Words by: Amanda Marano

Chaz Cardigan is back with the brand new video for his latest single, “Middle of the Road.” Chaz takes fans on a trip down memory lane with the dance-inducing, yet emotional anthem. Through vulnerable lyrics, he opens up about his fears, which plays into the song’s theme of how even the smallest of choices can change your path and set your future in motion.

The 3D video takes viewers on a surreal, animated journey through the past. Floating through this virtual world, the video references some of the bold choices Chaz has made in his life, such as moving away from his hometown of Elizabethtown, KY to Nashville when he was only 17 years old. He shares, “’Middle of the Road’ came from ruminating on what my life would’ve been like if I’d stayed in my hometown. I realized I would’ve been miserable, stuck in a cycle of debt and probably addicted to something, pretending to be someone I’m not for the rest of my life.” The video is the second in a quadrilogy of videos produced by Haoyan of America [Crumb, Cautious Clay], which will all feature a 3D model of Chaz. Created using photogrammetry in a virtual environment, the 3D figure was brought to life in the first video of the series, “Everything’s Wrong”, and now continues with “Middle of the Road”.

Chaz is a man of many talents – he is an incredible singer with a unique, soulful voice, a classically trained pianist, as well as a self-taught guitar, bass, and drums player. He fell in love with performing at only 11 years old and started joining punk bands, later going on to cover classic songs in Louisville bars during high-school years. Later he went on to produce in Diatribe, a Nashville hip-hop collective.

He released his debut album I in 2017, which featured his viral single, “Over”. Followed by a series of singles that all ended up on Spotify’s New Music Friday playlist. His success got him the opportunity to become the first artist jointly signed to Capitol Records and Loud Robot.

His acclaimed EP Vulnerabilia came in early 2020, where he sang about his deepest fears and insecurities in bop worthy pop tracks.  The EP included his hit single “Not OK!” – a top 20 hit at Alternative radio – and his follow-up single, “S.O.S.,” which was recently named one of “The 25 Best Songs By LGBTQ Artists In 2020 (So Far)” by Billboard.

His most recent single, “Everything’s Wrong”, appeared on numerous playlists, including Spotify’s New Music Friday and Ones To Watch #NowWatching Weekly. The hit track follows Chaz as he explores his experiences with mental health and living with panic disorder through emotional verses and guitar-driven instrumentals. Speaking on the track, Flaunt said that the song, “speaks volumes to the current state of the world. The message: a bad day is never the end of the story,” while Billboard noted, “Everything’s Wrong’ is Cardigan’s musical declaration that things are messy, and he’s perfectly happy with that.”

Chaz’s artistry is so enticing because every aspect of his music is so wholly authentic. He isn’t afraid to talk about the things that people sweep under the rug, and he doesn’t shy away from being frank when talking about his hopes and fears. Q Review observed, “Chaz keeps delivering thoughtful music of strong perspective, sincere reflection and authentic honesty wrapped in sonic kick ass and punch.”

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