Pop Music: CHAI at Music Hall of Williamsburg

July 15; axs.com

In Japanese, the term “kawaii” refers to the cutesy aesthetic of pop culture phenomena like Hello Kitty and the virtual pop star Hatsune Miku. The members of CHAI, the four-piece girl group from Nagoya, are devotees of what they call “neo-kawaii.” The thematic through-line of their music, “new-cute” is about expanding definitions of cuteness and bucking insecurity in favor of self-love. “I’m Me,” a highlight from the band’s recent album, “Punk,” features lyrics that translate to “I don’t know about the world but I know me/I don’t hide my weight”; on other songs, the performers sing about body hair and their love of dumplings.

CHAI’s overtly feminist message is delivered in an ecstatic pop-punk burst of crunchy guitars, synthetic gurgles and gleeful crew vocals. Live, the group’s energy is even more infectious than on their recordings. OLIVIA HORN