Thai singer-songwriter Phum Viphurit performed the last show of his North America tour at The Regent Theater in Downtown Los Angeles on Sunday, September 24.
Viphurit toured internationally for his sophomore album “The Greng Jai Piece” which was released on Jan. 31, 2023. After performing across Asia and Oceania, Viphurt spent the last leg of his tour in the U.S. In August, he performed in 21 cities starting in Dallas before ending it here in L.A. Other cities he traveled to across the country include Atlanta, Washington, New York, Toronto, Denver, San Diego and more. For the North America tour, he was joined by artists Mild Orange and Brandon. Before one last performance, he spoke with Annenberg Media about the heart behind his album and this tour.
How does it feel being on the last show of your tour?
“Feels amazing. I thought I’d be a bit more sad, but it’s been a bit too long that I’ve been away from home that I’m kind of excited to go back home. I’m grateful to be here, but I’m really happy to be going back home and getting some sleep, like an actual amount of sleep. Mixed feelings but more on the happy side.” [laughs]
What is it like getting to represent your home and Asian people wherever you perform?
“Honestly, I hadn’t realized this representational aspect of it until not too long ago when I started writing this latest album that I’m touring. Yeah, before this, I was just like, ‘I like doing music.’ I didn’t see myself as being someone from a particular, like different culture as something I do. But now, more so than ever with this latest album, I explored more of my own Thai-ness, my own third-culture kid, sort of limbo that I’m in. So, I am very proud to be representing Thailand, New Zealand and places of my upbringing.”
Can you speak more on what you mentioned about exploring your identity in the songs you wrote for this album?
“This album’s called ‘The Greng Jai Piece.’ It refers to an episode of ‘The Big Bang Theory’ where there’s a plate of food in the middle of the room and there’s one piece of food left and Sheldon explains to his friends that it’s called the kreng jai piece. It’s reserved for the most valuable member of the table, like the eldest. For me, it was something I always grew up with, but to hear it explained to me from a very Americanized, entertainment way sparked this whole idea of exploring my own Thai-ness and my place and my take on things I agree with and things I disagree with.”
Yeah, and it’s a great album I have to say.
[laughs] “Thank you very much.”
What is it like releasing your sophomore album and getting to perform it for all of your fans?
“It feels great because I think a lot of musicians after the whole Covid thing were very much in doubt like could they sustain this career? Will the following be the same? Will they get the same opportunities? I’m so grateful to be on this tour in the U.S. and Canada. Yeah, the reception’s been lovely.”
What is it like getting to perform across Asia, Oceania and the U.S.?
“They’re all very different vibe-wise. I would say when you tour in Asia, the hospitality is significantly better. I think it’s just an Eastern thing where they feed you very well and the hospitality is very gentle and polite. Not that people in the West are not as gentle and polite, but it’s a lot more DIY and hands-on when you tour the Western states. I live for both aspects and these differences, it keeps me active and on my toes.”
How does it feel going to all these places? Does it ever feel crazy looking back on it?
“It did feel crazy the first few years that I started traveling: 2018, 2019, but now it feels like a routine, more like work. I do enjoy when I get days off. The excitement is not the same as when I was let’s say like 22, 23 when I first started.”
What messages do you hope people get from your music?
Honestly, I don’t want to impose any strong messaging or anything. I just wrote about what I feel and I hope it resonates with people and they form their own connections and meanings to it. Even though I’m writing about my Thai-ness and my third-culture kid limbo thing going on, I hope they find their own thing with it. That’s my greatest wish.”
That is essentially the beauty of art to just find your own interpretation.
“Yeah, I don’t want to define it for them too much.”
What is your favorite memory from the tour?
“On this trip, I really enjoyed... What were we doing? It’s such a blur. I’ll just summarize this tour or this year I guess. We played a show in Hong Kong, it was very memorable. We had some days off in Korea this year which was really nice. We had some time off in L.A., we went out to Joshua Tree to visit our friends up there and that was really nice. I enjoy the downtime more in today’s age.”
Do you have a favorite city you performed in?
“The ones that stood out to me have been New York, Vancouver, Toronto, Boston’s really nice, Chicago. Yeah, all the West Coast cities are really lovely. The other cities are really lovely, but I just remember those cities more because I guess I wasn’t too exhausted. Yeah, it was nice to go to.”
Yeah, maybe tonight will be memorable too.
“I hope so too. It’s our last one too, so we’re going to give it everything.”
After Viphurit’s two openers, he entered The Regent Theater stage to a frenzied crowd that welcomed his appearance. He and his band performed a colorful and vibrant show for many fans who reciprocated their energy. During the show and on behalf of his band, he said they waited 20 shows to be back in L.A. and can’t wait to return.