Oil develops her winning voice
Did you know
The Voice Kids contests have been held in 16 countries so far.
By Kritsana Tangvalelerd
Photos by Varuth Hirunyatheb
Growing up with a musician father, Kunjira Thongkam (Oil) has had a solid background in music from day one. After being coached by veteran singer Parn Thanaporn on The Voice Kids Thailand programme, the 13-year-old rising star sharpened her singing skills considerably.
On the show the young Kamphaeng Phet native captivated viewers with her crystal clear voice, musical versatility and fantastic vocal techniques. In the final round, Oil was crowned the first winner of The Voice Kids Thailand after her great performance of Whitney Houston’s hit song, “One Moment in Time.”
Student Weekly recently met up with Oil at the True Fantasia office to chat about her musical background and experiences on The Voice Kids Thailand.
Student Weekly: How do you feel about being the first winner of The Voice Kids Thailand?
Oil: Very happy! I’m proud of my achievement.
Student Weekly: Why did you decide to participate on the show?
Oil: I watched the original The Voice Kids from Holland and thought that the contestants were fantastic. I hoped to see a similar show in Thailand, so when The Voice Kids Thailand was announced, I applied immediately.
Student Weekly: How did you learn to sing so many different kinds of music?
Oil: My father is a musician who plays lots of different types of music. He taught me vocal dynamics and techniques for singing different songs.
Student Weekly: When did you first start taking part in singing contests?
Oil: : I entered my first contest at the age of 10. I practised singing with my dad at a restaurant before the competition, so I didn’t feel too nervous onstage.
Student Weekly: Which round of the The Voice Kids made you feel the most nervous?
Oil: The blind audition. I kept my fingers crossed the whole time!
Student Weekly: How did you learn to sing English language songs so well?
Oil: I like English language. It’s my favourite subject and I’m good at it. I had a great instructor who taught me how to pronounce words properly. My father also helped me with singing English language songs. I practise singing with my dad and he corrects my pronunciation when I make mistakes.
Student Weekly: Did you ever feel stressed out during the contest?
Oil: Yes, I got sick before the final round. I couldn’t sing powerfully or with my full vocal range. I cried and was afraid that I wouldn’t do well, but my dad visited me and encouraged me a lot.
Student Weekly: What was it like being trained by Parn Thanaporn?
Oil: Although Parn seems taciturn, she was actually very kind and funny. She advised me to perform naturally and to be myself. She also told me to not to look too serious while singing. I listened to her advice and have tried to improve myself.
Student Weekly: Do you have any advice for readers who might want to sing English language songs?
Oil: Firstly, you should translate the lyrics and try to understand the meaning of the song. Then you need to decide if you want to copy the techniques of the song’s original performer, or whether you prefer to just sing it in your own style. I try to mix my own style with other singers’ techniques.
Vocabulary
- sharpen (v): to become or make something better, more skillful, etc.
considerably (adv): a lot
native (n): a person who was born in a particular area or country
captivate (v): to keep somebody’s close attention be being extremely interesting, attractive, etc.
versatility (n): the fact of being able to do many different things
dynamics (n): changes in volume, speed, etc., in music
taciturn (adj): tending not to say very much, in a way that seems unfriendly
translate (v): to change something from one language to another
Idioms
from day one: from the beginning
take part in something: to be involved in something
cross your fingers: to hope that your plans will be successful by putting one finger across another as a sign of good luck
be yourself: to act naturally
