raju and chai talk inspiration, legacy, and everything in between

by Madison Blom | Feb 20, 2018 | 5 to 7, Uncategorized

Recently we had the particularly amazing opportunity to interview  Raju and Chai about their creative process and where they see themselves going forward in the music community! This is what they had to say….

What was it that inspired you to start writing music? 

Chai: I think my exposure to music outside the radio scene showed me how multidimensional music. My brother also opened me to both many genres and types of music, and both of these, paired with finding artists such as Frank Ocean and Coldplay, helped me develop my writing style.

Raju: I’m assuming it’d be a surprise to everyone, but its my little sister who inspired me to write music. She started both singing and writing before me, and seeing that kind of talent from someone who was 10 years old at the time brought both singing and songwriting out of me.

In a hundred years, how do you want people to remember you and your music?

Chai: i want people to remember my music as something that matters to them, helps them learn about themselves, and reminds them about certain times. Thats the type of music i consider the most powerful.

Raju: I definitely want to be remembered as an artist who provided meaning in his lyrics and used his platform to give people something they could hold close to their heart and relate to during all the moods an individual can go through. I want my music to be remembered as a force that brought people together and helped when people needed to hear the right words.

When you are having a mental writer’s block, is there something that you do to get those creative juices flowing?

Chai: i like to watch documentaries or interviews on my favorite artists to get more insight on their creative process. It really helps me push past the mental barrier and try new things that keep me going.

Raju: I like taking a shower, because mentally i can keep coming up with endless melodies and lyrics that rhyme and maintain a flow when im in there. The only difficult part is remembering what was particularly relevant to what i was working on after i get out.

Being an up and coming artist also means a flood of new fans and social media contacts from people who appreciate your music–has there been an experience that has stuck out to you with your fans?

Chai: not particularly, because It all still feels new to me. However, this makes any form of support i receive, whether in person or social media, so incredibly important and vital in terms of what it does for me. It gives me a reason to give back in the form of music.

Raju: The support i received from my classmates really struck me. People who i saw everyday but never talked to made me believe that they were numb to my existence, but seeing how they were responding with such pride and faith in me after hearing my stuff gave me more faith in my ability and in other people.

Out of all of your songs, which one is your favorite to perform or the one that gets the band pumped?

Chai: Probably “Diamonds.” It really sets the tone and puts everyone in a good mood, including myself. It follows a universal concept of having fun with people you care about, and its simple, which makes it enjoyable to everyone.

Raju: Definitely “Ambition.” Everyone ive showed it to loves it the most out of all my songs, and i think its a good expository of how i can bring a very intricate flow without compromising lyrics or melody. Its definitely something that reflects my true self in terms of music, and the beat goes hard too.

What is your current guilty pleasure song or album?

Chai: flower boy by tyler the creator is definitely my guilty pleasures because i hopped on the bandwagon for that album, having never listened to tyler before. Nonetheless he’s now a huge inspiration.

Raju: Im gonna have to say everything by Lil Uzi Vert is my guilty pleasure, because some of my friends bag on his lyrics and “repetitive” flows that are found on many trap songs. However, i dont share these views, nor am i really guilty because i actually take pride in listening to a nas song and then going to uzi right after, for example. Both of them inspire me, nas more lyrically, and uzi more melodically.

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As you can see, there is a lot going on in the lives of these two up and coming artists!