CHAII’s fearless fusion of Persian melodies, rap, hip-hop, and electronic beats positions her as one of Aotearoa’s most exciting genre-benders.
On her debut album Safar (Farsi for “journey”), produced alongside life partner Frank Keys, CHAII balanced confident flows with soft-spoken word, never losing the fierce edge that turned heads in the first place.
On standout track “Drippin’ in Gold”, she declared, “They say immigrant, I say imma great,” capturing the album’s spirit. The album chronicled her move from Iran to New Zealand, threading her cultural roots through every track. “Fifteen years ago, I told my school music teacher I’d mix Persian and Western music, and I’ve been experimenting ever since,” she said.
CHAII’s vision stretches beyond sound, with her stylish visuals transform each release into a full-blown art piece. She’s not just shaping Aotearoa’s music scene – she’s defining what’s next. —Sarah Downs
Read an exclusive interview with CHAII below. Check out the full Future of Music 2025 list here.
Rolling Stone AU/NZ: How was 2024 for you? What were your biggest achievements and favourite moments?
CHAII: 2024 was an amazing year for me, especially because of the many firsts. First album release, first US tour, first time appearing on a Persian talk show in London. The year flew by. My favourite moment would have to be my album release party in Auckland sharing the moment with friends, family, and fans.
Music is an increasingly crowded and competitive field. What’s one thing that makes you stand out from other artists?
I feel that pressures from the competition in this industry would mainly affect you if you’re following music trends. I have stuck to my sound and have developed it over many years and have watched my sound go from ‘not cool’ to ‘very in’ multiple times. I like to try and make music that makes the most sense to different periods of my life instead of different periods of the industry.
What’s coming up for you in 2025 and beyond? Any big shows, notable releases?
2025 already been a crazy start to the year. I have [a] Europe tour in May. [I’m] going to be spending a little more time in Sydney working on some exciting things. Looking at releasing a lot of collabs too!!
