,” mainly remembers Chi as
the one who sang the national anthem at many of
his football games. They both graduated from Red
Oak High School in 2009, but their paths crossed
again at Southwestern Assemblies of God University,
where they were students. From there, a partnership
was born.
Chi has loved music for as long as he can remember. “As soon
as I started talking, I was singing,” he said. “Music has always
been my escape, my therapy.” His love of music persisted, but
he eventually grew discouraged. “When I was 8, I wanted to be
a superstar, so I would practice every single day,” Chi said. “By
the time I got to high school, I’d pretty much given up on that
dream.” He eventually felt a calling from God to pursue music
full time, but that meant changing his entire life. “At that point,
I was pretty much into football, and I had to tell my team I
couldn’t do it this year because I had to join choir,” he laughed.
“I just poured myself fully into music.” Chi ran a worship
— By Callie Revell
ministry at school, helped out at church and played music at
SAGU before partnering with D. Now, he considers music his
full-time job.
D didn’t grow up dreaming to be a musician like Chi did.
“I didn’t touch a guitar or any kind of music until after high
school,” D said. “I sang my whole life, but not in front of
people.” The summer after he graduated from high school,
D also felt a calling to pursue music. “All my favorite worship
leaders play acoustic guitar,” he said. “I decided I needed to do
that, too, so I bought a guitar and started teaching myself how to
play. I just messed around until something sounded right, and I practiced three hours a day. That was six
years ago.”
During their junior year of college,
a small restaurant in town was looking
for a house band. Chi auditioned and
was selected. Later, D was working out
at the gym next door and saw a sign
advertising the audition. “I said I had
my guitar in the car and asked if I could
try out,” D remembered. It turned
out that Chi had mentioned him at his
own audition, so the restaurant owner
asked if they would consider playing
together. “We just sat down and made a
set list,” D remembered. “We were good
at harmonies, and we played a show
together.” That was the first time the two
performed as a duo. They played at the
restaurant throughout the summer but
got busy once school started again.
The pair got their true start
performing on the corner of 7th Street
and Bishop Avenue in the Bishop Arts
District. They originally started busking
as a way to earn extra money, but the
warm reception they received was worth
even more. “The first night was pretty
cool,” D remembered. “We just opened
the guitar case and made about $100.
That was awesome! We wanted to do
it again.” Regulars in the Bishop Arts
District started watching for them and
requesting more music. They realized
they needed to take things to the next
level, so they started working on a name.
They threw around different ideas, but
nothing seemed to work. “I thought it
was corny, so we said we’d go with ‘D and Chi’ just for now,” D said, “but it
stuck.” The two printed out business
cards and planned an official show.
Since then, D and Chi have broken
out on the local music scene. They’ve
also found success online, with one of
their songs earning over 16,000 hits. Ryan
McCauley, a music producer, saw the
video on YouTube and connected them
with a studio. D and Chi recorded their
first EP from September 2013 to March
2014. After that, they brought together
a full band, including Courtlin Murphy,
Jason Hostetler, Markwayne Kennedy
and Mason Grimes. One hundred people
attended the release party for their EP. “It was just a celebration of what we’d
accomplished, and it was so cool to see
people rallying around us,” D said. “We
had no clue what would come of it. That
summer was a whirlwind. We ended up
playing 65 shows last year — weddings,
parties, shows, everything.” They are
planning twice as many shows for this
coming year and recently got a manager,
Adrien Johnson of Chosen Musicians.
They have played at coffee shops around
DFW, the House of Blues and were on
K104 radio station. Their band is firm
in friendship and brotherhood. They all
share a likeminded mentality.
Chi believes their friendship is the key
to their success as music partners. “We’ve
known each other for a really long time,” Chi said. “We started off with just two
vocals and an acoustic, so we were able
to focus on how our voices blended.”
He also believes some of their success
can be attributed to the way they write
their music. “We write from personal
experience,” Chi said. “We’re telling you a
part of our lives. We’re expressing what’s
happened to us physically, emotionally
and spiritually through music. When you
share a life experience on a deep level like
that, people connect with it.”
“People love being inside people’s
minds,” D agreed. “When you let
everyone see your heart, it’s golden. It
doesn’t really matter what you say. As
long as you’re letting people see who you
are, they’ll like it.”
As D and Chi continue on their
musical journey, they are excited by the
possibilities the industry holds. “We’re
officially working on our full-length
album, which we’re planning on releasing
this fall,” D said. “We’ll also have the
chance to travel the country from college
to college. We’re kicking down walls and
moving forward.”
Friendship will always be at the heart
of D and Chi, no matter what their
future holds. “Our music connects us
in brotherhood and brings us closer
together,” Chi said. “This isn’t just a
band. This isn’t just a really cool calling.
This is a brotherhood, a family.” They
also know how important it is to stay
focused on their original intentions in a
cut-throat industry like entertainment.
“The mission statement of D and Chi is
to shine a light in dark places, and there’s
darkness everywhere,” Chi said. “We see
our influence stretching far beyond Ellis
County. Our goal is to have the world fall
in love with our music and have a positive
influence in every home. This is just the
beginning for D and Chi.” - Ellis County Now

Darren Eubank and Randy “Chima” Ijeh make up the Dallas-based pop acoustic-duo D and Chi. The group has been playing shows in support of their debut EP “Music On Streets,” a completely acoustic effort with songs that are simply about “life and love.” What started as a small collaborative project between two like-minded buskers quickly became a full-band experience (Check out their first full-band single “Galaxies”). The band just finished a college showcase road trip and are embarking on a college tour this spring

