BK: How did the Apple Girls Band get started?
Saitip “Walnut” Wiwatnapattapee: A friend wanted to make some music for the Fat Music Festival. We recorded his song in three versions: full band, acoustic, and eight-bit sound. For the video, we decided to use applications on the iPhone. But my friends who are all male thought they didn’t fit with the “Apple style” so I recruited my friends, Fern, Vas, Tookta, and Pac, from Chulalongkorn University’s CU Band. Wan-Yen and Mint later joined the band while I was studying in Canada.

BK: What was it like the first time you played together?
Pimprapa “Fern” Chalermwongwiwat: It was quite intense, we only had two hours to practice and we’d never played the song before—and we had to play it on Apple gadgets!
Walnut: The power in the studio went out, so we were only able to record half of what was intended, it was a hectic day. After editing, the video was posted on YouTube and the feedback was unbelievable: we hit 50,000 views in a couple days. [Nearly 250,000 now.]

BK: What’s the hardest thing about these electronic instruments?
Fern: It’s frustrating because everything is so small. It’s hard to play certain chords or keys because of the limited space. However, it’s also more fun since there are so many different sounds.
Walnut: It’s like playing with a toy; you just press and have fun with the different sounds.

BK: Any incidents during the shows?
Fern: Yes, sometimes the program will just freeze or malfunction and certain sounds will play by themselves. You can’t always rely on electronic gadgets.
Walnut: Mistakes can happen at any time, what’s important is to know that the show must go on.

BK: Besides the Apple Girls Band, what do you do?
Fern: I’m studying computer engineering. I also teach the piano and singing; and I sing at The Wave, Route 66, and The Den.
Pac: I’m a third year student. I sing at private events and also do a bit of modeling for Lots Hop and Thiranon clothing.
Walnut: I’ve done a lot of work. I’m so hyper. I’ve worked for advertising agencies, night clubs and I was a barista in a coffee shop. I just came back from Canada after studying there for six months.

BK: What’s the feedback so far?
Pac: There are good and bad comments. Some people say that we’re just copying bands from abroad by using electronic gadgets; some say we should stick to real instruments. But they don’t know that we can also play real instruments.

Also in the Apple girls Boonyavat “Vas” Thanasomboon, Jamaporn “Tookta” Saengtong, Nichamon “Wan-Yen” Pongsuwun and Nissara “Mint” Sitthathikarnvet. See them at http://ow.ly/8177f.