Tag: Thailand

How Fans Are Inspiring the New Global Growth of Thai Pop and Boys’ Love

November 20, 2023

T-Pop Playlist Covers

Thai music and culture have been making serious waves across the globe as of late. And they’re gaining momentum in large part thanks to a fandom-fueled subgenre.

Thai music is driven by a devoted local fan base that includes the United States, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, and Japan as its top markets, extending well into the global community. As a result, listenership in T-Pop has doubled in the past year: Tracks like “ชอบตัวเองที่อยู่กับเธอ,” “ไม่ได้ก็ไม่เอา,” and “เพื่อนเล่นไม่เล่นเพื่อน (Just Being Friendly)” are hitting massive stream numbers both on and off the T-Pop Now playlist, which has seen 3.5 times the growth of the past five years. With artists like Billkin, PiXXiE, and Tilly Birds taking T-Pop from local markets and reaching fans in countries like Sweden, Mexico, Germany, and France, the newfound visibility of the genre is proof positive that music knows no borders.

“It’s undeniable that we’re seeing a T-Pop wave in the world right now,” says Gautam Talwar, Spotify’s General Manager of Asia Pacific. “It’s a category that encompasses multiple genres including indie, hip-hop, experimental, and the massively popular Boys’ Love, which has grown tremendously in recent years.” 

“Thai artists are putting a lot of their Thai identity and culture into their music, from the melodies to the overall vibes,” says Jeff Satur, popular T-Pop artist and actor. “When you give it a listen, you can immediately tell it’s a T-Pop song. It’s like a musical journey that lets people from all over the world experience the richness of Thai culture through music. This was something quite novel in the music scene, and it began to captivate more and more listeners globally.” 

Boys’ Love Soundtracks Fueling The T-Pop Wave 

The rise of Boys’ Love (otherwise known as BL or simply Y, inspired by the Japanese word “yaoi”) in Thailand is a unique story and one borne out of Thailand’s support of stories that revolve around the love between two men. Popular fan fiction was adapted into television dramas, and soon an entire industry was jump-started. Centering on themes of loyalty, diversity in love, and the highs and lows of a relationship, the many, many shows have garnered massive plays and a passionate fan base of mostly young women. 

Larger still is the love of BL TV soundtracks from fans. Through our own Boys’ Love and วัยรัก วัยเลิฟ (Why I Love You) playlists, BL fans searching for a good laugh or a good cry can can look forward to tracks like “กลับไปไม่รู้จักกัน (Ost. องศาสูญ)” by NuNew, “คนเดียว (Ost. ดื้อเฮียก็หาว่าซน)” by Nat Natasit, and “ซบกันไปนาน ๆ (Sunset) (Ost. หัวใจในสายลม)” by Perth Tanapon and Chimon Wachirawit.

For the Record sat down with Jeff Satur to learn more about the global phenomenon of T-Pop.

What sets T-Pop apart from other kinds of pop?

The concepts are one of a kind. It’s like everyone’s got a way with words, and they turn those ideas into a killer song concept. When it comes to the slower jams, T-Pop has a very distinctive Thai vibe, from the melodies to the dance moves when it’s performed. All these elements come together to make the genre pretty darn perfect.

What recent changes have you noticed in the world of T-Pop? 

I’ve noticed some cool things happening with T-Pop lately. I’ve seen Brazilian fans singing Thai songs like they were born to it, nailing those lyrics. Over in China, there’s a whole bunch of Thai artist admirers. It got me thinking, the T-Pop music scene has really expanded its reach, breaking down musical borders.

Get your Boys’ Love fix with our specially curated Boys’ Love playlist:

Spotify’s GM of Asia Pacific, Gautam Talwar, Discusses the Music of a Rapidly Growing Region

October 17, 2023

The Asia Pacific region seems to never sleep on Spotify. From events celebrating Kalye HipHop, our flagship Pinoy hip-hop playlist, to the tenth anniversary of Spotify in Taiwan, we’ve spent a decade developing relevant products and content offerings to deepen our connection with local users. And our work is just getting started.  

