The ultimate 'Lover Boy' of Thai indie pop music, Phum Viphurit is set to make his Ombak Festival debut at this year's installment of the festival that will be happening at Desaru Coast from 12 to 14 September.
In this conversation, Phum lets us in on the inspirations behind his ocean-tinged love songs and his emotional growth through his music from when he was starting out to now. He gives us a glimpse into the raw, soulful energy fans can expect from his upcoming set and the joys of venturing out of his warm and groovy sound, and potentially exploring new and exciting genres of music in projects to come.
Let’s say the Ombak Festival crowd could taste your vibes – smooth, soulful, indie groove. Would that taste like coconut-laced iced tea, charred satay, or a bowl of laksa – and what track pairs best with it?
I’d say all three, with how diverse my current festival set feels to play. We have the slow, diabetes-inducing tracks as the iced tea, the classics we always have to play like the satay; and we definitely bring the spice with the new tracks and arrangements, just like laksa.
If you could use three words to describe your upcoming Ombak Festival set, what would they be and why?
Warm, groovy, raw. Warm for the tone of the songs. Groove for the amount of movement we’re looking to create in the crowd. Raw as in we are a 7-piece band with no backing track. (Laughs).
Let’s say you’re writing a love song during soundcheck at Desaru Coast. What’s more likely to inspire the chorus. How do you think it would go?
I’d definitely write something quite floaty, almost like reminiscing about a love that could never be. The ocean tends to give me bittersweet thoughts. I think I’d use keywords like the tide and horizon, most definitely.
Do you think songs grow older with you? Is there one you wrote years ago that now feels like a completely different person wrote it? and why?
Some do. My younger self had a very black-and-white view on things. For example, my older heartbreak songs were purely fueled by teenage pain and angst. My current viewpoints on things are definitely more grey and well-rounded in a way. Before I express something, I think a lot more about how there are two or more sides to everything — every emotion, every expression. I am a more nuanced writer and performer now.
You’ve often been described as “dreamy” or “soulful” – is there a different genre or sound you’d like to experiment with in the future?
Definitely house with psychedelic influences have been something I’ve dipped my feet into. I’d love to further explore the use of rhythm in my music, movement, and different time signatures that push the boundaries of my ability as a composer.
Purchase tickets for Ombak Festival 2025 here.
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