Hello everyone, it’s your host Daniel from Dulaxi, and today I have with me the exceptional pop-rock band Chandra from Bristol, England. And Chandra is here to discuss their recent cover single “Nessun Dorma (We’ll Win Again!)”, which was released on May 29th, 2026. So, welcome, Chandra! But before we begin our interview, to our audience; here is what you need to know about this artist.
Chandra is a Bristol-based pop-rock band known for blending infectious power-pop melodies with anthemic rock energy, creating music that inspires resilience, hope, and personal triumph. Consisting of Chandra Nair (frontman and guitar), Mike Paul (lead guitar), and Chris Wong (bass), the band has built a reputation for delivering emotionally charged songs packed with massive choruses, bright guitar work, and uplifting messages. Their sound draws comparisons to acclaimed acts such as Imagine Dragons, The Killers, Fountains of Wayne, and The Posies, while maintaining a distinctive identity centered on sincerity, perseverance, and connection. With over 250,000 streams, more than 5,000 global radio plays, and placements on Spotify’s Discover Weekly, Chandra continues to expand their reach through a commitment to releasing new music every two months. Their latest release, “Nessun Dorma (We’ll Win Again!)”, is an ambitious reimagining of the iconic aria from Turandot by Giacomo Puccini. Released to coincide with the start of the FIFA World Cup 2026, the track transforms a globally recognized classical masterpiece into a powerful stadium-rock experience. Inspired by the emotions of sporting competition and the universal desire for victory, the song is structured as a three-act musical journey that captures hope, anxiety, heartbreak, determination, and ultimate triumph. Combining orchestral grandeur with the band’s signature rock intensity, the single serves as both a tribute to the original work and a celebration of the ability of music and sport to unite people through shared dreams and aspirations. Produced and mastered by long-time collaborator Elliot Vaughan, the track stands as one of the band’s most ambitious and emotionally resonant projects to date.
Having this brief Introduction about Chandra, I’m sure new and current fans must be excited about our Interview today.
INTERVIEW SESSION
Daniel: What was the core inspiration behind reimagining such an iconic piece like Puccini’s “Nessun Dorma” into your own stadium-rock anthem for the FIFA World Cup context?
Chandra: As with all of my musical ideas it wasn’t planned. The way songs work for me is that they just appear, entirely formed in my head, in an instant. It’s not a conscious thing. It was the same with this song, however, I have to say that it’s never happened like this before. Normally I wake up at 2am with an entire song in my head. This time I heard Nessun Dorma on the Winter Olympics 2026 closing ceremony and I instantly heard our take on it. The range of emotions that song summons within you is just overwhelming and I immediately knew it was something we had to do.
Daniel: How did each member of the band contribute to shaping the identity and sound of this ambitious cover, and how do those roles come together creatively?
Chandra: Mike is an absolute genius on guitar. I messaged him and said “I’ve got this crazy idea… you can tell me to f off… but I know you like a challenge”. The next day he sent me back the stunning picked intro that’s in the final version. It was also him who came up with the down-tuned guitar approach to Act II, which really amplifies the feeling of pain and anguish that comes with defeat. Making the orchestral side of it meld with the guitars and edgy vocals was the most difficult part and while I wrote the majority of the orchestral parts, it was producer Elliot Vaughan who spent hours and hours tweaking and mixing to make it all sound unified and massive.
Daniel: How has your overall musical vision evolved leading into this release, especially in terms of blending cinematic opera influences with your established power-pop rock style?
Chandra: I will always hold my hands up and admit that we drift in and out of genres… both between songs but also within songs. You can’t really listen to all of our songs and then label us with a genre. We’re Power Pop, Pop-Rock, Guitar Pop, Alt Rock, Punk Rock all in bits and bobs here, there and everywhere. I mean, what genre is Nessun Dorma (We Will Win!)? Zero clue. But the vision and ambition always remains the same; to write music that empowers, uplifts, unites and puts smiles on people’s faces. Just yesterday someone from Canada messaged me to say: “I am so excited about your music and how it leaves me feeling. I feel like, “YA, I can do this!” And for me that’s exactly what our vision is… literally an image in my mind of how our music makes people feel.
Daniel: What message or emotional journey were you aiming to preserve or transform from the original “Nessun Dorma” into your version Nessun Dorma (We’ll Win Again!)?
