Artist Spotlight: Meet Chaidura
Punk Head: Do you see the liminal state as a painful transition… or a sacred transformation?
Chaidura: I think the liminal state can be either a painful transition or a sacred transformation — it depends on how you choose to understand yourself within it. For me, it leans toward a sacred transformation. There’s something strangely freeing about being in-between, because it forces you to look inward. The more you become aware of what excites you, what scares you, what hurts you, and what brings you peace, the more grounded you become.
The liminal state is always present in our lives — it’s not a one-time event. And the way it feels depends entirely on how deeply you’re willing to sit with yourself. That’s something I’m constantly striving for.
Punk Head: You’ve returned to your emo/visual kei roots on “Heaven.” What about that sound still feels like “home” for you?
Chaidura: As the genre suggests, emo and visual kei are rooted in emotion — especially vulnerable emotion. It’s not just sadness; it’s the full spectrum of raw, unfiltered feelings. This kind of music lets me express the parts of myself that don’t always fit neatly into words.
With visual kei, there’s also visual storytelling. It’s not just fashion or makeup — it’s the atmosphere, the world-building, and the ability to turn a song into imagery. That combination of emotional honesty and visual imagination feels like home to me. It feels like who I naturally am as an artist.
Punk Head: How do you merge aggression and spirituality without one overpowering the other?
Chaidura: If you imagine aggression on one end of a line and peace on the other, spirituality doesn’t sit at either extreme — it floats across the whole spectrum. Spirituality isn’t just calmness; it also exists in moments of intensity, anger, and catharsis.
For me, spirituality means being fully present with whatever you’re feeling at a given moment. So in my music, aggression and peace aren’t opposites — they feed each other. I try to let both coexist so that the spiritual element comes through at the high points and the quiet ones.
Punk Head: Why was it important to include fans in the “Heaven” video, and what was that collaboration like?
Chaidura: Including fans in the “Heaven” video felt like the natural next step. I’ve always tried to stay connected through meetups, picnics, Patreon, and Discord — but bringing them into my actual creative world felt special.
As an artist, I want to understand who I’m making music for. It’s hard to connect if you don’t truly see the people who support you. And honestly, their genuine enthusiasm means more to me than having “professional” extras who don’t care about the project.
The collaboration felt real, honest, and full of love. It was important for me to give them a chance to be part of something meaningful — and they made the video better simply by being themselves.
Punk Head: LIMINAL’s visuals are darker and distorted. What does that shift reveal about your inner world?
Chaidura: The darker, distorted visuals represent a side of me that has always been there — the part that’s drawn to horror, tension, and psychological storytelling. LIMINAL taps into the idea that transformation isn’t always beautiful. The journey can be unsettling, confusing, and even frightening.
Just like in many horror films, you move through chaos to reach catharsis. I love that idea: going through darkness and emerging stronger. These visuals reflect that emotional landscape — the struggle before the breakthrough.
Punk Head: LIMINAL is a journey. Where does “Heaven” sit on the emotional timeline of the EP?
Chaidura: “Heaven” is the beginning of the journey — the moment of realization.
The chorus is made entirely of questions: “Does my love bring me to my heaven? How do I not feel lost anymore?” Those questions represent the spark of self-awareness, the recognition that something is missing or shifting.
So “Heaven” acts as the opening of the portal — the first step into the liminal world. It’s where the journey starts, and where we begin questioning, exploring, and transforming.