This week, Gautam Talwar, Spotify’s General Manager of Asia Pacific, is joining artists and podcasters at SXSW Sydney, the first time the festival has been staged outside of its Austin, Texas, home base. Via panels and performances on everything from music discovery to what’s next for K-Pop— and how we continue to strive for gender equity—we’ll highlight how Spotify helps music move beyond borders at the iconic Lansdowne Hotel.

For the Record sat down with Gautam to learn more about what’s happening in the region. 

What are some factors that make the Asia Pacific region, APAC, a distinct and notable market for Spotify?

Asia Pacific is increasingly central to our global platform as a driving post for global culture—whether music, entertainment, fashion, gaming, technology, or e-commerce. And the region as a whole is one of our fastest-growing regions at Spotify today. There’s three main reasons for that. 

One is that these countries have large youthful populations. You’re talking about one of the largest clusters of Gen Z customers in the world, over 150 million Gen Zs residing in Asia Pacific who are driving this booming creator economy and online music culture. 

The other thing that makes it very unique is diversity. This is our superpower. There’s incredible diversity across languages, religions, and ethnicities. We also see this diversity play out in music and culture. Music is a very central, core part of expression. And since music has an important role of soundtracking daily life in Asia Pacific, music is a reflection of diversity in this region.

The third thing that makes it very unique is artists and creators. We are talking about an incredibly diverse group of genres and artists that are now crossing borders and building an international audience, all thanks to Spotify. We have some great examples of artists born in Asia, who maybe got their footing in Seoul, Sydney, or Jakarta, who have now crossed borders, gone overseas, and built a global audience. 

What trends are emerging globally with music from the region? 

Spotify has evolved from bringing all the world’s audio to Asia Pacific to taking all the audio from Asia Pacific to the world. 

When I joined Spotify about five years ago, the top charts in most of our Asian markets had mostly international music. Today when I look, it’s increasingly local. It’s increasingly K-Pop. And we’re also seeing some regional and hyper-local artists and genres making it to the top. We are seeing artists from all corners of our countries who are working to build an audience on Spotify. We have examples of not only those who are topping charts in their home country, but who are crossing borders to top charts elsewhere.

K-Pop is one of my favorite examples. Traditionally, the home of K-Pop is Seoul. But if you look at the genre’s top markets, it’s actually the United States, Indonesia, the Philippines, Japan, and Mexico where streaming is outsizing Korea. Similarly, Mandopop, which was born out of Taiwan and China, ends up traveling to all parts of the world where the Chinese diaspora resides—Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and the U.S. We’re seeing this in Aussie music as well, with names like Tones and I, The Kid LAROI, and Troye Sivan finding big audiences in the U.K. and the United States. 

But then there’s country-specific trends, like hyperlocal pop with Javanese Pop in Indonesia and LukThung in Thailand. The countries have rich, vibrant, local ecosystems and creators with big fans on social media. They don’t have to be in a metro region to build a career, but rather could be in any part of the country. Their fandoms help them not only drop music on Spotify but then promote it across social media. Artists care about their expression, they care about their sound, and the story. And what we’re seeing is that great songwriting and storytelling wins. And thanks to the personalization of the Spotify platform and its global distribution, there are numerous examples of artists’ finding an audience outside of their home country. We’re seeing waves. 

Fandoms are a key part of music in the region. How do we embrace and reflect this passion?

Our growth story in the region has always been built on supporting a set of fandoms and really using Spotify as a way for fans to channel and fuel their passions around these fandoms. In many ways, we’ve evolved from marketing to consumers to speaking to and through fans. 

