Why the Japanese focus?
I lived in Japan for four years and I fell in love with their desserts. They are very lovely—light, soft and slightly sweet. So when I got back to Bangkok, they were my inspiration. Plus they are quite a new thing here.

So Masatomi is doing strictly Japanese sweets?
It’s Japanese desserts that have been developed from traditional French ones. Japanese ingredients like green tea, red beans or Japanese orange are added to classic desserts so that people can relate to the flavors. I admire the idea that the Japanese always look to use local ingredients. I try to embrace this idea too by using what is yummy here, like coconut milk.

What do you think about the current craze for Japanese style desserts?
On the bright side, shop owners will try to develop better products so customers will get better quality desserts. However, it’s important for people to use the word ‘Japanese’ properly. It’s not as easy as sticking a green tea leaf on a dessert and then saying it’s Japanese style.

How did your passion for singing start?
I started taking vocal classes when I was eight, when I was in Sweden; it was my mom’s idea, actually. But as I kept practicing, it became my own passion. When I came back to Thailand three years ago, I didn’t have a plan to continue singing because I was focusing on getting my business degree from ABAC. Last year, however, I wanted to get back into it all, so I joined the KPN singing competition.

So why didn’t you study singing instead of business?
It’s something my parents wanted, and, actually, I feel like it’s a good thing to have as much knowledge and skills as possible, in case one thing doesn’t work out. And even now that I’m singing again, I don’t regret choosing the business-degree path, as I want to be good at both the business part and the art part.

How did you end up working with Dreambox?
After I was runner up in KPN last year, Dreambox invited me to audition for Fame the Musical. I got a role as a ballet dancer, Iris Kelly. After that, the directing team asked me to audition again, this time for the leading role in Prisna. I jumped at the opportunity and have worked extremely hard to improve myself as an actor and singer.

Has your background in singing helped you with acting?
For me, acting is way more difficult than singing. Studying acting, however, has helped me sing better. Both have their own charms, though. When you act on stage, the audiences expect something fresh from you, even though they know that you’ve practiced this scene millions of times. It’s never exactly the same each time, so that aspect makes it interesting. Singing live is a bit different in that audiences expect to hear your best and they expect consistency.

Do you feel any stress acting with professionals?
Of course, yes. I especially feel it acting with artists like Tu Phobthorn, Nat and other stars from the Academy Fantasia family because I’ve seen them sing a lot and they’re my idols. Also, our rehearsals were cut short last year because of the floods. That really stressed me out.

You are now doing a lot: singing, acting and modeling. At what point will you consider yourself successful?
There are a lot more things I want to try, like starring in a TV series or movie, for example. I still consider myself a newcomer in this field, so now I’m just taking it step by step. I don’t have an exact plan. Being in this field is unlike the business world, where you have more control. It [the performing arts field] depends on the producer and if they fund the opportunities for me to grow.

What inspired the birth of Qeeple?
During my marketing and communications stint with the Interior Design Confederation (Singapore) in 2009, we regularly received calls from homeowners asking for design service recommendations. It got me thinking about how we could create something to guide homeowners to design solutions based on the merits of the interior design firm and not just because somebody knows somebody who can do the job.

What do you offer online that the industry traditionally didn’t?
Our research revealed that homeowners want ideas in a visual format. As a result, we’re very image-focused; you’re presented with relevant images in Qeeple’s search results rather than words. We’ve also got the biggest image library bank of interior ideas in Singapore (and probably Southeast Asia) and provide a platform for homeowners to meaningfully interact with these resources.

Any challenges to getting the site going?
The interior design industry is still a rather traditional one, so we needed to convince local design firms to adopt the idea of sharing in a Web 2.0 environment and that the advantage of getting more clients from Internet exposure overrides the risk of their design concepts being copied. It took over a year to cajole and beg for the number of interior portfolios you see on Qeeple right now.

How about future plans for the site?
We’re focused on further developing our library, providing more features for our users and making further improvements to our user interface to better support new homeowners who are either embarking on a major interior design project and existing house-proud owners looking to refurbish their homes with unique elements.

Live performances or studio recordings?
Playing live, definitely. To be able to bring audiences to a different level every time, building on their reactions and emotions. Nothing beats that.

Old school or new school jazz?
None of it—I simply see myself as someone who plays music.

Who are your influences?
James Brown, Lenny Kravitz, Michael Jackson, Jay-Z… the list goes on. I’m all over the place.

You’ve been traveling a lot lately. What was your best gig recently?
I was in the recording studio with the legendary Maceo Parker during Thanksgiving, and it was amazing.

What inspires you?
Life. It changes every day and I take in all the experiences and conversations I’ve had with different people.

Expectations for Rock & Roots?
To be able to build relationships with the audience.

Trombone Shorty performs at Timbre Rock & Roots on March 31 at the Marina Promenade.

What do you think of the Singapore coffee scene?
It has moved at breakneck speed but the specialty scene here still has a long way to go. The average customer is still not aware of the difference between genuine Third Wave coffee shops—using specialty grade coffee, single origin beans and the best gear with properly trained baristas—and quirky indie café; not that there’s anything wrong with the latter! But I think the distinction between specialty coffee shop and indie coffee shop has been missed.

