2.7.2024
Video: A.CHAL – “PIRITU“
The Artist Rhymes in English and Spanish About His Spiritual Motivation on His New Single, Which Features a Video That Draws Inspiration From His Twin Homes of New York City and Peru
Critical Praise:
“A.CHAL crafts songs that can only be described as soulful, with a vibration that emanates from within.” –OFFICE Magazine
“Peruvian-born New Yorker A.CHAL constantly has his head in the clouds. His music consists of heady urbano dreamscapes and pillowy synth-work, his unique and compelling vocals constantly hovering over the top.” – The FADER
“Rising Peruvian-born singer, songwriter, and producer A.CHAL has one of the most distinct styles in music.” – HYPEBEAST
“A.CHAL seems to possess an intrinsic motivation to share music that is more sensual and thoughtful than vapid and materialistic. He writes of emotional experiences, not items, and is aware of the messages he sends in a way many of his contemporaries are not.” – SSENSE
The Video:
Channeling deeply personal stories and otherworldly forces into his art, Peruvian-American singer-songwriter A.CHAL was born to make music. Returning refreshed and ready to release a new album, the artist born Alejandro Chal Salazar shares “PIRITU,” his new video single. A hypnotic concoction built around Rhodes electric piano and an easygoing, lightly-swinging trap beat, the Milanezie-produced “PIRITU” (slang for “espíritu,” meaning “spirit”) explains how A.CHAL’s ancestral pride contributes to the restless creative spirit that keeps him going. He switches effortlessly between English and Spanish, taking a moment to flex and explain his zen life philosophy: “Take an L with a smile, even when I’m down they wondering why/Pour one up in the night, and look at the sky, this life is a ride,” he intones in a fast-paced triplet flow.
“This song is about keeping your essence, no matter where or how you go,” says A.CHAL. “I’m not roaming the mountains in a robe, but I’m out here in Timbs representing my inner self in a raw way.”
In the video, directed by fashion photographer Sam Nixon, A.CHAL brings the traditions of his ancestral homeland of Peru to his current home of New York City. Rocking his custom Avirex bomber jacket, designed by A.CHAL himself and developed by Al-Hassan Tour and Kwasi Kessie, which pays homage to both his love for NYC rap (particularly the Diplomats) and his ancestral home of Peru, A.CHAL makes a trip to the banks of the East River to perform a holistic ritual. He adorns a knit blanket with sacred stones, before preparing and inhaling his herbs, his first step on a spiritual and creative journey to find himself. At the end of the video, A.CHAL walks to the edge of the riverbank and gazes upon the skyline of his adopted home with pride.
“The video was shot in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, in the same place where Biggie shot that iconic photo with Faith Evans,” says A.CHAL. “Originally, the footage is just BTS from an album cover shoot. I had this image of doing a Shaman ritual with the city in the background. I wanted to evoke my two backgrounds: both the concrete jungle of NYC and the Shamanistic background I have from my Peruvian roots. I am a holistic person, so I thought it was cool to flex my mind and my spirituality instead of my material possessions. My jacket is inspired by Dipset, and their custom-made Avirex bomber jackets, and mine–which I designed with my boy Kwasi, who is a Harlem native–bears the logo of the Peruvian soccer team.”
Alejandro Chal Salazar spent years making his own way in the music industry, building an audience with his evocative, trap-influenced sound that produced hits like “000000,” “Love N Hennessy,” and “GAZI.” Now, after departing his major label and two and a half years of soul-searching, A.CHAL is preparing to release his most introspective record yet, exposing all sides of himself and he attempts to find his place in a turbulent world. Late last year, A.CHAL released two singles that hinted at the direction of his upcoming project: “Saico,” covered by Office Mag, borrows elements from psychedelic rock as it interrogates his reckless behavior, while A.CHAL’s December 2023 release “Walk On Everything” (and its accompanying video, directed by Xavier Scott Marshall) radiates extreme confidence as it rides a propulsive “beach goth” instrumental. Most recently, A.CHAL teamed up with Jimmy Whoo for the fiery single “6 de la Mañana.”
Stay tuned for many more announcements about A.CHAL and his upcoming project in the near future.
Watch “PIRITU”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXDLAHIpRA4
Stream “PIRITU”: https://vyd.co/Piritu
Credit: Xavier Scott Marshall
Please contact Michelle or Annjie for more info.
The Background:
Alejandro Chal Salazar (A.CHAL) is a Peruvian born musician & songwriter based in New York City His music reflects an inner dialogue between the artist’s two worlds, the ancient mountains of Peru, and the cultural epicenter of Queens, New York. Infuenced by these two distinct upbringings, A.CHAL’s sound can be understood as a whirlwind expression of psychedelia, emotions, and personal anecdotes, emerging from a profound experience of duality.
In 2017, after two successful independent releases, Welcome To GAZI & ON GAZ, A.CHAL signed with Epic Records. Following the commercial success of his bilingual hits “Love & Hennessy” and “000000”, the artist sought to get back to the root of his inspiration. He left his label in 2021, with the goal of curating a sound more authentic to his world of references. Recorded in Peru, New York, Paris, and Los Angeles between 2021-2023, A.CHAL produced his most personal & transcending record to date: Alejandro. Alejandro is slated to release on December 8th 2023.
Links:
instagram | twitter | youtube | spotify
“PIRITU”: https://vyd.co/Piritu / https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXDLAHIpRA4
“Walk On Everything”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfNOpDarsEw / https://vydia.lnk.to/WalkOnEverything
“Numb The Pain”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNkXr_8ieSY
“Saico”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-C9opiE1alw