Indieterria meets Chaidura and Valentine

Chaidura’s first UK tour starts next week! We have been following Chaidura’s career for the last couple of years and it’s heartwarming to see him establishing himself as a powerhouse on the independent British music scene. From Singapore to touring the UK with his own band, being played on national radio (BBC 1, Radio X), having thousands of views on social media and becoming a friend to many – Chaidura’s career couldn’t be going better.

It has also been announced that Chaidura and his band will appear at Hyper Japan in London on Saturday 25^th of July! This will be Chaidura’s first ever appearance at a high profile event, if you are coming, you cannot miss it!

We sat down with the man himself and his special guest, Valentine Wallis – the main actor who performed in the “Plastic Beauty” music video. Valentine are popular cosplayer and model and it was a great honour to speak to them both about making the video, their inspirations, make up and plans for the tour!

CHAIDURA

Did you know there is a Netflix series with the same title [“Plastic Beauty”] ?

Chaidura: Oh, I actually didn’t know that! That sounds pretty cool; I should definitely go check it out. I can imagine Japan is a perfect target audience for a story like that!

Was it hard to combine being in front of and behind the camera at the same time?

Chaidura: Yes, I had to wear many hats, too many hats, really! However, on set, it was actually quite manageable. For me, it’s all about planning everything beforehand. I actually have a video that explains my process of making a music video, but essentially, it all comes down to the plan. How well-thought-out the plan is directly correlates to how manageable the filming becomes.

Being in front of the camera for this particular shoot wasn’t that hard because I wasn’t really acting – I just had to perform, and performing comes quite naturally at this point. Being behind the camera is a bit harder as you have to ensure everything is done properly, but I interacted heavily with the videographer to ensure we got the shots we needed and kept track of time.

Were there any restrictions this time around at the Cavendish Arms?

Chaidura: Actually, this time was pretty smooth. The folks at Cavendish Arms were very welcoming and were okay with all of our ideas. In fact, they welcomed the “weird” things we were doing! I’m very grateful to them for their generosity.

Please tell us more about Valentine Wallis and how your collaboration started.

Chaidura: Valentine was actually a fan first. They regularly came to my events and concerts, and that’s how we got to know each other. After understanding their dreams and aspirations, I thought this would be a great project to work on together. Plus, Val’s vibe is just immaculate.

We have a sneaky suspicion that unrealistic beauty standards are not the only ones you are criticizing.

Chaidura: To be honest, I don’t think I thought quite that far ahead! We just made use of what was available at the time and chose something that was easy to perform on camera. But looking back, yeah, maybe it’s about singing competitions as well!

Will the “LIMINAL” EP also be centered around a main protagonist?

Chaidura: I think in all my music, the main character I want to portray is “you” – the audience. Characters like Ellie and Valentine are really metaphors for the listener. We’ll see if Valentine appears again, but essentially, the main character is you. Hopefully, everyone sees themselves in one way or another through Ellie and Valentine.

Can you introduce your mixing engineer, Wong Kai Wen?

Chaidura: Yes, Kai Wen is my mixing engineer. We worked together back in Singapore before I moved to London. He is honestly one of the best engineers I’ve ever worked with; his sound is impeccable. Recently, I’ve started producing songs myself. Previously, I worked with producers who also handled the mixing, but this time I wanted to find someone who specialized specifically in that craft to get the best sound possible. Since we’ve worked together before, I know exactly what he needs from me during the production stage. It’s a great partnership.

How are preparations for the tour going?

Chaidura: Preparations are going well! On this tour, you can expect a full set of about 90 minutes from me and my band. We are going to play a large variety of songs—everything from the new “Liminal” EP, tracks from “Temple Paradise”, and even some older songs. It’s a chance for me to showcase what Chaidura is all about, not just musically, but as a live performance. Since this is the first time we’ll have a full band, the dynamic will be entirely different from what people have seen before. It will be a much more entertaining show, I can guarantee that.

Most importantly, this tour is about meeting people I’ve never met before. I’m doing my first-ever shows in Glasgow and Manchester, which keeps me very excited. I can’t wait to meet everyone.

VALENTINE

You play a main role in Chaidura`s new video and many fans want to know more about you. Please introduce yourself to the world.

Valentine: I’m pleased to know that fans enjoyed my appearance in the music video! My name is Valentine; I’m an artist and a creator on social media as well as in all of my spare time. I love all things Visual Kei, Gothic and Metal and partake in other hobbies such as Cosplay and Gaming.

