The Japanese band find their comfort zone onWINKin a whole new sound.
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When CHAI performs live again, END could be their reintroduction.
I might have shed a tear or two, she recalls of the catharsis, through her translator.
But I think I needed that to make that song.
You are so cute, nice face, come on, yeah!
MANA declares on the singalong-primed N.E.O., the second track on CHAIs 2017 debut album,PINK.
Another wrinkle: They had to do some of that work while quarantined separately in Japan.
They bonded over a love of music outside J-pop, and later western music.
But CHAI ended up developing fans across the globe, and re-releasedPINKin early 2018 on U.S. and U.K. labels.
They became known for energetic live productions, complete with matching pink outfits and choreography.
They eventually took that show on tour with indie-rock stalwarts like Mac DeMarco and Whitney.
OnWINK, that wasnt an option, especially not while recording on GarageBand and collaborating over Zoom.
Those restrictions freed the band to explore.
We actually got to focus on sound just listening, MANA says.
WINKopens with a jarring shiftfrom anything CHAI has done before, on the low-key, groovy Maybe Chocolate Chips.
When he added his piece to it, it just made way more sense, she says.
Now, I feel like the times are actually catching up to us.
Its a mutable idea for the group as well.
OnWINK, they expanded neo-kawaii from a physical to a mental project.
YUUKI remembers having another breakthrough while watching the 2019 Olivia Wildedirectedteen comedyBooksmart.
But its just their perception, its a misunderstanding.
Part of the mental work ofWINKalso involves coming to terms with negativity.
Because the sun is here, we also have the moon.
After all, she notes, the bands positive outlook only comes from once being girls that have insecurities.
