Young T-pop Stars are Disrupting Thailand's Conservative Society

Mainstream pop music in Thailand is usually dominated by soft love songs and cheesy dance tracks. Anything more experimental than that often gets ignored, meaning that those making it need to find their own ways to release music. “Being an independent artist means there’s no pressure to grow revenue – but at the same time you need to find the sweet spot where you can create and capitalise on it,” says O Thongthai, founder of O Thongthai jewellery, a favourite of the Thai music scene as well as musicians across the globe. “Creation is the priority,” she says.

The alternative world of independent Thai music is anything but conservative. Highlighting people from all walks of life from rural Isaan to urban LGBTQ circles, Thai music offers the next generation a chance to experiment with new genres and styles free from mainstream pressures surrounding art and presentation. Choltanutkun Tun-atiruj explores this overlooked counterculture in her article for i-D below.