#influence Thailand’s T-Pop sensation on the rise

"...From five teenagers relentlessly pursuing their dreams in the entertainment industry, to the new-generation boy group ‘PERSES’. Each member brings their own distinctive style, individuality, and personal passions, which may differ, but come together harmoniously to form the unique identity of PERSES. With a shared determination, they are driven to take the band to global success..."

In recent years, Thailand's media and entertainment industry has experienced rapid growth, with one of the most notable trends being the rise of T-Pop. This genre has gained significant traction, especially among the younger generation, leading to an increasing interest in Thai music and the growing popularity of Thai idol artists. #legend_th had the opportunity to get to know the five talented from the band ‘PERSES’– Jung Wikorn, Nay Naran, Krit Krittin, Palm Peeravit, and Pluggy Tharakorn. The journey to forming the group wasn’t easy; the five young men had to face numerous challenges and prove themselves as artists before finally coming together as a band.

Pluggy, the youngest member of the group, shared with #Legend_th about his beginning within the industry, “Actually, the beginning of PERSES started from an idol artist search project by G’NEST, a label under GMM Grammy. It’s been over 10 years since Grammy had any T-Pop groups, and we were the first project the label wanted to develop. Each of us came through auditions from different places.”

Despite having different starting points in the entertainment industry and facing various pressures along the way, each member worked tirelessly to become part of PERSES.

Jung: “I’ve had an interest in music since I was young, and used to be a drummer in the brand. However, at first, I didn’t take it too seriously. I saw music just as a hobby not a serious thing. My turning point was when I auditioned for MBO. It was my first serious opportunity to become an artist, and I had the chance to make my own music. That’s when I realised I truly enjoyed being an artist. After that, MBO sent me to audition for G’NEST, and I became a trainee at the label. During that time, people were being eliminated every month, but I managed to make it through to become a member of PERSES.”

Krittin: “I’ve always loved singing since I was a kid, but I didn’t know if I was any good at it. I had some bad experiences with singing in the past. I was kicked out of a band, and I received harsh criticism when I entered singing competitions. Making me lose my confidence, and I became too shy to sing in front of large crowds. At that point, I started modelling for a while. Then, G’NEST invited me to audition, so I decided to give singing another shot. In the beginning, I was discouraged because I had to dedicate so much time to this, juggling both my studies and my training. But over time, I got used to it, and it became something I really enjoyed. Once I started gaining fans and followers, I felt like I was making my dream come to reality.”

Nay: “I used to worked as a model and did some commercial shoots. At the time, I never considered becoming an artist. But then, my agency sent me to audition for G’NEST, so I thought, why not? I went for it. At the beginning, I couldn’t sing or dance at all, but they gave me a chance and allowed myself to train. Eventually, I was given the opportunity to join PERSES.”

Pluggy: “For me, my journey as an artist began with competing in The Voice Kids. In high school, I also started a YouTube channel where I did cover dances with my friends. At that time, my videos gained some attention, and G’NEST reached out for me to audition. They said that they liked my voice, so after passing the audition, I moved from Khon Kaen to Bangkok. During that time, I trained alongside with Jang, Kritin, and Nay. After that, Palm joining us later on.”

When talking about the group’s popular songs ‘Cuteless’ and ‘Bodyguard,’ PERSES revealed to #legend_th that the members themselves were also involved in the creation of these tracks.

Jung: “I write the rap sections and also handle background vocals for the group. Our song was produced by Panoth from Getsunova, who serves as the Executive Producer for us. The inspiration for the track came from his observations of how each member interacts with our fans. Since we place so much importance on our fans, he found those moments incredibly endearing. That’s how the idea emerged, flipping the narrative to us saying to our fans, ‘Don’t be any cuter, please.’ As for Bodyguard, we had the chance to sit in and listen to the track, but we didn’t contribute much to the music production itself. I only did the background vocals.”

Pluggy: “There’s also the process of recording the song. We take turns heading into the studio, and usually, Krittin goes in first because he’s the most energetic of us all.”

From their first single ‘My Time’ to ‘Bodyguard,’ what has changed for PERSES is the way they perform that focusing on engaging with the audience and ensuring they have the best experience, without worrying about mistakes.

Nay: “Looking back to our first song, My Time, what I remember most about our debut day was the anxiety. I was worried about everything, especially making mistakes with the dance moves. But as time went on, we stopped worrying about that. Now, we focus on making sure the audience has fun, that they can enjoy the show with us, and we don’t stress over making mistakes anymore.”

Pluggy: “We now think about the audience’s enjoyment more than anything else. We ask ourselves ‘Are they having fun watching us perform?’ or ‘Do they feel connected to the show?’ We’ve grown in both our thinking and our individual identities since the beginning. If I compare now to back then, the five of us were like robots, just following a set programme.”

Krittin: “At first, we were very stiff. We would stick to the script because we were afraid of missing something out. We were so focused on dancing that we forgot to check if the audience was enjoying the performance. Once we received the feedback, we started adjusting, and now we’re more natural. I think the audience enjoys seeing something that feels authentic.”

Discover the full exclusive interview with PERSES in the December issue of Hashtag Legend Thailand, available now