#UnsocialAes Profile: Liv Roskos & Ike Nichols

In Chicago’s ever-shifting music landscape, where tradition meets experimentation on every corner, few voices cut through with the clarity and emotional honesty of Liv Roskos. More than a musician, Roskos is a storyteller, one who treats their art as both confession and conversation, weaving personal truths into songs that resonate far beyond the studio walls..

Liv Roskos is one of the many curators doing her very best to unite the Chicago music scene/industry with not only her music but her passion to really uplift our cities brilliance in the many creatives that live here everyday. Her work with the platform OAD Productions has changed so much about how the cities music scene operates already, it’s been doing superb community building with providing artists resources and a space to really grow and mature as artists and creatives. Even with that being said Roskos music has always been known to bring out crowds because of it’s strong foundation in jazz, soul, and pop. She has always been the individual that places true professional showmanship into action each time she performs or releases new music. With a project out and new business plans prepared Roskos is ready to take her artistry to the next level..

Liv Roskos is a rising multidisciplinary artist whose work lives at the intersection of sound, storytelling, and self-discovery. Based in Chicago, Roskos brings an honest, unfiltered voice to their music, blending confessional lyricism with genre-bending production that moves seamlessly between hip-hop, R&B, and alternative soundscapes.Their artistry is rooted in vulnerability, Roskos approaches songwriting as both a mirror and a map, reflecting the complexities of identity, healing, and growth, while guiding listeners through their own journeys. Whether performing on stage or in the studio, they carry a raw presence that connects deeply with audiences and reminds them that art can be both personal testimony and collective medicine..

Beyond music, Roskos is engaged with Chicago’s creative community as a collaborator, performer, and cultural organizer, often using their platform to uplift voices that exist outside of the mainstream. Each release expands their narrative while reinforcing their commitment to authenticity, independence, and creative risk-taking.With a growing catalog and an unmistakable voice, Liv Roskos is carving out a space that feels necessary in today’s music landscape, where honesty is power, and art is inseparable from life..

Even with all of this the work Roskos has done with producer Ike Nichols has been incredible to see and his resume definitely speaks for itself..

In the world of rising producers, Ike Nichols has carved out a reputation for his sharp ear, versatile soundscapes, and ability to bring out the best in the artists he works with. Rooted in hip-hop but unafraid to pull from jazz, soul, R&B, and experimental textures, Nichols is part of a new generation of beatmakers reshaping what Midwest production can sound like..

What defines Nichols’ work isn’t just technical precision, but storytelling. His beats aren’t simply backdrops, they’re environments. Each track feels like a scene, carefully layered with mood and intention, allowing rappers and singers to expand their narratives. Because of this Nichols has been blessed to work with artists as G-Eazy, which he has said has helped him grow more as a human being as well. Whether it’s the snap of a drum pattern or the haunting space in his melodies, Nichols uses production as a way of framing honesty, grit, and emotion..

Both of these artists already have so much going for themselves individually, so when both came together to create Roskos latest project “Growing Pains EP” not only was magic created. But two connectors came together to bring important change to the cities music scene..

Nichols and Roskos didn’t come together to smooth out their differences. In fact, it’s those differences that make their collaboration magnetic. Nichols approaches production like a craftsman, measured, controlled, & almost surgical. Roskos counters with vulnerability, their performances often carry the unpredictable energy of someone willing to bleed on stage if it means connection..

Together, they create a kind of balance. Nichols’ grit grounds Roskos’ openness; Roskos’ emotional candor softens Nichols’ edges. The effect is less about blending than about building, like two distinct voices in harmony, neither losing itself to the other..

The project they created “Growing Pains EP” is a true testament to both of the artists growth and development as human beings. Because of covid, family transitions, & just overall time there were pauses on the project for the simple fact that Roskos has always been focused on putting out her very best & Nichols has done a awesome job with helping her do just that..

It’s no accident that their artistry was forged in Chicago. This is a city that doesn’t hand out shortcuts, where every stage is a proving ground. For Nichols, that meant sharpening his production until it cut through noise without ever losing authenticity. For Roskos, it meant embracing vulnerability in a space where toughness is often the default..

Chicago’s scene has always thrived on contradiction, the urgency of drill alongside the intimacy of open mics, the grit of the South Side rubbing against the experimental pulses of the North. Nichols and Roskos embody that same tension, showing how difference can be turned into dialogue..

Both artists have built reputations that extend beyond their sound. Nichols is known for treating his verses as documentation, stories rooted in real lives, moments, and memories that might otherwise be overlooked. Roskos, meanwhile, has become a quiet but vital force in Chicago’s creative ecosystem, lending their energy to grassroots events, workshops, and collaborations that open doors for voices outside the mainstream.Their partnership, is more than a sonic experiment. It’s an act of community, a reminder that art can be both personal and collective, vulnerable and resistant at the same time..

Neither Nichols nor Roskos seems interested in chasing trends. Their focus is on building something sustainable, something honest. Solo projects continue to unfold, but when they come together, in a studio session, a live set, or a late-night writing exchange, it feels like a glimpse into what Chicago’s future could sound like.They are, in many ways, opposites. Nichols, the craftsman. Roskos, the confessor. But together, they don’t cancel each other out. Instead, they expand, proving that collaboration, at its best, is not about compromise but about amplification..

In a city defined by innovation, Ike Nichols and Liv Roskos stand as a reminder that the most powerful art often comes not from solitary genius, but from the spaces where vulnerability meets grit, and two voices find harmony in tension..