Colorful, whimsical and with a whole lot of spunk, Japanese band CHAI have dazzled fans with their carefree music and silly, upbeat music videos and live performances. Their most recent single ”Surprise” follows suit, capturing that oh so special feeling of getting what you want or feeling an overwhelming amount of love that you can’t quite put into words.
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Soft, airy and pleasant, “Surprise” is a mellow pop song with simple vocal harmonies and instrumentation. Its warm glow and spacious sound envelopes you in a rich, sepia-toned hug and makes you feel as if everything will work out exactly as it should. Whether wanting to keep the good vibes rolling, or in desperate need of a pick-me-up, ”Surprise” hits the right tone and melts delightfully into your heart.
With a music video (shot with director Yoshio Nakaiso) that follows the quartet as they roam around Los Angeles, stopping at places such as the iconic Original Farmers Market on 3rd and Fairfax, the song’s cheerful tone is matched with an equally playful performance by CHAI, from their outfits to their mannerisms and even down to the inclusion of several stuffed animals. On their journey through L.A., band members find their instruments and complete their ensemble by the end.
Although CHAI is exuberant and high-spirited, the theme for the music video was actually based off of the unfortunate experience of having their tour trailer stolen while on tour in the US — the opening scenes see bandmates chasing after a trailer being hauled away as they shout at it to stop. Turning this bad experience into more fuel to be grateful CHAI doesn’t focus on the negative, and instead give back some of the love and support they received from fans after the frightening and frustrating event.
In addition to new music, CHAI will be touring around the globe with a stop in L.A. on Sept. 18 as part of the Primavera Sound LA festival.
Words: Patti Sanchez
For more on CHAI, make sure to visit their website and follow them on Instagram and Twitter.
CHAI Tour Dates:
Fri. Jun. 10 – Sydney, AU – Vivid Sydney at Carriageworks
Sat. Jun. 11 – Melbourne, AU – Rising 2022 at Forum Melbourne
Sun. Sep. 18 – Los Angeles, CA – Primavera Sound LA
Sun. Sep. 25 – Dover, DE – Firefly Music Festival
Mon. Oct. 03 – Ann Arbor, MI – Michigan Theater *
Tue. Oct. 04 – Grand Rapids, MI – 20 Monroe *
Thu. Oct. 06 – Milwaukee, WI – The Riverside Theater *
Sat. Oct. 08 – Omaha, NE – The Admiral *
Mon. Oct. 10 – Louisville, KY – Paristown Hall *
Tue. Oct. 11 – Cleveland, OH – Agora Theater*
Thu. Oct. 13 – Toronto, ON – Queen Elizabeth Theatre *
Fri. Oct. 14 – Montreal, QC – Le National *
Sat. Oct. 15 – Portland, ME – State Theater *
Mon. Oct. 17 – Providence, RI – The Strand *
Tue. Oct. 18 – New Haven, CT – College Street Music Hall *
Fri. Oct. 21 – Raleigh, NC – The Ritz *
Sat. Oct. 22 – Charlotte, NC – The Filmore*
Tue. Oct. 25 – Miami, FL – North Beach Bandshell *
Wed. Oct. 26 – Orlando, FL – House of Blues *
Fri. Oct. 28 – St.Pertersburg, FL – Jannus Live *
Sat. Oct. 29 – Mobile, AL – Soul Kitchen *
Sun. Oct. 30 – Birmingham, AL – Iron City *
Sun. Nov. 06 – Sao Paolo, BR – Primavera Sound Sao Paulo Brazil
Sat. Nov. 12 – Santiago, CL – Primavera Sound Santiago Chile
Sun. Nov. 13 – Buenos Aires, AR – Primavera Sound Buenos Aires Argentina
* with Hippo Campus
