An emerging Chicago based band called Xochi is actively plowing a foundation for their unique sound within the music scene by exploring genres and techniques while also connecting with all willing to listen.
As the do-it-yourself (DIY) music scene continues to thrive within Chicago, people with dreams of playing music and starting bands with others continue to blossom into existence. Xochi is no different than those who are in pursuit of creating an engaging musical experience. It attracts people from all over the city into cramped house venues where tight spaces thicken the musical atmosphere and energize the audience to move around.
The band started practicing back in early March 2026 after Valentina Barrera-Ibarra, the drummer, proposed to future bassist and vocalist, Santi Perez, an idea she had been sitting on since getting to college: starting a band. Both Barrera-Ibarra and Perez went to high school together back in Texas, Barrera-Ibarra played drums for Santi during a solo show in his senior year of high school after just releasing his first EP.
Disconnecting when they both moved to the city, Barrera-Ibarra went out with Perez one night at a bar where she introduced future bandmate Erica Lockett (guitar, vocals, viola). From there, at a later practice, came Avery Kendrick (guitar, bass, vocals).
“A week later we were already rehearsing,” said Perez. “So it was like, ‘Oh, okay, we’re going,’ like, ‘This is happening.’”
Before the band became a unit, Barrera-Ibarra and Lockett spent time together in each other’s homes jamming and creating songs. Kendrick often found herself tuning into these jam sessions and being inspired herself to rekindle her relationship with music and join in with them.
“I remember that I was having a really bad day when I first went to practice with you guys, and it was just magical and so much fun,” said Kendrick. “It just made my day so much better and I felt like immediately we kind of all had a synchronicity.”
One of the more difficult aspects of learning how to work as a band was learning how to communicate consistently with each other within the practice room, the stage, and away from each other. Being verbal and honest was a learning curve the band quickly realized they would have to build a muscle for.
“Building the confidence to sing in front of two or three of your friends and having the confidence to workshop your s—y lyrics with your friends and jam goes a lot beyond technical skill,” said Lockett. “But I think for all of us, learning how to express ourselves in a group and collaborate and tell each other when we like something and not like something, and what we want to incorporate, is something we’ve all had to learn.”
Each member of Xochi grew up with a musical background, with their music revolving around their lifestyles. As they grew older and into their own people, they started to find their own sounds and experiment with their potential to create.
Lockett has a classical background from growing up in North Carolina playing viola in school orchestras since third grade, while also attending private lessons and being a member of chamber music groups like Triangle Youth Symphony. But, Lockett has always had an urge to see what’s on the other end of the music world.
“I’ve always wanted to get into more non-classical music,” said Lockett. “And literally for my whole life tried to get friends to start bands and this time it actually worked out, and it’s just cool to connect with people that way.”
When it comes to creating a band, it’s also an invitation to be open to different sounds. With a variety of musical genres, it’s almost impossible to not grow sonically and broaden one’s perspective on what music is and can become when put together.
Perez has always been in a passionate pursuit of a career in music and performing. Starting out as a solo artist, Perez mentions wanting to chase his dream to make music with others just as driven as he is and create an image out of that.
“Xochi came around at such a perfect time,” said Perez. “I think we all have these different backgrounds as far as our taste and our styles of playing and it really just comes together so nicely.”
Barrera-Ibarra grew up around a family involved with the industry, with family members in bands who went on tours, allowing her to see live music consistently. Coming to college, music became her main way of finding similar people.
While also making flyers for the band, her constant commitment has given her an excuse to express her creativity in other ways.
“It can get overwhelming thinking how many other bands are out there trying to make it,” said Perez. “But, when you zoom out of it and stop focusing on the idea on ‘making it’ and you realize at the end of the day, the most beautiful part is that I’m playing music with my friends for my friends, for people that aren’t friends but could be friends.”
Kendrick grew up songwriting and playing piano, always finding herself playing with different groups that were never strong enough to formulate a band. Being in Xochi has led Kendrick to confront her past relationship with music and even picked up guitar.
“I think this kind of made me face myself in a different way than I usually do and kind of bring up a like of old emotions that I had playing music when I was a kid,” said Kendrick. “I feel like obviously it’s a vulnerable thing to go through this whole process, but luckily we haven’t run into major conflicts; we are all very supportive of each other.”
Recently the band just performed their first house show alongside another band, Surf Cowboy, where the audience wasn’t just their friends, but new listeners of their genre.
“Yesterday after our show, two or three people came around like, ‘You guys are freaking sick.’ [They were] people that I barely knew,” said Perez.
Xochi agrees that it can get overwhelming being in a scene with many other bands striving for attention and success. However, it took time for them to realize that without focusing on the race to ‘make it’ in the industry, it’s easier to see other acts as potential partners and friends.
Xochi is an example of a unit that works not because they’re all focused on becoming famous or being at the top. Instead, they see every moment as a way to grow and connect with others involved in music and art. To the band, the scene isn’t about individuality but working consistently as a transparent collective, willing to sacrifice time and removing the idea of perfection but rather striving for innovation.
“The process that we’re in right now … is the goal itself, just staying consistent with it and taking the time to have the space together to create and play music.”
Xochi is hopeful for the future as a band, looking forward to their upcoming show at Chicago DIY venue, Wildwood, on October 10.
Header Image by Kait Lloyd
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