We have a fairly strong presence and investment in K-Pop discovery on the platform. We have a K-Pop hub with a flagship playlist, K-Pop ON! It contains the latest and greatest in K-Pop. It’s what RapCaviar is to hip-hop and Viva Latino is to Latin music. This is for the global K-Pop community of artists and fans. It’s the mothership. It’s where you’ll discover the next big thing on the platform. 

We’ve also evolved this playlist, taking it off-platform to build a strong media network around it, with a YouTube channel, Twitter handle, and Instagram and TikTok distribution. For our fans, it’s really about being very playful and helping create opportunities that let them get closer to their favorite artists. Our storytelling approach is very much speaking to and through fans. They get up close and personal and see artists in their most playful states. And they’re loving it. 

One of the activations we did this year was Bunnyland. NewJeans is a rookie band, a year old, and they’re already commanding an audience as big as BLACKPINK. They are Gen Z, five girls, all incredibly creative and musically strong.  For their debut album release, we created an activation involving a real-life immersive fan experience for called Bunnyland. We had about 100,000 attendees across Bunnyland activations in Seoul, Jakarta, as well as Manila and Tokyo and heavily supported their U.S. debut at Lollapalooza.  So for us it’s about showing up every day, both with playlists and with iconic big-beat moments. 

We’ve also got ideas for how to do this with T-Pop, particularly with the strength of the Boys’ Love fandom, and in Australia, with A1 hip-hop—Aussie hip-hop. This subculture is very strong locally, and I’m very excited about how we’ve taken it to the main stage. 

How about podcasting? 

This is an exciting region for podcasts due to its history of talk radio. Today, markets like Australia, Indonesia, and India are some of the top markets for podcast listening. There’s been a lot of early adopters in this market, especially in Indonesia and the Philippines. When Anchor, now Spotify for Podcasters, launched, we saw radio personalities and social media personalities rally to it as an easy means to express themselves and get onto an audio platform. That has increasingly been going mainstream since.

In Indonesia and the Philippines we’re also seeing a whole new breed of creators who believe in long form as a means of storytelling. (There are some really big commutes in those countries, and podcasts play a role there). The big genres are comedy, horror, and crime, and the audiences tend to be more educated, more affluent, more curious about what’s out in the zeitgeist. Love and relationships is another one—people can use podcasts as a format to talk about subject matter that the mainstream wouldn’t talk about. 

Australia, too, has a very rich podcast ecosystem. We are a lead player there with a thriving ad sales operation. We have a number of original and licensed tentpole shows, both Aussie and American, that really do well. We also just announced the introduction in Australia of our premium audiobook offer. This makes available at least 150,000 audiobooks as part of Spotify Premium subscriptions—something that’s going to be huge in the market. 

What are you most excited to bring to SXSW Sydney?

I’m excited about the platform South By presents for us. It’s at the cutting edge of tech and innovation. It’s one of the most exciting congregations of the sharpest creative minds in the industry. And what I’m excited about is how we are really showcasing our diversity as Spotify, and the things that we are really passionate about, be it our EQUAL or RADAR programs, and how they elevate discovery for artists. 

I’m excited about showcasing artists from multiple genres, everyone from MILLI, one of my favorite Thai hip-hop stars, to, you know, some of the most exciting acts in Korean music and Korean hip-hop.

It’s interesting that Sydney is where the first edition of South By is happening outside of Austin. Sydney is home to musicians, artists, and designers, and there’s a lot of commonalities between Sydney and Austin. I’m hoping to see this become a returning franchise that we can become a part of. 

Hear more from Gautam about our presence at SXSW Sydney on the Spotify: For the Record podcast.

Cristobal Tapia de Veer, Composer of the Viral ‘White Lotus’ Theme Song, Reveals His Process and Expectations for Season 3

June 8, 2023

Plenty of TV sitcom theme songs stand the test of time. The singability of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, clap-infused pop of “I’ll Be There For You” from Friends, and nostalgic harmonies of “Where Everybody Knows Your Name” from Cheers each holds a notable slot in the cultural zeitgeist. It’s less common for a drama’s theme song to meet the same reception. And that picture is even more complicated when the theme is a wordless instrumental used—in the first moments of the show—to set the scene for dead bodies washing ashore.  