Chandra: It was really important to me that the emotion arc stayed the same. The feeling of not being able to sleep the night before because it feels like your entire heart and soul rest on the events of the new dawn. The explosion of hope and jubilation at the end because despite everything that you’ve been through up to this point in time, you are still determined to come back again, and again, and fight passionately for something you long for. It describes what makes us human.
But what I wanted to do was heighten the emotions of the journey but essentially splitting the song up into different parts that would allow us to really change the emotional outcome in each section.
Daniel: Can you break down the meaning behind the three acts, “We Don’t Dare Sleep,” “Once Again It’s Over,” and “We’ll Win Again”, and how they shape the listener’s experience?
Chandra: So, I don’t want people to think that this was a strategy or something I tried to create because, like I said before, this whole idea was just in my head in an instant. But when we started to flesh the song out, and when I was refining the lyrics, it just all fell into place and made sense.
Act I is all about the calm before the storm… reminiscing with calm hindsight about what we’ve been through and how we know that a new dawn brings new hope… and that we dare not sleep again until we see through the next challenge.
Act II is all about the pain, anguish and suffering. Wrenching detuned guitars and indie rock octaves that describe in detail what we’ve been through. It’s a very short part of the song but it’s so important to give that context because it makes Act III all the more powerful.
Act III is just an explosion of hope, positivity and the determination we all have inside us to achieve greatness. To leave the past behind you, slam the door shut and climb that mountain.
Daniel: Which lyrical or emotional moment in the song stands out most to you personally, and why does it carry that impact within the broader theme of hope and victory?
Chandra: The crescendo in Act III gets me every time. The lyrics “We’ll win again!” partnered with the horns, and the strings, partnered with those guitar octaves. There’s also a very personal, nostalgic moment in there for me because I discovered when I arranged the strings that there’s a violin part that’s very similar to a melody in Tifa theme (from Final Fantasy VII)… so people who know that storyline will understand why that gets me every time too.
Daniel: How did the initial idea sparked during the Winter Olympics closing ceremony evolve into a fully structured musical piece within such a short runtime?
Chandra: That’s just how we work. As an independent bad fighting to be heard in a modern world where 100,000 songs are uploaded to Spotify every day we decided we need to release new music as often as possible. We’ve released a new single every 2 months for the past 2 years. It’s logistically quite intense but creatively it’s possible and actually quite exciting. I hope that people can feel the authentic energy in every song. I think it’s easy to lose that energy when you take ages to write music… having the luxury of being able to go back, tweak and re-record things over months or years doesn’t always make things better.
Daniel: Looking back at your journey as a band, how does this release reflect your artistic growth and willingness to take creative risks compared to earlier work?
Chandra: Anyone who joins our mailing list (go to www.listentochandra.com) will get the fully story of how we got to where we are today but the truth is that I spent a long time trying to figure out what I wanted to say and what I wanted to sound like. The breakthrough came with 2023’s Lighters To The Sky and the breakthrough was simple; stop caring so much about what people think. Just be yourself and be honest. To me this song wasn’t a creative risk. I loved what was in my head. I knew it was good. Could it be divisive? Of course? Will some people absolutely hate it? Absolutely! Do I care? No. Because some people will feel the same as I do and even if it makes a few people feel the way I do about it, then that’s amazing.
Daniel: How did personal circumstances during the creation period, including Chris’s hospital operation, influence the emotional depth of the song?
Chandra: Our bassist Chris had just had an unexpected, major operation. It was completely out of the blue. So when I had this idea it almost became something that I wanted to surprise him with and give him something to feel excited about in that recovery bed. I didn’t want to bother him with band stuff but when I sent him the draft that Mike and I had worked on his response was just “WOWZER!!!”.
Daniel: How do you feel your identity as a frontman and vocalist has developed through delivering such a demanding and emotionally charged performance?
Chandra: I’ll be honest; it’s exhausting but very, very satisfying. I put everything into every single performance and doing this song is going to be a challenge. It’s very hard to sing on a technical level but also quite emotionally demanding. I think I might need a sit-down after it!
Daniel: With over 250k streams, 5,000+ radio plays, and growing recognition, how have these milestones shaped your confidence and direction as a band?
Chandra: It’s nigh-on impossible to ‘make it’ as a band in 2026. The odds are stacked against you. But I just have this raging spark that keeps me going. Record labels aren’t interested but I know from the numbers how many people are listening and I know from the messages how our music impacts people’s day. We just have to find our people and that takes time.
