Chai is the Japanese, all-female rock band that you wished you’d known sooner. Created in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Mana, Kana, Yuki, and Yuna make up the quartet. Besides Kana and Mana being twin sisters, all members were familiar with one another, having gone to the same high school. However, they came together for Chai sometime after they enrolled in college.
Mana primarily takes the lead vocals and keyboard, while the other three join her for back up. Her sister, Kana, takes the lead guitar. Yuuki is their bassist and Yuna takes over the drums.
Chai is dedicated to reinventing the meaning of “kawaii”, or “cute” in English, a word saturated to define anything Japanese. “Kawaii” has been used in a very exclusive way, especially in Japan.
In an interview with Japan Times, lead singer Mana gives us insight in how the word is used. “We were never really called ‘kawaii’ while we were growing up,” she says, “ We think people define it as something that’s quite uniform: skinny, big eyes, whiter skin. If you don’t have that, you can’t be kawaii. You immediately go to being ugly.”
Like most cultures, women are subjected to fitting a certain mold, which in turn can become low self esteem from a young age. These expectations push innocent, healthy people over the brink into bad habits.
Seeing feminist ideology in Japan is gratifying, as the country is certainly not free from deep-seeded sexism. That reality might come as a surprise to Westerners, who expect the best from Japan.
Chai’s new album “PUNK” has sparked plenty of conversation since its release, all-positive commentary from critics like “getalternative.com” and “Pitchfork.”
Listeners get a foundation of evident punk rock vibes, while the group effectively experiments from different blends of sound. “PUNK” remains less ambient than a group like the all-female Japanese post-punk band Tricot, but features upbeat moments that references a nostalgia of early 2000s video games.
Even while the sound is rather difficult to define outside the confines of punk rock, it’s undeniable that vibrant rhythms remain an earworm for audiences. The classic post-punk sound can be compared to that of Joy Division, the famous 70s English rock band. What’s impressive is their use of chorus pedal guitars, making “PUNK” that serves punk but with a twist.
There is a juxtaposition that occurs between Chai’s signature electric guitars and J-Pop soprano voices versus the tasteful base and prominent drum beats, a sound that’s as colorful as you imagine it. Yuna deserves recognition for the drumbeats that pulsate and breathe life into each track, an aspect of musical performance that is mistakenly overlooked.
The J-Pop-based vocals highlight the vibe that Chai is going for on “PUNK,” a subtle reminder of the iconic all-female kawaii metal band known as Babymetal.
“PUNK” feels far from being passive, instead each member comes together with interdependent superhero energy. The album gives power to the pink aesthetic, channeling alpha femininity. An album like this is empowering, and reminds you that you don’t have to fit into the stereotypical template of “kawaii” to be “kawaii”. Whilst listening, you’ll find that your body language moves a little differently. There’s something magical and promising about the formulas that Chai has been brewing.
“PUNK” isn’t afraid to have fun, and it encourages you to feel the same. Even listeners that indulge in anything other that J-pop or post rock will find themselves mesmerized by their infectious energy on the album.
Chai’s confidence is evident, as they are each leaders of their own movement.
Alma Tovar
Features Editor