VJDAMUSICMAN Drops New Album "Chaos On A Canvas" Out Now.
Meet the rising star Vybhav Jagannath, born and raised in Durham, NC, who performs under the musical moniker VJDAMUSICMAN and highlights a new wave of up-and-coming artists who dare to be unapologetically themselves in their lyrical pursuits and aural explorations through their earnest storytelling and heart-stirring original compositions. Keeping up with his anthemic artistry, VJDAMUSICMAN unveils his much-anticipated third studio album, Chaos On A Canvas — out today (May 12) via Retrograde Records — which navigates the complexities of identity, queerness, ethnicity, and mental health struggles, affirming an authentic representation of his personal journey.
Chaos On A Canvas is a genre-defying pop record that takes listeners on an alluring journey of self-discovery, representation, and self-acceptance and “promises to be as tumultuous as its title given its chaotic centrepiece.” The album features 15 stellar tracks, spanning almost 40 minutes, each offering a spellbinding blend of a wide range of influences traversing mainstream pop, electronica, R&B, and soul, adorning heavy cinematic synths and hypnotic vocals of the NYC-based crooner. What sets this album apart is its ethereal and anthemic quality offers a mix of vulnerability and truth that is often hard to find in pop music. This elevates the emotional intensity and captures the attention of listeners from start to finish, transporting them on a deeply personal voyage that sonically soothes their souls.
Chaos On A Canvas opens with the lead single “UGLIES” — a 2.5-minute-long vibrant blend of both cultures and aesthetics throughout, brimming with bright and bouncing energy and exploring the consistent flow changes iridescent of the tumultuous road that Indian-Americans face when connecting to their identities. From the villages of Chennai to the colonial alleyways of North Carolina, the grassroots feel and homage to the sights of saris and coconut hair oil and the sounds of Kuthu music are utilised to show that regardless of the destination, the complexities of their identities follow.
The track is a perfect introduction to the album’s overall anthemic feel, highlighting the two main characters of the album, VJDAMUSICMAN and Mad Hatter, who represent confusion and insecurity and confidence and pride, respectively. The interplay between these characters and their sonic representation in the album’s tracks adds depth to the album’s themes.
Speaking about the single, VJDAMUSICMAN stated: “UGLIES is a fun summer dance anthem poking fun at people who catfish through dating and online profiles. With the single, I am reclaiming what I was made to feel–UGLY–for being too Indian or too queer! I am flipping that idea on its head. I’m not only calling out the haters as the true ‘uglies,’ but want to show how beautiful and colourful Indian-American culture can be as seen through the queer lens.”
In a conversation with Popular Publicity, Vybhav Jagannath opened up about his inspiration behind the visuals for “UGLIES” and how ingeniously he used colour theory through costuming to “represent a battle between my queerness, my ethnicity, and my mental health,” as well as he incorporated one of India’s richest storytelling art forms, Bharatanatyam (an Indian classical dance form), to dismantle the wall that exists between the art form and an uncommon audience. “I address the internal chaos I’ve experienced by having to play multiple identities simultaneously,” he further adds.
The music video opens with Vybhav, donning a red bomber jacket, who frequently alters his attitude to let those around him feel comfortable with his existence as a queer Indian-American. He then introduces Mad Hatter — his alter ego donning a black velvet coat with exuberant nails, a nose ring and chai earrings — who expresses his queerness authentically without having it edited by societal constructs. He is aggressively unique, fantastically queer, gossips around and ignites surrounding chaos. Finally, we run into VJDAMUSICMAN — the artistic persona donning the black outfit and the pink jacket — who aims to make people feel comfortable and accepted, and dabbles in representing Indian culture. “I am self-actualising by learning to love each part of myself enough to incorporate them into my one being,” he says.
Watch the official music video for “UGLIES” below:
Chaos On A Canvas serves as a follow-up and finale to VJDAMUSICMAN’s previous projects, Escape The Retrograde and Kinks & Trauma in 2021. With this album, he confronts the internalised homophobia and hetero normativity that often plague individuals, addressing these issues one dance number at a time. With its eclectic sound, introspective lyrics, and exploration of intersectional identities, the album is a testament to his courage and willingness to share his personal struggles in order to inspire others to embrace their true selves.
Influenced by the likes of mega artists such as Nicki Minaj, Childish Gambino, Ariana Grande, The Weeknd, and Doja Cat, the 24-year-old Indian-American artist VJDAMUSICMAN has been making waves as one of the more captivating names on the rise right now, showcasing his growth and versatility in this latest musical endeavour. And with such an impressive repertoire of gems under his belt already, the rising young artist continues to push his sonic boundaries for a solid path to superstardom!
Chaos On A Canvas is now available to stream on all digital streaming platforms!
Listen to Chaos On A Canvas below:
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