Daniel: How do you see this release fitting into the broader trajectory of Chandra as a band known for emotional uplift and arena-sized ambition?
Chandra: I did, for a moment, wonder whether we could do an EP that was just epic orchestral songs reimagined. I’m not saying we would change what we do and not write normal songs but it’s possible that we could deviate for 6 months to create something really special. It depends how Nessun Dorma goes down I guess!
More seriously speaking though, Nessun Dorma fits perfectly into our longer sets. We always try and take people on a journey at our gigs… from punchy and punky to stripped down acoustic numbers through to hands-in-the-air festival singalongs to epic and grandiose orchestra-backed songs… it’s the journey and every single song, regardless of the sub-genre, is defiantly ‘Chandra’.
Daniel: How have early listener reactions and fan feedback shaped your perception of the song’s impact so far?
Chandra: I didn’t know what to expect. My biggest fear was that people would dismiss us because we were essentially doing a cover. But early reactions are off the charts. I just don’t feel like people were expecting it… or they saw the headline and expected it to be awful. What I’ve learned over the past few weeks is that people of all ages like it… for so many different reasons. I feel really proud that we’ve achieved that without at any point having to compromise on who we are.
Daniel: What kind of atmosphere or reaction are you hoping to see when this song is performed live in a stadium or large festival setting?
Chandra: I daydream constantly of the day when we play at a big festival. I already know what I’ll say, I know how I’ll feel… I WILL cry. It’s the vision I carry constantly and what I know we will achieve. It’s everything you would imagine it to be.
Daniel: In what ways do you expect this track to connect with global audiences during the FIFA World Cup season, beyond its musical appeal?
Chandra: What this song does differently from the original is it gives it a whole new meaning, with English lyrics. That extra layer will really stick with people, I hope. Lyrics are really important to me because they carry our message… a message that I think the world needs to hear. The World Cup is this song’s launch pad but I think the message is timeless.
Having Experienced The Emotional Journey And Triumphant Spirit Of This Powerful Anthem, Here’s My Thought.
“Nessun Dorma (We’ll Win Again!)” finds Chandra undertaking a remarkably ambitious task: transforming one of the most celebrated operatic works in history into a contemporary cinematic pop-rock anthem while preserving its emotional power and sense of grandeur. From the moment the song opens, I was drawn into its expansive atmosphere, where layered orchestral textures, swelling strings, and ambient tonal movements establish a feeling of anticipation that mirrors the uncertainty before a major sporting event or life-defining moment. Rather than rushing toward its climax, the arrangement unfolds with patience and precision, gradually introducing guitars, bass, and percussion that steadily build momentum without disrupting the elegance of the orchestral foundation. This measured escalation gives the track an immersive quality, making every transition feel purposeful and emotionally earned. The vocal performance is equally compelling, serving as the emotional centerpiece of the composition through a delivery that balances vulnerability, determination, and conviction. Instead of attempting an operatic imitation, the lead vocal embraces a modern cinematic rock approach that captures the dramatic essence of the original aria while remaining accessible and emotionally relatable. The harmonies and stacked vocal layers are particularly effective, creating a powerful communal atmosphere that reinforces the song’s themes of unity, perseverance, and collective strength. Lyrically, the track traces a deeply resonant journey from uncertainty and struggle to renewal and triumph. Lines such as “We don’t dare sleep until it’s over” establish a mindset of relentless focus, while reflections on failure and recovery add emotional depth that prevents the anthem-like message from feeling simplistic. By the time the repeated declaration of “We’ll win again” arrives, it feels less like a slogan and more like the culmination of a genuine emotional journey through hardship, resilience, and hope. Produced and mastered by Elliot Vaughan, the song’s sonic architecture is exceptionally well controlled, allowing orchestral and rock elements to coexist seamlessly while maintaining clarity and dynamic impact. The climactic finale delivers exactly the kind of stadium-sized emotional release the composition has been building toward, combining soaring orchestration, driving percussion, and layered vocals into a breathtaking conclusion. What impressed me most is how successfully Chandra bridges classical inspiration and modern rock energy, creating a track that feels both timeless and contemporary while celebrating the enduring human capacity to believe, endure, recover, and rise again.
~ Daniel (Dulaxi Team).
Finally to our audience, I urge to listen to “Nessun Dorma (We’ll Win Again!)”, add it to your playlist and be inspired by it, and on behalf of Dulaxi I like to appreciate you all by saying thank you everyone, See you on our next interview.
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