Yet composer Cristobal Tapia de Veer’s “Aloha!” and “Renaissance,” which serve as the theme songs for first and second seasons of The White Lotus, respectively, have reached such success. Each track features a consistent melody with high-pitched instrumentation, a  danceable beat, and breathless vocals. Each is also tailored to reflect its season’s location—Hawaii in the first and Sicily in the second. 

Each season, The White Lotus offers colorful, suspenseful commentary on exploitation, wealth, class, and race with a backdrop of murder and dysfunction set in a fictional luxury resort. The combination of Cristobal’s masterful composition, the show’s alluring storytelling, and a rabid global fan base has propelled both themes to viral fame and millions of Spotify streams, and raised the profile of their composer. 

Fans on the prowl 

Since its July 2021 release, “Aloha!” has been streamed most by fans in Warsaw, Berlin, and Paris. The song’s popularity only grew in the lead-up to the October 2022 premier of the second season, with fans taking to the internet to share commentary on the song. 

One popular fan theory was that its repeated notes created a musical allusion to the Gregorian chant “Dies Irae,” or “The Day of Wrath.” In a rare interview with For the Record, Cristobal explained that this is but a coincidence. “Those melodies are the result of chanting with voices and finding a melody that works with the sound. For lots of reasons, I ended up with those types of harmonies, but I wasn’t specifically inspired by that music or trying to use it intentionally.” 

Following the debut episode of the second season on October 30, 2022, searches for “White Lotus” on Spotify increased more than 500%. But to the chagrin of fans, “Renaissance” wasn’t released on Spotify until December 11, the end of the season. 

Even so, dedicated fans steadily played “Aloha!” on Spotify while they waited, and on December 12, streams of “Aloha!” jumped 200% compared to the month prior. Searches for “White Lotus” soared to 4,800% compared to two months prior. 

Once released, daily streams of “Renaissance” hit an all-time high on December 13, 2022, with fans in Paris, Oslo, and Berlin leading the charge. And as for Cristobal? The composer saw a 162% lift in his own catalog’s daily streams following season two. 

Even after the season came to an end, fans continued to circulate the song, using it as the musical background to their viral videos. On February 17, 2023, Dutch DJ Tiësto put out his own remix of “Renaissance,” which became a favorite among fans in Sydney, New York, and Oslo in particular.  

Soundtracking suspense

So what went into creating the right soundtrack? Cristobal employed wind instruments to create the whirling bird sounds on “Aloha!” “For the first season, I wasn’t trying to make Hawaiian music. It was more about making something about nature kicking the characters in the ass, and the wild stuff coming for the characters,” Cristobal explained. To hit his mark, he combined bird calls with tribal chants for an island feel with a spooky tropical depth.

Composer Cristobal Tapia de Veer

“The temp score was this loungy, rather soft thing—something that would be playing in a nice luxury cafe when you’re on vacation somewhere,” he recalled. “It was very different from what I came up with. I went with a tribal, rather aggressive screaming, and drums and flutes.” 

That “screaming,” which seems to be the best way to describe the vocal sounds, became a driving force behind the song’s virality when it came time to adapt it for the second season. Cristobal knew he wanted to match the vibe of the location and utilize disconcerting vocal tones.

“The ‘oululus’ are the most important thing,” said Cristobal, using his tongue heavily to propel the sound from his own mouth. “For the second season, I was trying to fit into the Italian and the Sicilian vibe. We spoke about having some renaissance sounds, some harps, mandolin, violin, things that we’d connect with Italian music and opera. I did a demo of some classical Italian music, something operatic, and that’s the beginning of the track. From there, I wanted to somehow bring back the sound of the first season, which is these screaming voices that are so recognizable.” 

He also wanted to evoke a different journey for a new cast of characters. 

