Rachel Chinouriri: 'Indie-rock was always white boy bands. I would’ve liked to see a Black woman doing it'

Rachel Chinouriri is nestled in the corner of a lemon-coloured cafe in east London. Sandwiched between two vintage shops just off Brick Lane, this particular spot is a newfound sanctuary for the 25-year-old indie-pop artist, who comes here often to write music, journal and empty her thoughts. On this occasion, she’s invited me to bear witness to those thoughts, which at present revolve mostly around the release of her hotly anticipated debut album. 

'It’s either going to change my life or it’s going to stay the same. With the first album there’s a lot at stake for what happens next,' she tells me, wrapped in a technicolour Loewe scarf, cupping her latte with both hands for warmth. She speaks with the same delicacy as the wispy, sugary