Opor shares his feelings

Praput Pimpama (Opor) first won over fans on The Voice Thailand Season 3 in 2013. Since then, he has established himself as one of the best singers and songwriters on the Thai music scene. Over the past few years, he has written hit songs for himself and other singers as well as for TV dramas.

Last year, Opor left his first music label What the Duck to find a new home at White Music, a subsidiary of GMM Grammy. The move is working out well for him, as his latest single, “Kwan Ngao (Lonely Smoke),” proves. This beautiful acoustic pop song about loneliness, produced by Tissadee Srimuang (O), has become a big hit.

S Weekly caught up with Opor at the GMM Grammy building to chat about his new single and his experience shooting the video in Hong Kong.

Can you tell us about the new song?

Opor: “Lonely Smoke” is my second single with White Music after last year’s “Forbid,” although I did release another song called “Wela (Time)” for a TV commercial. “Lonely Smoke” is based on my own experience. I was just sitting around doing nothing because I felt like there was nothing interesting to do. I realised that I was lonely. I wrote the song because I thought it would help to cure my loneliness.

Why did you call it “Lonely Smoke”?

Opor: For a long time, I couldn’t think of a name. Then I thought of how loneliness can overwhelm us - almost like smoke surrounding us and following us no matter where we go.

Apart from writing songs, what else do you do to deal with loneliness?

Opor: I spend more time with my family. I like playing with my niece. Or I’ll go and hang out with friends if they’re free. And I love watching movies at home. That can help a lot.

What was it like working with O Tissadee?

Opor: I’ve had a different producer for every song I’ve done, which is a bit strange. But it means I’ve experienced lots of different ways of working. O wasn’t that involved in writing the song but did a lot of work on the arrangement and mixing. He suggested that I record with live drums instead of a drum machine. It sounded so much better.

Why did you decide to shoot the video in Hong Kong?

Opor: It was the director’s idea. He felt that to create the right mood, we should go somewhere that’s full of people but is unfamiliar. We stayed there for about four days. It was a fun experience.

How did you get Ice Preechaya to be in the video?

Opor: We spent several weeks looking for the right actress. Originally, we hired somebody else, but she had to pull out because her parents wouldn’t allow her to go to Hong Kong. [Laughs.] Then one of my friends suggested Ice, so we contacted her and luckily she agreed. I got quite nervous trying to act next to somebody so talented and popular.

Many of your songs are acoustic. Do you prefer acoustic to electric guitar?

Opor: It wasn’t intentional - it just turned out that way. I wanted my sound to be simple and honest and I think acoustic guitar suits this better. And I like to have my acoustic guitar with me, especially when I go away on a trip. It’s easier to carry than an electric guitar.

What kind of music do you like listening to?

Opor: I listen to many different types of music. Although I enjoy listening to new music, I usually play old songs that I like. Lately I’ve become more into instrumental music. I buy a lot of film soundtracks and scores. My current favourites are The Legend of 1900 and La La Land.