Chaii

Mona Sanei (born ), better known as Chaii (stylised in all caps; also چای) is a Persian-New Zealand rapper, songwriter and producer. Chaii's music is distinct for its fusion of Persian and Western musical influences. She has released two EPs and one album: Lightswitch EP (2020¹), Pineapple Pizza (2021), and Safar (2024). Chaii's childhood was split between Iran and New Zealand; she moved with her family to Christchurch at the age of eight. This aspect of her identity has influenced much of her work. She became interested in sound engineering at high school, and later studied the craft at SAE Institute Auckland before becoming an audio engineer by trade. She made her debut as Chaii in 2019 with the single "Digebasse (Enough)", which was nominated for the 2019 APRA Silver Scroll. Several of Chaii's songs have appeared in film, television, games and other media, including the soundtrack for Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 and the FIFA 21 Volta soundtrack. Chaii's first full-length album, Safar (2024), received several nominations including for Album of the Year, Best Single, Best Electronic Artist, among others. In May 2025, Chaii began a Europe tour, and stated she was working on new material and collaborations.

Mona Sanei (born ), better known as Chaii (stylised in all caps; also چای) is a Persian-New Zealand rapper, songwriter and producer. Chaii's music is distinct for its fusion of Persian and Western musical influences. She has released two EPs and one album: Lightswitch EP (2020), Pineapple Pizza (2021), and Safar (2024). Chaii's childhood was split between Iran and New Zealand; she moved with her family to Christchurch at the age of eight. This aspect of her identity has influenced much of her work. She became interested in sound engineering at high school, and later studied the craft at SAE Institute Auckland before becoming an audio engineer by trade. She made her debut as Chaii in 2019 with the single "Digebasse (Enough)", which was nominated for the 2019 APRA Silver Scroll. Several of Chaii's songs have appeared in film, television, games and other media, including the soundtrack for Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 and the FIFA 21 Volta soundtrack. Chaii's first full-length album, Safar (2024), received several nominations including for Album of the Year, Best Single, Best Electronic Artist, among others. In May 2025, Chaii began a Europe tour, and stated she was working on new material and collaborations.

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