Tag: CHAII

Spotlighting CHAII, Jawsh 685, Paige, and MELODOWNZ at Aotearoa Music Awards

November 12, 2020

Coming up this weekend is New Zealand’s annual music event: The Aotearoa Music Awards. And this year is particularly unique, as Spotify takes the role of the event’s official audio streaming partner. With this new partnership comes a lasting commitment from Spotify to the New Zealand artist community, and one that continues to amplify the country’s diverse and creative local artists found on Spotify.

That talent includes the four nominees for the Spotify Breakthrough Artist Award, who have seen streaming success on Spotify throughout 2020 on a global scale. The nominees include singer and Jason Derulo collaborator Jawsh 685, rapper-producer and RADAR artist CHAII, singer-songwriter Paige, and rapper-poet MELODOWNZ.

Collectively this year, the four have amassed 652.75 million streams on Spotify thanks to audiences at home and around the world. Take a look at the streaming success of each artist to date:

Can’t wait for the awards? Find CHAII, Jawsh 685, Paige, and MELODOWNZ on the official Aotearoa Music Awards playlist below. 

From New Songs to Nostalgic Favorites, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater Playlist Hits All the Right Notes

July 28, 2020

At the turn of the millennium, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater video games brought together the best of the gaming and skateboarding worlds. And while the series was popular for letting anyone land a virtual ollie or kickflip, it also became known for its soundtrack. So when news broke that Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 would be remastered and released later this year, skaters, gamers, and audiophiles rejoiced.

For original fans, the game will have a familiar look, feel, and sound—but there will also be some major modern upgrades. The soundtrack includes a lineup of throwbacks from the original game and newer songs from up-and-coming artists. And with genres spanning rock, punk, and rap, there’s sure to be a little something for everyone.

“I think that the new game is going to make fans remember why they enjoyed this series in the first place,” Tony Hawk told For the Record. “Since many of us have been stuck at home, people have told me they’ve busted out their old consoles to play our video games, especially the first two, because it brings them back to a time they remember fondly. When they see what we’ve offered them in the new game, in terms of upgrading, remastering, and the new music, I think they’re going to love it. I can already feel the excitement and people haven’t even gotten their hands on it yet.”

The new game launches September 4, but the wait for the soundtrack lineup is over. On July 28, Activision teamed up with Noisey for an exclusive virtual concert where the set list for Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2  was revealed. The show featured performances by some of the game’s new musical additions, including CHAII, Merkules, Machine Gun Kelly, and Rough Francis.

Alongside these new artists, the soundtrack will also feature iconic songs from the original game including Bad Religion’s “You” and Goldfinger’s “Superman.”

“I get a lot of feedback about the game’s music, specifically ‘You’ and ‘Superman,’” says Hawk. “People tell me that was the starting point for their musical interest when they played the game during their formative years. I’m thankful that these bands are still performing and that they’re still supporting us in this remaster.”

For the Record also caught up with Bad Religion’s Jay Bentley and Goldfinger’s John Feldmann to talk about the new game and find out why they think music and skateboarding go hand in hand.

Other than appearing on the Tony Hawk soundtrack, does your band have a personal connection to skate culture?

Bentley: We were recording Suffer, No Control, and Against the Grain around the same time that camcorders were becoming popular. A lot of people used them to shoot skate videos. People started asking us if they could use our songs in their videos, and we would always say, “Yeah, of course!” I don’t think any of us realized at the time that we were part of a culture bubble that was growing so exponentially.

Feldmann: I discovered so many bands like T.S.O.L., Social Distortion, and Dead Kennedys through skate culture, mostly through the skateboarding magazine Thrasher. There was also a connection between our band and the culture itself. I remember this one show we played where the audience was just okay. Then we played “Superman” and the crowd went ballistic. We didn’t know what was going on. After the show we realized that the song was in the Tony Hawk game and that’s how all these people discovered our band.

Speaking of, can you give us some background on “Superman”? Did you expect it to still be popular 20 years later?

Feldmann: I wrote “Superman” in 1994 in my Santa Monica apartment in probably 15 minutes. It was too late to make it onto the album we were working on at the time so when Tony Hawk’s team asked us for an unreleased song, it was just sort of there. I never thought much of the song at first, but I’m grateful that it’s still relevant.

What do you think was key to the popularity of the Tony Hawk soundtrack when it was first released and also today?

Bentley: I think when people hear something at a specific time in their life, like playing video games over summer vacation, those memories stick with you. You always have that good feeling when one of those songs comes on.

Feldmann: I just think that music and skateboarding go hand in hand, it always has. Even when I was a kid, we would make our own soundtracks on cassettes based on whatever we were listening to at the time and play those while we skated.

How do you think your band has changed from your first album to your most recent?

