INTERVIEW: New music video from Chandra

Coming out of Bristol in the UK, Chandra‘s sound serves up a unique blend of guitar-driven pop, instilled with uplifting and positive messages. At the core of Chandra’s artistic vision lies a genuine desire to explore themes that are often overlooked, diving head first into topics such as self-belief, building confidence and mental health. As he aptly puts it, “It’s not cool to sing about these things. But I want to shout loud and evangelize things that otherwise get demoted to a mere whisper under your breath; mental health, being nice to one another, believing in yourself, and finding the confidence to simply be yourself.”

Chandra’s upbringing was steeped in the classics, with his parents’ record player constantly spinning the tunes of Bowie and The Beatles. This early exposure laid the foundation for his keen understanding of what makes a great melody which he combines with his modern influences from acts like Britney, Pink, One Republic and Sam Fender to make his own unique sound.

First making his entrance in 2020 with the debut single “In This Together,” he’s since dropped a string of well-received singles that have seen him win over fans around the world. Now he brings us his latest release with the brand new single titled “Smile (No Fox Gibbon),” another feel-good indie rock outing to follow his recent track “Pretty.”

With his new single, Chandra serves up an instantly catchy song that’s energising, uplifting and guaranteed to put a smile on your face, centred on themes of casting any cares and anxieties aside. Opened by lightly gritty guitar chords, Chandra’s smooth voice enters to thread upbeat melodies and playful lyricism, crafting an infectious pop-focused indie rock sound.

Driven by punchy drums, warm bass lines and slick electric guitar rhythms, Chandra lays down a commanding vocal performance to create an unforgettable and entirely charming sound. The artist had a lot of fun writing and producing the song and that joy drips off the song in every way.

Paired with the single is a music video that perfectly captures this laid back, care free attitude. Channeling Bloodhound Gang vibes, Chandra alongside musician friends Aaron and Chris don chimpanzee costumes in the video which cuts shots of them dancing around and having fun while performing the song.

We caught up with Chandra to find out more about his musical journey so far, his new single “Smile (No Fox Gibbon)” and what he’s got lined up for the future. Check out our interview with Chandra below.

Hey Chandra, how’s things?

Really good thanks. The new single and music video launched this week and the response has been out of this world, so I’m in a really place!

What’s your earliest memory of making music?

When I was a kid… maybe 6 or 7, I had one of those keyboards where the keys lit up so you could play along to songs… I think it was The Carpenters (Rainy Days and Mondays) and Greensleeves… those songs always stick with me because they were the first songs I ever learned to play! I did it over, and over, and over, AND OVER until I got it right. I’m still no better at playing keys now than I was then!

Which artists do you draw most inspiration from today?

I don’t know if it’s a sign of the times but there are very few modern day artists who I find inspirational. Very few artists who are singing about something truly meaningful and staking their reputation behind something that will make a difference. My inspiration comes from elsewhere…

How else do you find inspiration for your music?

My musical inspiration comes from music I grew up listening to and also the artists that formed my teenage years. I’m too young to remember Bowie in his prime but I grew up with that kind of forward thinking, liberally-minded, outside of the box approach to music and opinion. And then my teenage years were truly formative, with Britpop seemingly determining my every move. Radiohead, Coldplay, Blur, Oasis, Suede, Mansun, Elastica but also R.E.M., U2, The Killers, The Chilis etc. So that’s me musically but my core reason for doing this… the things that drives me to keep going is to write songs that really have a positive impact on people’s days. So yeah, it happens to be guitar based but these are pop songs written to make you dance, smile, laugh, singalong but also make you look at yourself in a slightly different light. Can a song make you happy but also make you a better person at the end of the day? Could music actually do that on a grand scale? I think it can and the possibility of that inspires me.

What do you love about the Bristol music scene?

Sadly Covid had such a detrimental effect on the live music scene across the globe and, even though things are back to normal in many ways, the live music scene is still really struggling and Bristol has not been immune to that at all. What I love about Bristol, and what I was really excited about when I moved here, was the history of great artists and acts that started here. Portishead, Tricky, Massive Attack… such an awe inspiring collection of artists.

What would you say is the perfect setting for listeners to enjoy your sound?

Turn it up loud and make sure you’ve got room to dance and let loose. These are not songs to listen to in confined spaces, haha! But seriously, my songs are all about letting go, enjoying yourself, being yourself and rebelling against societal norms that squash your dreams and ambitions. You need some room and some volume to get in that space!

