INTERVIEW: Chandra discusses influences, inspirations and his musical journey
With his recent single ‘I’ll Be There’ currently doing the rounds, Bristol-based artist Chandra has cemented himself as one of the more exciting names on the scene. Dazzling many with his infectious pop-rock sound, he already feels like a name we are going to be hearing a lot more about in the months ahead.
So now is the perfect time to get to know him best as we find out his influences, inspirations and musical journey so far.
What was the first rock song or artist that made an impact on you?
R.E.M. Without a doubt. As a kid my first EVER gig was watching them on the 95 Monster Tour at Milton Keynes Bowl. I was on the barrier, with 65,000 people behind me and Michael Stipe literally had the crowd in the palm of his hand. Songs like Bang and Blame, Circus Envy, Let Me In… they took on a whole new life that night and from that moment on I knew what I had to do. My best friend Graham and I went home on the coach that night and didn’t say a word to each other, such was the impact. The next morning I literally woke up a changed kid.
Who are some of your biggest musical influences within the rock genre?
I don’t know whether you necessarily class them as ‘rock’ but the big stadium performers… R.E.M., U2, The Killers, The Chilis, Green Day, Queen, Foo Fighters. It’s not the music so much as the attitude… the presence… confidence… the energy… the ability to ooze all of those things by simply standing there. Those are the bands and front men that drove me to be what and who I am on stage.
Are there any non-rock musicians or genres that have also influenced your music?
Absolutely. I don’t hide the fact that my music is pop music that just happens to be guitar based. Rock attitude, pop melodies, deep meaning. But I think you could say that about any great rock band or artist. A good song is a good song and I’m as influenced by great pop and crossover pop as I am by rock. ABBA, Fleetwood Mac, Britney, Pink… I’m a sucker for a great tune.
What is your main inspiration when looking to write new music?
It’s all about melody. Melodies fly around in my brain all day long but the secret is finding a great melody that really gonna rock people’s socks off. And that’s not something that is consciously influenced. It just comes from somewhere within… an amalgamation of a lifetime of musical loves and experiences, randomly jumbled up and somehow being put together into a song at random interludes. And then the bit after that gives meaning to it. For me, being true to myself means trying to write lyrics that reflect what I wish I could say to the world. Let’s be a better world… let’s be better people… let’s help each other… through the power of rock! Haha!
What do you enjoy most about performing live and do you have any memorable live performance experiences you’d like to share?
Last year I played the perfect festival. It was a small one… around 200 people in a small local festival but every single person was there to enjoy themselves. The sun was just going down, I was playing my songs for the first time, I could hear the reactions of every single person and I could see the whites of everyone’s eyes. Don’t get me wrong, in my past I’ve played to crowds of thousands but this was different. It was truly magical.
What has been a particularly rewarding moment in your musical journey so far?
I feel like everything has been building up to the EP that I’m launching in the Summer. In April 2023 I started writing again… songs that really reflect me 100%. Lighters To The Sky, Pretty, Smile (No Fox Gibbon) and now I’ll Be There. For the first time in my life I’m writing songs that I am completely and utterly proud of… musically and lyrically… and to then have people say how much they love them… Well that is EVERYTHING. It’s the most rewarding period of my musical career and the icing on the cake is going to be putting out this collection of 6 songs that truly reflect me. It’s going to be SO cool. The artwork is being designed by legendary animé artist Wil Overton and it’ll be on limited edition vinyl with a booklet and poster. I’M SO EXCITED!!!!
How would you define success as a musician?
Great question. I used to think it was signing to a label. But I’m not a kid anymore. I still have all the ambitions that I used to… headline Glastonbury, play sell-out global tours etc etc… but now I know that success is being true to yourself and having a positive impact on people’s lives with music that you’re truly proud of. That right there is success and I’m lucky enough to be successful right now.
What advice would you give to aspiring artists who are just starting out?
Well, it’s a bit like in movies when an older you travels back in time to try and give you advice… when you’re starting out you won’t take this advice and you need to live and learn in order to do this… but very simply be true to yourself. You’ll think you’re strong… but your love of music and your reliance on needing to be recognised will drive even the strongest artists to question themselves and change who they are as they chase success. Stay strong. Write songs that genuinely mean something to you and the chances are high that they’ll mean something to others.