Singto’s songs

Mellow singer plays favourites

By Tatat Bunnag

Following up his smash hit singles “Yoo Tor Loei Dai Mai (Can I Stay)” and “Yoo Yaang Ngao Ngao (Living Lonely),” 30-year-old singer-songwriter Numchok Thanatram (Singto) recently returned to the charts with his new single, “Wi-thee Chai (How To).”

With his new song, Singto has moved away from his usual acoustic beach pop sound to embrace a more soulful, R&B influenced style. “How To” shows that Singto is able to use his broad taste in music to come up with new ideas to please his fans.

Student Weekly recently caught up with Singto to ask him about some of the albums that have influenced him the most.

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Beau Sunita Leetikul

Beau (1996)

“This is one of the most important albums for me. I first heard Beau’s music when I was about 12 years old. Her songs made me fall in love with pop music. I remember watching Beau on TV when she was a guest on Twilight Show, and she talked about following her dream to become a singer. That interview touched me a lot and made me want to be a singer as well.”

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Loso

Lo Society (1996)

“While Beau’s music made me want to become a singer, Sek Loso was the guy who made me want to play the guitar. I like most of Loso’s albums, but their debut is their best in my opinion. The album still sounds fresh today. It has energetic rock tunes like “Ther” and “I Wanna Love You,” as well as killer ballads like “Mai Tai Rok Ther [Not Dead Yet]” and “Mai Tong Huang Chan [Don’t Worry About Me].”

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Blackhead

Full Flavor (1997)

“In 1997, I was really into rock music. I tried to find new rock bands to listen to, and my friend introduced me to Full Flavor by Blackhead. I didn’t know if their music was alternative or indie rock at the time, but I knew that it was really different from anything I’d listened to before. I cried when I heard the song “Sanya [Promise].” The whole album is really good.”

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Bobby McFerrin

Medicine Music (1990)

“Bobby McFerrin is a unique singer and an original thinker. He has a distinctive vocal style and he’s a virtuoso. His versatile voice can do virtually anything, including imitate the sounds of bass, rhythm and percussion, over which he weaves vocal harmonies. My producer Kijjaz recommended this album to me and I love it. Medicine Music sometimes sounds jazzy, and other times makes you feel like you’re in Africa. It’s a truly original and delightful album.”

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Bahamas

Barchords (2012)

“This is my new favourite album. Bahamas is the stage name for Canadian songwriter Afie Jurvanen. He plays electric guitar in his own unique way, with a lot of reverb. This album is so complex, with layers of mellow soul, blues and sunny sounds. Each song is cleverly crafted with playful guitar riffs and gentle, soothing melodies. His live shows are also stunning. He just plays guitar with a drummer and two female backing singers. I’m definitely looking forward to hearing Bahamas’ future recordings.”

 

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