Japanese quartet CHAI describe their band’s central concept as “Neo-Kawaii,” a means to challenge their country’s culture of cuteness, or “Kawaii.” This spirit of individuality is illuminated in energetic pop-rock, pointedly so on “Fashionista,” the second single from their forthcoming sophomore LP, PUNK.

“Even if you don’t dress or do your makeup like how society expects you too, you’re still a Fashionista by expressing yourself how you want to,” CHAI say in a statement. “You decide what you want to wear, how you want to look, what you don’t want to wear, and that is what makes you a Fashionista!”

They go on to describe their new album, “PUNK for us, of course, is not the genre of music. PUNK to us is to overturn the worn-out values associated with ‘kawaii’ or ‘cute’ created up to this point. PUNK is a word that expresses a strong sense of self. To be yourself more, to become the person you truly want to be, to believe in yourself in every instance.”

Listen to “Fashionista” and the album’s previously released lead single “GREAT JOB!” below.

https://soundcloud.com/burgerrecords/chai-fashionista/s-6Wvrf

TRACKLIST:
01 “CHOOSE GO!”
02 “GREAT JOB”
03 “I’m me”
04 “Wintime”
05 “THIS IS CHAI”
06 “Fashionista”
07 “FAMILY MEMBER”
08 “Curly adventure”
09 “Feel the BEAT”
10 “Future”

TOUR DATES:
03/11 – Austin, TX @ SXSW
03/18 – Washington, DC @ Union Stage
03/19 – Brooklyn, NY @ Market Hotel
03/20 – Toronto, ON @ The Velvet Underground
03/22 – Sat. Mar. 23 – Boise, ID @ Treefort Music Festival
03/25 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Moroccan Lounge
03/27 – San Francisco, CA @ Rickshaw Stop
03/29 – Seattle, WA @ The Vera Project
03/30 – Portland, OR @ Holocene

PUNK is out 3/15 via Burger Records. Pre-order it here.