Bentley: I remember years ago, [guitarist and songwriter] Brett Gurewitz said that one of the hardest things for him was to express a lifetime of emotion in two minutes. That’s something that we’ve always strived to do. I think as a band, we’ve gotten better at putting out our feelings in a way that’s easier to understand.

Feldmann: When I started, I never listened to anybody. I just made records that I wanted to make and I wrote songs that I thought were interesting. I’m still making music for myself, but now I’m also thinking about what kind of reaction songs are going to have live and how much fun I’m going to have playing them at shows.

Is there an artist or a band that has inspired your sound that fans might be a little surprised to learn?

Bentley: When we started, we each had our own favorite band. I came in loving The Clash, Greg was really big on the U.K. Subs, and Brett was into the Ramones. Between all of us, we discovered that the only artist that we all liked was Elvis Costello. I don’t think that we tried to replicate his sound, but more his attitude and style.  

Feldmann: The Police are my favorite band of all time. Coldplay has also had a huge influence. Their sounds are so lush and they’re incredibly cinematic.

Why are you, personally, excited for the new Tony Hawk Pro Skater playlist?

Feldmann: This game is going to be incredible. But for me, people are going to play it and our song’s going to be in it. What more could I ask for than having a song that’s survived so long that’s going to come back around again? “Superman” was never a song that was on the radio or a big hit, but on an underground level, I don’t think there’s anything bigger.

Stream songs from the Tony Hawk Pro Skater 1 + 2 soundtrack now, available on Spotify.

New Zealand’s CHAII Brings Persian Flair to Hip-Hop

June 17, 2020

Soon after migrating to New Zealand at age eight, the Iranian artist CHAII heard Eminem and felt “instantly hooked.” Three years later she was making music herself. Fast-forward to today, and her swaggering, pop-friendly hybrid of Western hip-hop and Persian musical touchstones is making a massive splash, leading her to being included in Spotify’s global emerging artist program, RADAR.

The program features artists from over 50 markets worldwide and helps performers at early stages of their careers broaden their fan bases. Awareness of the artists is built through Spotify’s social channels, RADAR playlists curated by Spotify’s editors, and bespoke marketing initiatives.

Originally from Ahwaz, Iran, CHAII paid tribute to the region with her debut single, 2019’s “South.” The song incorporates sounds from southern Iran, which is home to a deeply rhythmic style of traditional dance music called Bandari. This style of music combines Persian instruments like the tombak and daf with Afro-Cuban instruments like conga and talking drums. 

“It’s very inspiring, especially the drums and percussion in the 6/8 time signature,” CHAII tells For the Record. “Persians love dancing, and 6/8 gets you moving no matter where you are in the world.” She also credits modern classics from Persian artists like Googoosh and Siavash Ghomayshi for reminding her of her native country’s musical offerings during her rap-heavy teen years. 

Those mingling global influences inform her own music today: her breakthrough track “Digebasse” sees her rapping in both English and Farsi alongside an equally international guest in B Wise, an Australian rapper with Nigerian heritage.

“Rapping in Farsi came naturally for me,” she says. “It also helped me practice my native tongue. Incorporating traditional Persian music into the hip-hop world [has been] a very long but fun process. I’m still experimenting with it and feel I’ve only just scratched the surface.”

Her punchy, continent-jumping sound recalls the similarly worldly hip-hop of artists like M.I.A. and Tkay Maidza, especially on her new single “Lightswitch.” Produced by Frank Eliesa of the genre-bending New Zealand ensemble Yoko-Zuna, the song packs CHAII’s nonchalant lyrical takedown into a brisk three minutes of catchy hip-hop.

“‘Lightswitch’ reflects on my journey in music so far, working hard to get to every stage,” says CHAII. “Coming to the conclusion that you can’t please everyone and have to own what you do. To live with no regrets and be bold.” She also connects the song to some of the Iranian artists now based in Los Angeles who similarly have brought their country’s music to wider audiences. Like so many artists at the moment, CHAII watched her year’s plans dissipate somewhat in the wake of the pandemic. She was slated to make her debut at SXSW this year, for example, before the festival was cancelled due to COVID-19. Yet she remains upbeat, using this time to reflect and work ahead.

“I’m used to having to adapt to change, especially from being in the music industry,” she says. “Even though it’s a crazy time, I see it as a time to refocus and write more music. [And] to make a bigger and better show for when the time comes to resume our shows overseas.” 

For now, CHAII’s already considerable international reach will get a serious boost thanks to her inclusion in RADAR. “I was truly surprised to be chosen,” says CHAII. “It’s a partnership I’m hugely looking forward to. Spotify has been a big part of getting my music to a wider audience, regardless of not fitting [into any one] box. My music is an example and a reflection of cultures morphing, and I feel the world needs to see, hear, and experience more of that.”

Check out more of the artists selected for Spotify’s global RADAR program.