CHAI Releases New Single “PARA PARA” and Announces Upcoming Album
On June 14, Japanese quartet CHAI dropped their newest single, “PARA PARA.” The song, inspired by a popular dance that originated in Japan, is the lead single of the band’s upcoming self-titled album.
PARA PARA
Hardly new in the music scene—the band came to life in 2012—the Japanese quartet, CHAI, has stepped under the spotlight with an eclectic sound that combines new wave, city pop, punk, and synthpop. Formed by members Kana, Mana, Yuna, and Yuuki—all nicknames—the foursome has been committed to reinventing the meaning of kawaii since its debut, coining a genre dubbed “neo-kawaii.”
With critically acclaimed albums and several high-profile collaborations in their discography, CHAI once again deliver a boundary-pushing single with “PARA PARA.” The track borrows its name from the popular dance ParaPara, popularized in the club scene in Japan in the early 1980s. “There’s not a deep meaning to that song, it’s really just about the dance,” said Mana, CHAI’s vocalist and keyboardist, about the city pop-infused single.
In the accompanying music video, directed by Jennifer Juniper Stadford, CHAI pays homage to the two-step dance trend that took over Japan in the 1990s. The vintage-inspired video draws elements from art-rock and J-pop, and nods at music acts like Yellow Magic Orchestra, Talking Heads, and Devo. Further explaining the concept of “PARA PARA,” Mana added, “As long as you can feel the two-step, any dance is possible! Let your body just move to your dancing heart. When your body moves to the beat of your heart, you’ll realize that the world is smaller than you think, and all your problems are easier than they seem.”
CHAI by CHAI
In tandem with the release of their newest single, CHAI announced new studio material, a self-titled album that will be available on September 22. Unlike their previous album, WINK—the band’s mellowest and most introspective exploit—CHAI will look back at the group’s origins. Written on the road as the group traveled for presentations in New York, Los Angeles, and Mexico, the record found inspiration in the band’s Japanese heritage and the music they grew up with. “Everything reflected in the lyrics expresses our experience as Japanese women,” Mana shared.
Echoing these musings, the tracklist includes ten songs, named after “words immediately associated with Japan.” Titles like “MATCHA,” “KARAOKE,” and “Neo Kawaii,K?” promise to explore CHAI’s interpretation of Japanese culture. As Mana explained, in CHAI, the foursome will declare their pride in living as Japanese women. “We hope this album gives everyone a little more confidence in living how they want to live. That is our ideal. If this album becomes that existence for anyone, that is the right answer in our eyes,” she said.
Fall Tour
Along with the album announcement, CHAI’s label in the United States, SubPop, unveiled North American tour dates for the fall. Starting September 23, CHAI will perform in cities like Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Toronto, New York, and Mexico City.
CHAI TOUR DATES
Sat. Sept. 23 – Boise, ID @ Flipside Festival
Sun. Sept. 24 – Seattle, WA @ Tractor Tavern
Mon. Sept. 25 – Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge
Wed. Sept. 27 – San Francisco, CA @ The Independent
Fri. Sept. 29 – Los Angeles, CA @ Teragram Ballroom
Mon. Oct. 2 – Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall
Wed. Oct. 4 – Toronto, ON @ Horseshoe Tavern
Fri. Oct. 6 – Brooklyn, NY @ Warsaw
Sun. Oct. 8 – Boston, MA @ Crystal Ballroom
Tue. Oct. 10 – Washington, DC @ Union Stage
Wed. Oct. 11 – Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s
Fri. Oct. 13 – Mexico City, MEX @ Indie Rocks!
Catch up with CHAI on Spotify and YouTube, and be sure to follow them on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok to keep up with their latest updates.
Interested in the latest music releases by Asian stars? Check out Envi’s breakdown of SB19’s PAGTATAG! here.