“In the first season, there’s a lot of conflict in the music,” he said. “It feels very stressful and more tense than how it should; it has more dissonance. But this was something calculated. And I think the second season is funnier because things become dark later, towards the end of the show. So the song keeps it more playful, more light and harmonious.” 

A trip to Thailand

Cristobal finds the composing process as tumultuous as life is for the White Lotus patrons at times. “I don’t do anything particular to get into the zone,” he notes. “Sometimes people try to have the best conditions—relaxed and with a view—but surprisingly, for me, I like to see the stuff that results from being in a bad situation, a stressful situation, not having the right equipment, or not being in the right place.” 

For Cristobal, discomfort is more impactful, motivating, and conducive to creativity than pleasure or perfection. “When I feel that I’m in danger, it feels like I’m gonna probably come up with something better, a more original idea—as long as I’m surviving a situation—than if I’m too comfortable.” 

With the third season of The White Lotus confirmed for Thailand, we asked Cristobal to hint at some musical elements fans might expect when the show debuts.  

“For Thailand, I want to bring in some Eastern philosophy, something a little bit spiritual,” he said. “I love the Buddhist temples there, and funnily enough I have a collection of Thai gongs. I have 36 Thai gongs to make melodies with, so you can expect to hear some of those. I’d really like to go deep with it, make it take a journey.” 

Prepare for the third season of The White Lotus with The White Lotus Official Playlist on Spotify.

Airbnb and Spotify Team Up During Thailand’s Songkran Festival to Help Travelers Relax and Rejuvenate

April 17, 2023

As Thailand kicked off its new year and celebrated Songkran, we teamed up with Airbnb to help travelers find the hottest songs and stays for their wellness getaways. 

Airbnb and Spotify jointly curated the popular T-Pop playlist เหนื่อยนักพักก่อน (Let’s Get Some Rest), which includes travel-inspired hits from some of Thailand’s most popular artists. Airbnb also created the wellness-themed “Sawasdee Songkran” Wishlist showcasing unique Thai homes where travelers could enjoy a rejuvenating getaway and tune into the top Thai hits.

“Travel and music go hand in hand. Whether you’re curating the perfect flight playlist or unwinding to tunes in your Airbnb stay, music is often a key component of a travel journey,” said Cheryl Tay, who leads communications for Airbnb in Southeast Asia. “Songkran in particular is known for exuberant water fights, colorful celebrations in the streets, and days of merrymaking that are soundtracked by joyful music. But it also marks an opportunity for us to rest and reset as we embrace the dawn of a new year. As the world returns to normal, we wanted to emphasize the importance of seeking rest.”

From stylish beachside villas to dreamy treehouse cabins in the woods, we’ve offered Airbnb guests the chance to make their stay even more memorable with Spotify’s latest Premium Mini offer in Thailand. Available for just THB2, guests have been able to sign up right from their phones and soundtrack their adventures with one week of nonstop, ad-free music listening.

To get travelers in the holiday spirit, we also launched our brand-new playlist สวัสดีสงกรานต์ (Sawasdee Songkran). Filled with homegrown Thai artists like GAVIN.D, YOUNGOHM, and SPRITE, we’re introducing the world to the sounds of Tud Tud, Pump Pump, and Ah Ah—well-known rhythms that help make some of the most popular Thai songs so catchy.

To learn more about how travel and music play into the culture and traditions of Songkran, For the Record spoke with Piyoros Luckcam, Spotify’s Senior Music Editor, Thailand.

What role does music traditionally play in Thailand’s Songkran celebrations? 

Music is the world’s greatest connecting force. When Thailand comes to life for Songkran every April, music helps make the experience more immersive and meaningful for Thais and visitors from all over the world. Crowds throng the streets, pulsating to the sounds of popular Thai genres as they’re energized by Thailand’s warm and fun-loving culture. 

