Holding a recent win as Best Hidden Gem Artist at Thailand’s TOTY Awards, Thai indie artist pami is one to keep on your radar. She specializes in emotional storytelling, best heard through her debut album, puffette, released last August. It opens with sweet romance in “kiss me blue” and ends with the comforting anthem of “let it out.” The album incorporates multiple genres such as R&B, alternative rock, and bedroom pop, allowing pami to showcase her musical versatility.

Pami’s recent single, “cry jar,” was released on March 18 and discusses the consequences of a conflict-filled relationship. To discuss her latest release, EnVi met pami over Google Meet, and her energy was instantly infectious. As her camera feed clicked on, she waved and gave an enthusiastic greeting. She sat comfortably in her bedroom, which doubles as her recording studio. She also boasted her possession of an EnVi sticker on her laptop, a memento from meeting us after her performance at Emerge Fest in March. 

Growing Into an Artist

Music ignited passion in pami’s life from as young as four years old. Her first fond memory involved singing along to different anime openings at age four. The language barrier didn’t stop her, as she reminisced on the joy singing brought her. “It’s kind of funny, isn’t it? That the first songs I ever learned to sing would be in Japanese,” she commented while giggling. This seemingly simple action would later influence her decision to aim towards a global audience. 

Pami’s journey to artistry wasn’t as straightforward as others, but her experiences are just as essential to her growth. In high school, she was part of a rock cover band and got to enjoy doing live performances.

When she later signed with MBO to become an actress in Thailand, her knowledge of the entertainment industry broadened. After turning 21, where pami said her music career truly started, she made her way to China and briefly worked in the C-pop scene. It was during this time that she realized she wanted to be more involved in music production.

“I always wanted to be a singer but never thought about making my own music,” pami admitted. “Since then, I’ve experienced so many things from learning to performing.” Pami’s dedication to music brought her so far as to go to London to study music. She took various classes, though she admitted she faced challenges as she built her foundation out of order. “It was my first time opening Logic and doing anything like that. I didn’t know I needed music theory until my professor told me!” she exclaimed, her shock still evident on her face. As she later learned through a separate online course, it all began to click in what she described as “mathematics, but artistic and creative.”

Pami’s experience in the UK solidified the start of her career as she closely studied music, songwriting, and vocal performance. Equipped with a deeper understanding of music, pami began to write for herself. “When I write, I start writing on a notepad, through poems and ‘word vomit,’” she described. “Mostly lyrics and melody come first. When I have the words in my mind, I feel like I know how the melody will go.” Overall, pami emphasized that while the instrumental sets the stage, “telling the story is important.”

Emotional Compensation Through the “cry jar”

Pami’s gentle voice and soft instrumental contrasts the lyrics for “cry jar,” which are notably more sharp-edged than previous releases. “I need some compensation for the way that you’re behaving /  Since you don’t wanna try, then just pay up quick,” she snaps in the chorus. Despite stemming from her own experience, pami credited the extra sass as a mix of her and co-writer Ayu. Her cheekiness is further shown in the music video, where she is seen smirking as she bites on the golden coin profits of her “crymonade” stand.

As fun and punchy as “cry jar” is, the story behind it reveals a personal anecdote. “[‘Cry jar’] is based on my past relationship,” pami revealed. “I had an ex-boyfriend who borrowed money and I didn’t get it back.” While telling this story to co-writers Ayu and Glen, both agreed that it would be a strong concept for a song. Ayu suggested, “if you make me cry, then pay up,” thus forming the literal idea of a cry jar. The trio worked quickly and finished the song within a day. 

“Cry jar” was one of many songs created from pami’s participation at a songwriting camp in Australia. Working alongside a team of producers and writers in a picturesque lodge showed pami the opportunities the greater music industry could provide. She had nothing but great things to say: “It’s crazy to think my first songcamp was in the middle of nature and it really raised my standards!” 

For pami, who had been used to writing alone in her room, the experience brought a new appreciation for collaboration. “I worked with four to five producers daily. I love how I was thrown into a group of creative people and forced to write a song. [The workflow] helped me with motivation, inspiration, and procrastination.” Quick turnarounds for each song produced allowed pami to focus, and she valued the support felt with each turn. If presented with the opportunity, pami told EnVi she would love to do it all over again.

From Dreamcore to Making Dreams Reality

Adding to her expansive skillset, pami is also directly involved with crafting her visual narrative. “My job is content creator and producer,” she stated, then backtracked, “No, actually I don’t have enough money [to be a producer],” she joked. Backed by her company, JUICEY, pami shared her gratitude for artistic freedom. Discussions are productive as pami said the creative direction is split pretty evenly between her and JUICEY. 

Visuals and aesthetic are soft and dreamy, as pami’s music videos are often full of nature and grass she admitted to loving unabashedly. “The art direction we’re going for is a neighbor’s homegirl, [something] down to earth and very colorful,” she explained. “I want people to feel like I am out [in the middle] of nowhere.” From exploring bright blue seas in “pity dirty,” to walking along a neat green golf course in “kiss me blue,” pami wanders what seems to be endless rolling landscapes. Whimsy is woven through pami’s interaction with her environment in each scene, such as the various replacements for a phone in “call my dad.”

Future releases were teased as EnVi asked about what listeners could expect to look forward to as pami continues to experiment with sound. Among so many music genres, pami noted how she would love to work more with UK garage, but had priorities. “Right now I have to do lots of work about the new single that I wanted to write,” she informed us. “It gives a lot of pop vibes and has to do with some of the producers from the songwriting camp!”

When wrapping the interview up, pami excitedly told EnVi, “You must let everyone know, I have a really big dream!” Though she has performed in a slew of Asian countries – Thailand, Japan, China, South Korea, Taiwan, and Indonesia – pami sees herself on even more stages across the world. “My dream is to play at a huge festival, to perform at Coachella, and maybe even win a GRAMMY award!” 

“I think I need to practice my English more,” she said as she laughed. “But, I want to go to the US, and I know I have fans there who I would love to meet.” Though official performances are yet to be announced, fans can look forward to more music being released this year.

Stay updated with pami on Instagram, X, TikTok, and YouTube! “Cry jar” is now available to stream on Apple Music, Spotify, and YouTube Music.

In the mood for more artists with unique aesthetics and sound? Read about EnVi’s interview with Sophie Powers and her single “klepto!”