You are a keen cosplayer and a fan of Gothic Lolita subculture. What is the character that you would love to portray but you haven’t had a chance to yet?

Valentine: My all-time favourite character I have dreamed of cosplaying has always been Cloud from Final Fantasy, the seventh game specifically. His design is edgy with both modern and fantasy elements; I’d love to cosplay him one day. I also really enjoy incorporating different j-fashion styles into my cosplays: a character I’d love to do this with is Doll from Black Butler!

“Plastic Beauty” shows your character participating in the singing contest. At first you get rejected but then you put on creepy makeup and a mask and suddenly everyone loves you. It`s very similar to a scene from the movie “The Substance”. We are wondering if you ever seen that horror film? What was your own input into the character?

Valentine: Studying “The Substance” was a key part of the preparation for this music video. Demi Moore’s character (Elizabeth Sparkle) and her portrayal was something that deeply inspired my character’s design. She is envious of Sue for having this sort of other-worldly beauty, albeit not true considering the fact that she only becomes this beautiful version of herself once she begins to take The Substance. Elizabeth, while in a state of jealousy, applies Sue’s makeup onto her own face, progressively getting more and more violent with herself and her application. I think this scene really represents the breakdowns fuelled by insecurity that many people suffer with every day.

I really wanted for this character’s insecurities to shine through the costuming as well as their behaviours and the way that they carry themselves. Most people are very judgemental when it comes to appearance, so I wanted my character’s outfit to be extravagant, despite them having a nervous, sort of shy demeanour. In the beginning of the music video, my character can be seen adjusting their clothes, trembling and always looking quite sorrowful. After the failed performance and the makeup scene in the dressing room, the character’s mood shifts entirely and they are now seemingly the most confident version of themselves despite the fact that they are only bloodied and outgoing because that is what the audience desires from them.

Valentine and Chaidura, picture from the video set by Team Chaidura

You are also a makeup artist. Please tell you what preparations you made ahead of the shooting of the video. What cosmetics did you use and how did you complete your outfit?

Valentine: I am a very eccentric person and that definitely reflects in my wardrobe as well as my makeup. For this music video, I was given the inspiration photos behind the band member’s costumes as well as the venue chosen to film at, so I had a very contextual view of this project from the beginning.

Makeup-wise, I am very flexible with the products that I use. I am always trying new techniques and styles, but the two pallets that I continue to use are the Flower Knows Swan Ballet eyeshadow pallet and the Flower Knows Little Angel highlighter. I have repurchased the eyeshadow pallet multiple times because I use the dark shades, especially the black and grey, in my everyday and my cosplay makeup. I cannot recommend their products enough, they are formulated incredibly well and last very long on the face.

I knew that I wanted my character to stand out as the black (or white) sheep against the other’s red and black costumes. I chose a full white outfit to ensure that my character really stuck out against everyone else, since part of the character’s identity revolves around not being good enough for the audience. I wanted to make myself look like an easy target, and white was the perfect colour for this considering that it is often described as pure and angelic. I wanted to combat this stereotype, since those descriptors do not apply to my character’s worsening state through the video.

Every piece of my costuming was either thrifted or crafted myself, making this a really inexpensive costume to put together. The headpiece specifically was one that I had made a few months prior and it was my first time really modelling it during the filming of the video.

You live with ME/CFS which is a form of invisible disability. Can you tell us more about the illness and how it affects your day to day life?

Valentine: Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, is the disability that I post about the most often because of its lack of awareness, especially online. ME is a long-term illness, often developing after viral or bacterial infections. I was diagnosed with ME/CFS in 2022. The main ailments are severe Post External Malaise, Cognitive Impairment and Chronic Pain. PEM affects me the most in my everyday life. It is an extreme physical and mental “crash” after day-to-day activities. This can be getting out of bed, chores, leaving the house. These crashes do not improve with rest or medication. This means that I have very limited energy each day, and have to use my energy as a sort of currency. If I know I have a day coming up that will require a lot of energy, I will be resting and mostly bed-bound for a few days before the event to prevent exerting myself and triggering PEM.

Of course there are many other listed symptoms, but there are so many articles online that cover the extent of this illness. Of course, while I have to live with it every day, ME is something I try not to dwell on. I am trying every day to work with my body and to continue to be my best self!

Will you appear in any other Chaidura videos in the future and if the answer is yes then can you disclose any details?

Valentine: I am always open to opportunities, especially with Chaidura as I admire his passion for what he loves as well as his creativity and his skills. Maybe some other time I will have another incredible opportunity!