If you like your visual kei in its most classic form then you will love the new Chaidura single “Addiction”. This Singaporean rock star in waiting, who made London his home, has got more looks than Madonna and more aces in his sleeve than a professional poker gambler. And this is why we love his music so much at Indieterria. We have a soft spot for an artist that takes risks and is not afraid to experiment with genres and aesthetics. True, avantgarde may not be making Chaidura a millionaire anytime soon, but some of the most respected musicians in the industry followed the same path with great financial and professional results.Think Mike Patton, Lene Lovich or Kenji Sawada. It takes a lot of guts and self determination to push for your own vision instead of taking an easy way out by following trends of the moment but rewards are more satisfying – not only for the artist -but for the audience as well.
Many music critics see avantgarde only through the lens of innovation and maybe being ahead of the time. But there is more to it than being unconventional or thinking outside of the box.What we completely forget about when dealing with pioneering and left of center artists is the respect they show towards recipients of their art. It is not easy to come with a novel idea in a world that has seen just about everything.You really need to dig deep and have a strong vision of what you want to accomplish. But while originality may be universally praised, it is hardly rewarded in the entertainment industry hell bent on nostalgia and constant reboots. It is also just one of the components that make a truly remarkable artisan.
You can be outstandingly creative and a trailblazing individual while simultaneously acting like a morally bankrupt arsehole. Josh Homme for starters and we don’t need explanations why. I sometimes think that having values and simply being a decent person is a radical choice, something that avantgarde and independent artists are embracing as a course of action – in spite of all the bad things that the music industry represents. I will risk a thesis here that it all begins with respect towards the audience and the creativity, artistic vision and innovation come second. Without connection and courtesy for the person at the receiving end of the art even the best business plans will fall flat.
So what does Chaidura have that the biggest stars of today do not have? How about tact and sympathy for the common man? Go look though Chaidura`s catalogue of songs and the first thing that will hit you is how easy it is to relate to his lyrics. “Ante Meus” deals with fears, “Panic Man” is a study of anxiety and panic attacks, “Brave” speaks about suicide and there will be at least five other singles that tackle mental health epidemic. Chaidura is an exceptional story teller. A whole universe was created for his EP “Temple Paradise”, but take away the demons, basilisks and yokai stalking London`s back streets and what you will get is a tale as old as time – that of survival, emotional and personal growth and maybe even forgiving oneself for potential slip ups.
Chaidura does not preach, he is not outwardly political and you will not find much insight about his own political or social views. And not every musician has to be. There is a place in the arts for the likes of Delilah Bon, Twat Union and hordes of engaged, politically active punk bands. But Chaidura is not mum where speaking up is essential. Check his Patreon and you will find many notes on the state of the world and the need to de-escalate. He is inclusive – his fan picnics bring a diverse, multinational and multi ethnic crowd. He hosts chats and podcasts interviewing his own fans and putting them in the spotlight instead of himself. Two of his fans picked up instruments and joined his live band. He collaborated with a number of models, painters, tailors, dancers, photographers and even churches – something that is not just jaw breaking but frankly inspirational. His music is for everyone, across all spectrums. I mean if you are a hateful, divisive prick Chaidura will probably not want to have anything to do with you, but other than that his fan base is a broad church and everyone is welcome.
Chaidura doesn’t treat his listeners like simpletons and will not serve them lazy music. It is all about respect. Instead of bland elevator muzak he will take you on a rollercoaster journey of mash ups, underrated genres, broken melodies and influences from across the globe: from jazz to metal and k – pop. You will know more about music history in three minutes than if you decided to spend a whole term at Oxford University music theory department.
Take “Addiction” – current single in Chaidura`s catalogue. Choral chants meet heavy metal riffage, growl meets clear, enka styled passages. One second it is depths of hell (or rather your old spool Norwegian black metal a la Hellvete scene), another it is a city pop revival. You can compare this to turning a dial on the radio and coming across different stations but in the end it all makes perfect sense, both stylistically and musically.
I hope that Chaidura will not think of this review as heretical but “Addiction” was meant to be homage to his beloved The Gazette. To me it is more classical j rock in the vein of Malice Mizer and Dir En Gray, with speedy tempo changes and dramatic, almost operatic background vocals. Mana would be proud. But so would be Lemmy of Motorhead, because the guitar parts are just what the doctor prescribed – meaty, full of life snippets from the golden era of heavy metal.
I could sit here all night and type an essay but the bottom line is – if you treat your fans/listeners with respect and offer them something genuine then you don’t need millions of streams, business deals with big brands and sold out tours. You have already won in life.
By being an authentic, inspiring and thought provoking artist.
You can follow Chaidura on line:
https://www.patreon.com/cw/Chaidura
https://chaidura.myshopify.com/
https://www.facebook.com/chaiduraofficial
https://www.instagram.com/chaidura
https://www.tiktok.com/@chaidura
https://soundcloud.com/chaidura
https://www.youtube.com/@chaidura
https://open.spotify.com/artist/5G44MxEPEbE3JMDz1azv9N
https://discord.com/invite/xEAftePfdY
Our coverage so far:
https://vanadianavenue.co.uk/tag/chaidura
Further reading:
https://jrocknews.com/2026/03/chaiduras-thrilling-single-addiction-faces-internal-struggles.html
https://www.burytimes.co.uk/local-events/?_evDiscoveryPath=/event%2F107742368n-chaidura-liminal-beginning-tour-live-in-manchester
Malcia Dabrowicz
Indieterria 