How has your own style and sound evolved since you started out?

In my teens I was in a band called Circa. We came up at a very similar time to Muse and their early demos and strangely we also sounded very similar to them. So that was my foundation and I think that nostalgic nod to 90s/00s Britpop can be heard in my music. But between then and now I went through a period of many years where I just couldn’t figure out what my sound was… what I wanted too write about… I completely lost my musical identity and make me really quite sad. I won’t say depressed because that’s a very strong word but I got stuck and nothing I wrote really felt comfortable. Turns out I just needed to give it time and it was a process my brain had to go through. I was trying to be something I wasn’t. I went really poppy for a while because I was trying to distance myself from what I’d done before and I also just didn’t believe that being myself was something people would be interested in. That was a struggle but in the end I wrote Lighters To The Sky and for the first time in years I felt not just comfort but excitement… not just acceptance for who I am but genuine pride for what I was writing. The second my brain ‘clicked’ I was off. Pretty came weeks later, Smile (No Fox Gibbon) a few weeks after that and I feel like I’ve got so much more to give too.

Who would be your dream artist to collaborate with?

It would have to mean something and it would have to be in order to create something truly meaningful. I wouldn’t do it for ‘the name’. A songwriter I’ve loved and respected for many years is Marina Diamandis (aka Marina and the Diamonds). She writes fantastic pop songs but lyrically she’s really clever and massively underrated. I would love to writer a song with her.

How did you find making your new single “Smile (No Fox Gibbon)”?

So you know I talked about something just clicking earlier? Once that happened the songs just came. The way I write at the moment is very simple; I look at myself and I’m brutally honest with myself about my faults. Most of the time those faults are universally applicable, even if many of us don’t like to admit it. We are human after all and we all share the same fears and insecurities. So with this song it was about the fact that I really struggle to let my face reflect the way I’m feeling inside. I don’t even know how I’ve got to this point in my life where I’d rather look stern than beam but it’s never too late and I want to be better and have a happier life… but I truly believe that writing and singing about it can help others have a better day too. Musically it just came in an instant. Genuinely, I played some chords and 10 minutes later the whole song was written. I did spend some time on the lyrics but I’m really conscious that I don’t want to be whining. I don’t want the message to be “stop being an idiot and be better”. I want the music to be pure FUN but I want the lyrics to be empowering and inspiring enough for small changes to happen.

What artist have you been listening to most recently?

I listen to weird things to be honest. You’ll rarely catch me listening to normal everyday things. Today I was listening to the Super Castlevania IV soundtrack. The other day I was listening to the WipEout soundtrack. Yesterday I had the Tron Legacy Reconfigured soundtrack on mega loud. Last week the Daisy Jones and there Six soundtrack was on loop all day. Yeah, I’m a strange one… but the thing they all have in common is that I listen to albums. I don’t listen to singles or random arrangements of songs.

What’s the main thing you want people to get out of listening to your music?

Let’s really distil it down: I want people to come away feeling uplifted. If you can get that boost of emotional energy from somewhere then magical things are possible. You can effect a change to yourself and people around you. It’s about embracing, capturing and distributing positive energy. I think… no, I KNOW music can do that.

What’s been your favourite live performance so far?

Easy; R.E.M. at Milton Keynes Bowl, Monster Tour 95. My first ever gig as a teen and an event that lit the spark and transformed who I was overnight. I found myself that night and the next day I started writing songs.

Do you have any advice for a new artist wanting to follow your footsteps?

This is such a cliché and I know that nobody can ever take it on board because you have to live life and make the mistakes yourself in order to really come to this realisation… but be true to yourself. Write music and lyrics that truly represent who you are and how you think otherwise it’s all meaningless.

Finally, what do you have lined up for the rest of 2023?

Since April 2023 I’ve launched 3 singles as a solo artist but now it’s time to put the band together. I have an awesome bass player and lead guitarist on board and now we’re locking down a drummer. We’ll be all set for 2024 and you’ll be able to catch all the songs live. I think that, if you listen to the songs, you can get a feel for how upbeat and energetic a live performance could be so my mission is to fulfil that potential. I’ll see you at a gig soon!

Watch the music video for Smile (No Fox Gibbon) below