October 2015 - Sterling Gavinski

In mid-conversation with one of the hundreds of competitors, one name is called for the audition of a lifetime. The production crew then probes for answers about nerves, yet you know that you’re one step closer to fulfilling a lifelong dream.
Darren Eubank and Chima Ijeh slowly made their way down a hallway they’ve never traveled, listening tentatively to directions while doing their best to remain composed. About 15 minutes pass and the two are taken into another private holding room.
One door with a prominent American Idol logo is now the only thing that separated the two Red Oak musicians and their chances of performing in Hollywood. The duo could barely make out what was occurring on the other side of the door and decided to, instead, focus on their upcoming performance.
“It’s momentum building, and there’s a big dramatic feeling of opening the big, black door,” Ijeh recalled. “Honestly, it felt like forever. There are a lot of emotions coursing through you. Every moment felt like a lifetime.”
The two quickly completed a ritual that consists of a “bro handshake” and prayer, and then the door opened.
The two stepped through a small dark hallway and dead center was Katy Perry, Lionel Ritchie and Luke Bryant in the spotlight. The production crew — dressed in all black — operated camera equipment in the shadows of the room.
The American Idol stage was set, and the attention was now on Eubank and Ijeh.

“I can’t even remember what I said at first,” Ijeh said.
He did recall his impersonation of a preacher scored points with Perry as she laughed out loud. As Ijeh glanced across the judges, “It feels like you are looking at them through a tv screen, because you’ve only ever seen them on tv. When they finally shake your hand and give you the golden ticket, I felt like I had walked into my tv.”
With guitar in hand, Eubank sang with Ijeh and, within seven minutes, they each scored a coveted golden ticket to Hollywood. Overwhelmed with joy, the men shook each judges’ hand.
Eubank disclosed that Lionel provided the best handshake. “Lionel has been in the business the longest so he has the most wisdom and you can tell that everything he does is intentional,” Eubank said.
What the two contestants were not prepared for were the following series of events.
The two had arrived at a warehouse in New York for the celebrity auditions at 6:30 a.m. — early for their 7 a.m. check-in. They wasted time by establishing relationships with contenders. The audition was scheduled promptly at noon and, after that, the Red Oak residents were put through a series of camera exposure and interviews with the American Idol crew. They did not leave until 11 p.m.
Once a contestant receives the ticket to Hollywood, they have to sit in the waiting room with their family or whoever tagged along with either Ryan Seacrest or another individual.

“With Chima and I, they had us sit with another contestant and asked us about New York and if it was our first time and then we did a cut scene with Ryan Seacrest.”
Then it’s confession booth time, which took place in a small room with nothing but American Idol logos, providing the contestants an opportunity to express their excitement. The musicians were then filmed for b-roll to potentially be used in in the show. They were shot on the streets of New York and played for people.
“We were actually pretty shocked that we weren’t on the initial audition episode because they were calling our names more than anyone else in New York,” Ijeh said.
When hunger struck, the contestants were left stranded in the warehouse with nothing but small bags of snacks and an unlimited supplied of Lipton Tea (the company is one of the show’s sponsors). The manager of the D and Chi band had tagged along and was allowed to escape and returned with 12 boxes of pizza.
“All I had to eat that day was only two pieces of pizza,” Eubank said. He limited his food intake mainly because he didn’t want to get anything on his shirt.
Eubank said he did an additional two hours of interviews about his personal life where he focused on his new wife and his mother’s death from brain cancer last year.
“It was a full day, and I don’t regret that because American Idol is grooming me to be a star, and when you are a star, nothing is short,” Eubank stressed.

However, once the duo arrived in Hollywood, they felt like celebrities — and this time, American Idol had it all covered and more.
All the contestants were chartered in a bus and the cameras followed them everywhere besides the hotel and bathroom. The two recalled that passersby would often stop and ask what all of the hoopla was for.
“The farther you go in the competition, the more respect you earn from people who work there,” Eubank said.
The food stood out the most though.
“They had some bomb food, man,” Eubank emphasized.
“The food was so good,” Ijeh agreed. He then said the grilled salmon and cookies were the best items offered. “I felt like I was on a Hollywood movie set... Honestly, that might have been the best part of Hollywood week.”
Hollywood week consisted of five days and was televised on March 24. The competition was comprised of three rounds of elimination — the lines of 10, group rounds and the solo round.

Unfortunately, Ijeh was sent home following the lines of 10, while Eubank and another Red Oak graduate, Jade Flores, advanced with 98 other contestants to the group rounds.
Eubank and Flores were both eliminated before reaching the solo round.
Flores acknowledged the uproar on social media after her elimination but has kept her head high. She said Bobby Bones, an on-air radio personality best known for hosting the nationally syndicated “The Bobby Bones Show,” wants her on his show. She also mentioned that Lionel Ritchie messaged her on Facebook and encouraged her to audition again next year.
Flores reminisced on her time on American Idol and said, “I’m comfortable now. Before I was really insecure and you know, there is only one Jade. There were so many people there, as long as you stay true to yourself you will stand out.”
Ijeh echoed the sentiment and added, “I’m super thankful to American Idol for the opportunity because I know being part of this experience will help and has helped my career. I feel that people should know that just because you don’t make it on the show, that doesn’t mean you aren’t talented.”
Eubank said he and Ijeh will continue to play as a band and is currently getting the other Texas-based American Idol contestants together to perform a show over the summertime.
Ijeh also noted “D and Chi” will be the closing act for the Deep Ellum Arts Festival on April 7. - Waxahachie Daily Light