SHORT BIO
Chanda M creates music that is lyric driven, melodic and infused with electro-ambient sounds. Her bewitching vocal style has been compared to that of Kate Bush, Bjork and St. Vincent. In fall 2017, she released her second music video entitled “Gaia” via Les Méconnus. The single is off of her sophomore EP, Oracle, which was launched at Casa del Popolo on Oct 17th, 2017. Chanda M's music has been showcased on several radio stations, including CKUT 90.3 FM, CIBL 101.5 FM's Emission Le Retour and CKCU Radio Ottawa. Her passion for music also permeates her scientific works on the neurochemistry of music, which have garnered international media coverage. As a scientific researcher, she has collaborated with Dr. Daniel J. Levitin, New York Times best-selling author of This Is Your Brain On Music.

LONG BIO

Chanda M is the nom de plume of Mona Lisa Chanda, an artist who’s journey is filled with delicious paradoxes that fuel her creativity. Born in Northern Quebec, this daughter of a German mother and East Indian father embodies a unique mélange of cultural influences. Mona Lisa is also a Ph.D. in Psychology practicing her first love—music and poetry. Driven by this dual passion for music and sciences, she published papers on the neurochemistry of music together with New York Times best-selling author Dr. Daniel J. Levitin (This is Your Brain On Music, The World In Six Songs).

As a trained classical and jazz singer, Mona Lisa performs on many local stages (e.g. House Of Jazz, Upstairs Bar & Grill, Montreal International Jazz Festival, POP Montreal) and has collaborated with Juno Award-winning producer, Rob Heaney (Cirque du Soleil, Patrick Watson). In collaboration with Heaney, she recorded the 2013 indie folk rock EP Tip of My Tongue under the name Mona Lissa & The Brink. Critics praised the EP, comparing it to Sarah Brightman’s acclaimed 1993 album “Dive”.

In winter 2015, she began recording new original material under the moniker Chanda M, in collaboration Raphael Rosenwald (early collaborator of The Dears and Arcade Fire) and Michael Rien of Primal Urge Productions. The "neo noir" video for her lead single Ghostwriter, directed by filmmaker Alex Pacifici, was released on October 14, 2016. The Icons of Dreams EP was launched on November 12th at La Vitrola in Montreal and on November 19th at Live On Elgin in Ottawa. Chanda M’s debut on the local music scene has garnered a positive response from the press, including live interviews and performances on CIBL 101,5 FM's Emission Le Retour and CKCU Radio Ottawa.

In September 2017, she launched the second official Chanda M music video, entitled Gaia, via Les Mesconnus. Her sophomore EP, Oracle, was released at Casa Del Popolo accompanied by a live show on October 17, 2017. Oracle was produced by Rosenwald and Rien, with assistance from Heaney. The video for Gaia was directed by Alex Pacifici.