Gun sings again

In 2013, the seven-member boy band Evo Nine made a buzz with their first single, “Make You Dance.” Their follow-up “Super Man” was also well-received. But despite their early promise, Evo Nine soon broke up and the guys went their separate ways.

One member, Ratchanon Ruenpech (Gun), went into acting, appearing in shows such as Legendary Outlaw, Petchakat Taphet (The Killer) and The Legend of King Naresuan The Series. But his heart has always been in music. So Gun was ecstatic when he was given the chance to return to his first love with the dance pop single, “Suan Kan (Walk Past).”

S Weekly sat down with the 21-year-old performer at our office to chat about his singing and acting.

When did you start singing?

Gun: When I was very young, I went to see my sister in singing contests and I soon discovered that I loved singing too. So I took lots of singing lessons with different teachers. They taught me various singing techniques and I learned a lot from all of them.

How long did you train at Mono Music before becoming a member of Evo Nine?

Gun: Three years. We trained in singing and dancing for six to seven hours every day after school. There are many tests. If the trainees don’t pass, they’re eliminated.

Do you remember your first performance with Evo Nine?

Gun: Absolutely. We were at Siam Discovery for a big event and had to perform after the popular singer, Chin Chinawut. We were really nervous, but the audience gave us a great welcome. We‘d practised that song for a couple of years because our choreographer was Korean and he was very strict. So we were happy to receive such positive feedback.

How did the opportunity to make “Walk Past” come about?

Gun: I entered showbiz because I wanted to be a singer. So every time I met executives at Mono Music, I always told them that if there was a song available, I’d be happy to sing it. Eventually, they gave me permission to work on this single.

Can you tell us about the song?

Gun: It’s very interesting. I didn’t meet the songwriter to talk about it beforehand, but the story he wrote for the song is exactly like something that happened to me. I once met a girl in university that I really liked, but I was too shy to ask her for her number. I promised myself that if I met her five times, I’d force myself to talk to her. And that’s what happened.

Why did you decide to write a rap part in English?

Gun: I wanted to make the song sound more international. The rap part isn’t very long. And I like English, so it wasn’t difficult to write.

Which is more difficult - acting or singing?

Gun: Acting because I have to become somebody else. To make the character believable, I have to develop a realistic personality and other qualities. When I’m singing, I can be myself and just express my feelings through the song.

We heard that your hobby is collecting action figures. Can you tell us about that?

Gun: I collect figures from films and TV shows I like, such as the Batman movies, Prison Break, Harry Potter and other heroes from DC Comics. One of my favourites is The Joker as played by Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight. The figures are made by Hot Toys and are very detailed. When I put them on display in my room, they remind me of scenes from the movies.