Combining the thumping sousaphone bass beats and interlocking riffs of a New Orleans brass band with the rituals, moves, and garb of a Mardi Gras Indian troupe, Cha Wa brings a blast of soul straight from out of New Orleans. Powered by the vocals of J'Wan Boudreaux, the ensemble burst out of Louisiana with the 2016 debut album Funk 'N' Feathers. The project put a contemporary spin on the traditional Mardi Gras Indian tribe alongside his legendary grandfather, Big Chief Monk Boudreaux.
Various tribes have created dozens of chants and songs over the decades and Cha Wa adds a blazing jolt of celebratory energy to the tradition.