Amongst the youngest indie musicians out there with a full-length debut album, Kiara Chettri has proven that talent and age don’t need to have a corelation. Ironically, Kiara was not musically inclined initially, but her mother who is the founder of the music academy ChantoChords, encouraged Kiara to pursue music from a young age. Kiara was introduced to the world of music at the age of four and from there on she graduated from Trinity College of London at the age of thirteen. Meanwhile, she also started to learn how to play a range of instruments such as the guitar, piano, drums and the keyboard. Her musical styles are inspired by a variety of artists in the pop music scene including Ariana Grande, Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift and Coldplay.
Her debut album ‘4AM’ draws influence from a wide variety of experiences of various people, including her own, ranging from those of love, heartbreak, gratitude, hope, despair, fear and betrayal. This album is introspective, sombre yet cheerful and gives us hope to carry on in life no matter what. Acoustic guitar tunes, breezy bass music and Kiara’s charming vocals are the characterizing elements of this album. The lyrics are relatable with our own life experiences as well. Kiara says, “I watch a lot of interviews and documentaries of different artists for inspiration. Watching how artists started off with nothing and reaching their peak is quite emotional and motivating. I watch artists narrating different stories behind their lyrics and that really inspires me to write and make my music.”
Her first track ‘4AM’ is about the artist’s late-night musings. It is about self-doubt and the anxious feelings that we all go through at some point in our lives. The song is slow paced, with lovely bass guitar music.
The second track ‘A Reason’ starts off with a deep melancholic synth bass music. The track is about loving, longing and holding on in a relationship, even though we might not know where it is headed. The chorus is punchy and upbeat, with a melodic soft rock base. The third track ‘Now I See’ is about losing one’s identity in a relationship and finally realizing that it just wasn’t meant to be. The entire track rests on a beautiful composition with a subtle bass and a simple guitar strumming tune.
‘Never’ is about being unfaithful in a relationship and yet has a cheerful vibe to it. An interesting mix of electronic dance music is used in the chorus, which is quite energetic and funky despite this being a song about moving on. ‘You’ll See’ is a sweet-romantic song, with a singalong vibe to it.
‘Kinara Tu’ is a track that expresses Kiara’s immense love and gratitude towards her mother. Kiara’s vocals hit the sweet spot and usher in a sense of tranquility and peace. ‘Some Hope’ is an introspective reflection of Kiara’s own thoughts and feelings. This song was composed around the uncertainty and feeling of helplessness that all of us experienced with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and it gives us a message to find hope and happiness no matter how grave the situation is. It is the only track that is sung bilingually, in Hindi and English.
‘Home’ is about finding comfort with the person you love, and rests on smooth guitar melodies and enchanting vocalizations by Kiara. ‘Hopefully Not Too Far’ begins on a sombre piano note, and slowly transitions into a peppy melodious track. This song reveals the personal struggles of the artist, where there are some sleepless nights, overthinking and thoughts of giving up, however at those times she remembers her larger goals and wishes to chase her dreams with full fervour and enthusiasm.
All in all, Kiara Chettri’s debut album 4AM is similar to a person’s life journey filled with a myriad of experiences. Her music inspires us to do better and be better individuals in our own capacity. Kiara Chettri is a musical star in the making who has a lot to offer to us both lyrically and musically. If you are a person who enjoys moody, introspective and pop infused R&B style music, 4AM is just the album that will keep you company till the wee hours of the morning.
