Hey honey bees! We were so excited for this album to drop, and it certainly did not disappoint.😏 OMW! (On My Way!) is CDGuntee’s very first album with ten pretty diverse sincere (and 🔥) tracks that basically sum up the Thai artist’s entire journey. But let’s just jump right into this interview so you can hear more, directly from him. Yes, this is actually happening…how do we stay calm and keep our fangirling screams internal?🫣🤟
Becoming CDGuntee
Starting from taking jazz dance lessons at 11 years old, then later becoming a group trainee and participating in survival shows, CDGuntee first became known for his dancing and singing abilities. Yet years later he ended up going on a show called The Rapper and took an irreversible turn towards hip-hop.
“I liked hip-hop since I was a kid. Listening to Thai hip-hop groups like Thaitanium and Southside, I felt crazy about this genre and got really into it. When I became a trainee, there were a lot of rules to adhere to. So I just followed the assignments and kept going until I eventually became a professional artist. My image came out as someone who likes to sing and dance because I did pop and rock songs too. But I realized I liked hip-hop. I watched Rap is Now (editor’s note: a Thai rappers’ community) and rap battles and decided to try this genre. I formed a group called THE OLD i$E with friends from Ayutthaya (editor’s note: CDGuntee’s hometown), and we joined a show called The Rapper. We made it to the finals, and I became known as a rapper.”
Learning and experiencing many different sides of the music industry definitely helped CDGuntee grow into a multitalented all-rounder who knows himself as an artist. Talking about his journey, he also reminisces positively. “Now, I feel like I can do things, that reflect who I am, in many different ways. Because I have all this experience. From singing pop, rock, country, and dance songs at The Star every week… I don’t feel like I have to fit into a certain mold. Rather everything has to be me, the way I do it.”
On The Way to OMW! (On My Way!)
CDGuntee’s first album represents exactly this journey. He is basically saying I’m OMW! (On My Way!) to becoming this diverse artist you know. “There are many things I like about making this album. It includes fatigue, pressure, stress, and even different emotions about success. There are many feelings in it. OMW! is my first album, so I thought about it a lot and spent a lot of time with it. It was very challenging at first. But as it started to take shape, with songs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 coming in, it became lighter and I begin to enjoy it more.”
An album like this is incredibly personal and doesn’t only require a lot of work, but also a lot of courage to open up and tell your own, unfiltered story. “Working on this album had a lot of impact on me, and unlocked many aspects of my life before finalizing it. The more feedback I received from people around me—both at work and home—the happier and less tired I felt. I almost forget those feelings that came with everything. Only the joy and pride in myself remained. With the feeling that I can do it, and I can continue to develop it.”
“It became a turning point and I crossed my safe zone in many ways. It will be a moment I will remember forever, including the day when people came to the Listening Party. I feel like we achieved something.”
Diving Into The Tracklist
Just as different moments in someone’s life journey, each song on the album offers a completely unique experience from the one before. When we say it’s an album with no skips, we mean literally no skips. Diverse in sound and story, all 10 tracks capture and pull you in differently. And that being said, we at The Honey POP simply couldn’t agree on picking any favorites. And it seems like we were not the only ones struggling with this question.
“It’s tough because every song is my favorite, all made with intention and from the heart. But if I had to recommend one song from the album that feels different it would be ‘Bad boy.’ I never released a sad song so it’s a side of me that I’ve never shown to people before. Another song that I like is ‘Butterfly’ because it combines many things like singing, dancing, and rapping. And the hook is in English. I’ve never done anything like this before, and it’s also our first single with Sony Music Thailand. I feel like this song, including the music video, is full of everything.”
Diving into other tracks on the album, we simply have to stop and talk about the vocally and lyrically captivating ‘I got feeling!’ “Emotions we have at this age might not be the same as we felt with someone at the age of 20.” Just as similar feelings can be expressed so differently, the song itself also seems to slip into different worlds with its hook and rap parts. “It’s a strong, deep feeling, and there is also a little bit of intoxication and darkness in the song too.”
Speaking of age…the closing track of the album wears the title of CDGuntee’s 25th birthday. Yet we definitely wouldn’t compare this song to your typical sweet birthday cake topped with rainbow sprinkles.
“I felt like every birthday would be fun, but that year I had time to reflect on myself and wrote ‘11 Dec 2021’. As I was doing a recap of the past I remembered the days when I had no money or when I went to the military. I felt like I was still fighting and moving forward.”
“More than anything else, this song is a reminder to myself about what I have been through.”
“At first, I didn’t think about releasing it. Like many of the songs, I just composed it for myself. But I felt that it fit the concept of OMW!. It became the last song since it means something to me. It feels like I’m sharing my perspective with everyone on how things I’ve been through affected me.”
After going through many stories on the tracklist, instead of choosing a favorite or a highlight, we were wondering which song CDGuntee would dedicate to his fans. And he went with the one that sums up his entire journey.
“The people who have been following me since the beginning have seen everythin. The Star, watched me learn to sing, go to the military, or being a trainee in GMM Grammy, and just working in the entertainment industry. ‘OMW!’ is a recap that helps them see and understand what I was thinking during those times. They will hear every part of my story quite clearly without a complex flow. We wanted to communicate how I felt during that time.”
For older fans, this track can indeed be as meaningful as it is for the artist himself. But we believe it’s also a great choice for newer fans. As it is not only a great representation of the colorful artist CDGuntee is, but it also is a great introduction to his overall persona. It definitely helped us feel closer to him despite most of us not even being on the same continent as him. (Who’s gonna surprise us with a one-way ticket to Thailand to change this?👀)
Future Plans
“I looked up at the sky and saw only the Moon and a single star in the sky. I just felt like telling a romantic love story.” Now, it might be a love song, we wanted to take the title of ‘Aim to the moon’ in a bit more literal way. We were wondering what the next big goal might be in CDGuntee’s life after dropping such a meaningful album.
“I don’t know where music or songs will take me, but I want to take it as far as possible.“
“I may not be able to answer where it will take me. But I want to do something new and different. And be myself every day.” As discussed before, music did already take CDGuntee in several distinct ways since his debut. But we have yet to mention the endless list of collaborations and features he’s done over the past years. These are not only proving his musical diversity once again. But also highlighting his general influence and position within the industry.
“I’d say I want to keep my options open and go with the flow. It’s about the rhythms of life. Meeting someone, catching the right vibe, and then working together. There are many artists, both Thai and international, that I would love to collaborate with, but I don’t dare to say who they are. (Laughs.) I just hope for the best.” And so are we. We are always excited to see CDGuntee’s name popping up. But we’ll certainly ‘HOP OUT’ of our seats on the day we get an international collab. 🤩
Message To Fans
“For fans who have been following and listening to my songs. Regardless of how they found me, whether, through a competition like The Star or a drama. I would like to thank everyone so much for their support. When you come up to me to say hello, take a picture, or have a real conversation, I’ll try to be present as much as possible. I want to be able to really look at them and sincerely talk to everyone. For those who have just discovered my music, it is nice to meet you! My songs have many dimensions and come in many different styles. I hope you’ll try listening to them and enjoying them. If you like them or feel anything about them, you can share your story or feedback on Instagram or YouTube comments. Again, it is nice to meet you, and thank you very much.”
Ahw, did this interview really just happen!? 🥹We had the entire album on repeat for the past month or so. But what about you? Could you pick a favorite track? Let us know by tweeting us at @thehoneypop or join the conversation and share your favorite part of the interview on Facebook and Instagram.
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