Daniel in the music den

Daniel in the music den

SOCIAL & LIFESTYLE

Messy hair, baggy shirts and a 90s vibe all around, Daniel Didyasarin seems like your typical half-Thai, half-American schoolboy with vintage tendencies. You might pass him on the sidewalk without a second thought, but this fresh-faced young man is a promising artist on the rise in Thailand's music scene. Daniel is a member of the bands Penny Time and City Plant, but since those two bands are currently on a break (hopefully not the Ross and Rachel kind), he's kept busy and released his first solo album Bedroom, not to mention a couple of EPs and singles, as well. You get the chance to hear him live on Sept 22 at Siri House. Guru sat down and talked to the burgeoning young artist.

You have a lot of musical influences like Michael Jackson and you even tried to write pop songs. What made you settle into the alt rock sound you have now?

My sound will always be deeply rooted within the alternative rock world but I have tried to write songs in all sorts of genres. I haven't really accomplished in bringing all of these genres together yet, but it's coming close. For now I'm a proud genre-less musician.

Do you have a songwriting process? Does music come first then lyrics or vice versa?

It's different for every song. In the summer I recorded about eight songs and most of them had me singing into the mic with lyrics that came to mind at the time of recording.

Being half-Thai and half-American, did you have any sort of preference when it came to music, like Western over Thai?

I love Silly Fools as much as Nirvana, The Cranberries as much as Paradox and Aphex Twin as much as Stylish Nonsense. My only preference is that the music is interesting and never boring. All of these bands/artists that I list have/had great and unique aesthetics to their image and sound that will make people love them forever -- something I strive to build.

You grew up listening to artists and now you're one of them. What's it like being on the other side? Did it meet your expectations?

That is a huge compliment. In general, it feels good when people regard me as an artist. When I was a kid, I liked to imagine myself playing in front of seven to nine people in a small bar and I would be happy. Sometimes I would imagine playing in front of a crowd of 10,000 and it would make me even happier. I guess I'm kind of alright with where I am. At the same time, I still keep the dream of pursuing even bigger things.

Has music gotten better or worse?

Since 2017, there's been so many quality wave indie bands popping up everyday. I discover most of my music on Spotify playlists and they are glorious. I think it has gotten better in my favour.

Your outfits and your music have a very 90s vibe. Did you do this on purpose or did it just come about?

I usually pick out whatever is in the closet (my mum still buys me clothes) and most of the 'cool' clothes I have are nicked from my brother. In terms of my music, it really just came about.

Gigs and concerts get hot and sweaty. What's the best outfit to wear when performing a gig?

I like to wear something not too heavy, not even the guitar. A soft T-shirt and a pair of jeans are a great combo for me. Some blood on the face is a good mix, too. The amount of times I've cut my mouth from bumping it into the mic is absurd!

Name your greatest Thai band of all time?

Silly Fools.

Your favourite intimate gigs or big concerts?

It really depends on my mood for the night, I love both.

Do you prefer mainstream or indie music?

I've heard great things from both. I also consider Nirvana mainstream. So I'll go with 'good music'.

Daniel will be performing in Siri House's The Living Room on Sept 22 from 4.30-6pm. Admission is free. Visit fb.com/DanielRyn99 to follow updates and look for Daniel Didyasarin on Spotify.

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