CHAII

CHAII announces a four-date New Zealand tour this November, bringing her new musical world to life on home soil for the first time since unveiling her sophomore album era. The VIP Tour kicks off in Wellington on 19 November, then heads to Auckland, Raglan, and Mt Maunganui.

The tour follows the announcement of CHAII's sophomore album, VIP (Very Important Persian), a 14-track record set in Planet Persia, her self-built alternate universe, a surreal, dreamlike reimagining of Persian culture. CHAII is now based in Sydney, where she lives and works with her husband and co-producer Frank Keys.

Speaking about the album: "I often think about the way a Persian rug is made over years and years," CHAII says. "I feel like there are many similarities between that and my career, as it's a lifetime labour of love. VIP is a new world, deeply inspired by my Persian culture, but also by growing up in Aotearoa in the early 2000s, the era that shaped me, when I first chose to make music."

The era opened with lead single "Ride Or Die," which CHAII calls the first song of this new chapter: "It's about stepping into this journey together with my fans and creating a whole new world that people can immerse themselves in." The self-directed video leans into the DIY spirit that's defined her career from the start, rooted in Persian visual identity and nods to her family's rug store and a signwriting shop she worked in growing up.

CHAII is bringing Planet Persia to fans worldwide with shows and pop-ups across Sydney and South Korea this October, showcasing her global appeal before landing back home for the NZ tour and a New Year's Eve appearance at Monument Festival at Coroglen Tavern.

About CHAII
Artist, producer and creative director CHAII is an Iranian-NZ artist from New Zealand, now based in Sydney,  whose work blends contemporary global sounds with deep Persian influence. Through a bold visual identity and genre-defying music, CHAII has established herself as one of New Zealand's internationally recognised and culturally distinctive artists. 

The first-ever NZ Spotify RADAR artist. Named by Rolling Stone as 'the most synced breakthrough global artist'; her music has featured in FIFA, Tony Hawk, Ms Marvel, Inventing Anna, Wellmania and Netflix's The Old Guard, alongside campaigns for Apple, FENDI, KIA, Suzuki and Coca-Cola. From debut single 'South' to Lightswitch EP to Safar album, CHAII has always made music that immerses you in a world.

CHAII kicks off a bold new era with 'Ride Or Die' from upcoming album VIP (Very Important Persian): a genre-bending, mood-driven album that is a direct invitation to her listeners to step into a stronger, more evolved version of themselves and go all in together. It follows 2024's debut album 'Safar' which not only earned a performance slot and 6 nominations at the 2025 Aotearoa Music Awards, but also saw CHAII travel the world, performing at SXSW in Austin, LA School Night, New Colossus Festival in NYC, NZ/AUSTRALIA Tour and MBC Persia TV in London.