Much like the rest of the year, music is the soundtrack to the lives of Thais. The name Songkran is derived from a Sanskrit word that means “to start new,” but we also like to think that it reflects how Thai music—especially Thai pop and hip-hop—has been refreshed in recent times. 

Whether splashing water, stepping into a temple, or traveling home to visit family, Songkran is a moment to pause and soak in the melodic tunes of joy and reflection. 

Are there specific qualities about Thai-Pop (T-Pop) that make it a popular genre for festive moments in Thailand?

Songkran is a time when everyone comes together to literally soak up the fun on the streets. As people dive into a new year of resolutions and adventure, the catchy beats and memorable lyrics of T-Pop capture this period’s energy and verve. We’ve seen global consumption of T-Pop doubling in the past year, with no signs of slowing down. 

Thailand continues to see its passionate artists supercharging the growth of its music industry. The new generation of T-Pop artists and bands, known for their high-octane performances and uplifting lyrics, is starting to draw attention from fans around the globe. 

How do the RADAR Thailand and EQUAL Thailand artists embody the spirit of Songkran with their music?

The Thai New Year often calls for new aspirations or rejuvenation—not just for locals, but for international visitors experiencing the cultural moment. Our collaboration with Airbnb will not only inspire Thais to relax and rejuvenate during the New Year holidays, but also celebrate local culture and its people by making connections with Airbnb hosts and discovering our RADAR and EQUAL artists. 

We hope that as listeners travel the country with loved ones, they’ll feel inspired by the diversity and vibrancy of Thailand’s music scene and the hit songs that encapsulate the spirit of Songkran.

Looking for more T-Pop vibes? Check many of Thailand’s hottest songs from up-and-coming artists on our new playlist เต้นแบบสับ (Dance Like Chop). 

OneRepublic, F.HERO, Stray Kids, and More Wow Crowds at Spotify On Stage Bangkok

October 17, 2019

Just a few weeks after Spotify On Stage JKT’s unbelievable night of performances, Southeast Asian music lovers flocked to Bangkok’s BITEC Bangna Hall 106. There, thousands of fans enjoyed a similar powerful energy at Spotify On Stage BKK, where artists from around the world wowed the crowds with showstopping numbers.

“The atmosphere tonight was incredible. We saw fans come out in droves to experience some of the most exciting artists in Asia and the world today,” said Gautam Talwar, Managing Director, Southeast Asia, Spotify. “This is the second year we’ve held Spotify On Stage in Bangkok, and it’s truly a show like no other. From international acts to homegrown superstars, Spotify On Stage brings the discovery of music and culture to life.”

Thai actress, singer, and host for the evening Joy Nattanita introduced the concert, revving up the crowd for a night to remember. She also welcomed each act onstage for a live chat, creating one-of-a-kind personal moments with the musical groups. Fans had the opportunity to win merch like signed photos and ask their favorite performers questions live onstage, highlighting the concert series’ signature connection between fans and artists.

Nine-member boy band Stray Kids kicked off the night’s musical numbers, setting a high bar through heavy, danceable beats and a dazzling stage setup. The South Korean group got the crowd moving with stunning choreography as they performed their top hits, including “MIROH,” “My Pace,” and “Hellevator.” And as a special treat, the boys also sang their latest single, “Double Knot.”

Next up was Thai superstar F.HERO, who brought the local vibes to the scene. Fans grooved along to his most popular songs and enjoyed a mashup like no other when Thai rappers YOUNGOHM and FIIXD joined him onstage.

To bring it all home, American band OneRepublic rocked the stadium with a power-packed 45-minute set. Pulling from their decade-long repertoire, the pop-rock ensemble played their biggest hits, including “Counting Stars,” “Apologize,” and “Secrets,” plus their new single “Wanted,” which been streamed more than 20 million times on Spotify in just one month.

Get a glimpse of the artist Q&A responses on the @SpotifyThailand Twitter page, and check out the photo gallery below for some Spotify On Stage BKK highlights.