Tell us the secret to running a successful café…
It’s a tough business and I think several newcomers are finding this out the hard way; I know one or two that are about to call it quits. You can do great coffee and put all your passion and resources into it, but unless you put the other pieces of the puzzle together—an interesting space, nice vibe, good food (the most important other factor) and a fast and tight operation—people here won’t buy into it.

How do you think the scene here will evolve?
I look forward to a savvier, better educated customer. We had a few complaints early on that our coffee was too sour. But now, people can recognize brightness and acidity from fresh top quality beans; a delicious and moreish factor in coffee. Customers also understand the coffee they were drinking before was perhaps flat and dull, even if it had a robust upfront flavor, it was not so complex on the palate. That’s due to the rise of better cafés and people getting more exposure to higher grade coffee.

How important is coffee education to you?
It’s very easy for us to get distracted with just keeping the plates spinning in our busy café but to remain true to our aim of promoting specialty coffee, we’re getting more into the educational side with cuppings and coffee appreciation courses. It’s our duty to fly the Third Wave flag.

I became steadily fascinated by plants from the age of five and can honestly say that now I have to have them around me wherever I go.

The most interesting feedback solicited from the public in response for our shout-out for new ideas for SBG was a request for a toilet for dogs!

If I could rule Singapore for a day, I’d make education about plants and their environments, the benefits they bring us and the appreciation of outdoor green places, a compulsory part of the national curriculum for all ages.

The more you think you know or could learn, the more you get hooked by that interest—so it’s the nerd thing.

When I’m not ensconced in my office, I prefer to be immersed in greenery.

Change is essential when it is timely and driven by good reason—meaningless when instigated for its own sake and for want of having anything better to do.

If I have any regret about my career it would be that nowadays I need to understand people better than I understand plants.

I think it fair to say that the standard of maintenance and presentation at SBG is somewhat higher than The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (where I used to be Head Curator of Horticulture).

Kew has a greater diversity of plants, however, and reasonably claims to have the largest number of species in cultivation in the world. Oh, yes, and Kew does not allow in four-legged beasties unless they are to guide the blind.

SBG will still shine with Gardens by the Bay around because both gardens are very different. The former has a classic English Landscape Movement style of informal design and glorious rolling historic landscape with heritage trees that are hundreds of years old.

SBG holds special memories for many in Singapore with its rich heritage of more than 150 years.

Being nerdy is good as long as you do not bore everyone to tears.

If I were a plant, I’d be a big fat barrel cactus covered in sharp spines—happy in the drought and heat, but also happy enjoying a long drink after it rains.

What do you feel about L’Arc-en-Ciel as you celebrate your 20th anniversary?
Tetsuya: Well we’ve grown up a lot. If you compared us to a man, he has reached his legal age now, so we can legally watch porn already. I mean L'Arc-en-Ciel is like a real man now.

How do you think you continue to be at the top after all this time?
Hyde: Don’t exchange your private email with anyone! Maybe it’s because of our way of working. Everyone in the band can create one of our songs. When one of us has a song in mind, the others will help and develop it. This way of working means our work is always fresh.

You have millions of fan around the world, yet many don’t even understand Japanese?
Tetsuya: It’s true that not all of them understand our lyrics. On the flip-side it makes me so impressed that our music inspires many of them many of them to study Japanese and try to understand our songs.

Where do you get the inspiration for your songs?
Hyde: I always take things that happen around me. If you go back to listen my old songs you will see me in that moment, what I touched or what I was thinking then. The lyrics portray the growth of my thoughts into everything around me.

You always do big gigs these days; do you ever miss the chance to put on a more intimate concert?
Ken: We do occasionally do small gigs, though not as often as the large-scale concerts. But I don’t think that one is better than the other. Big concerts are great as lots of people can come and have fun together while a small gig can bring more intimate feelings. We still want to do both.

You always wear extravaganza costumes at every concert, how do you come up with the ideas?
Tetsuya: I will talk to the designer about my concept then they will cut the new outfit for me wear.
Hyde: In the big concerts, if we dressed normally it would be too boring. Each of us has our own personalities and imagine what we want to be. We just make it more flamboyant for our outfits to be more attractive.

Why do you guys take the butterfly as the main concept for your new album?
Hyde: We feel the moment that chrysalis transforms itself into a butterfly is such a cool moment. L’Arc-en-Ciel takes 20 years to turn into a butterfly as well.

How much have all members changed during the past two decades?
Ken: I have more of a beard.
Tetsuya: My name.
Hyde: My hair is shorter.
Yukihiro: I finally became a member of this band.

Any message for your Thai fans?
Tetsuya: I plan to throw bananas as I always do but the Thai bananas are too small. I will try to find some big ones to throw.
Ken: I was quite surprised to see that the Thai fans are so passionate when they welcomed us at the airport. It was totally different from the Thai people that we see on the streets of Bangkok who are so soft and kind. I will wait to see if the same hotness of Thai fans will happen at the concert or not.

I became a singer because I was poor. My father and uncle used to be actors, but they weren’t famous.

I had to quit school and start to earn a living. The only way I knew how to make money was by being a singer.

I started singing everywhere I could. I even went to Ubon Ratchathani to sing at a U.S. Army camp during the Vietnam War.

When I came back to Bangkok, my friends and I didn’t get lots of gigs, as there were too many musicians and too few clubs in town.

We decided to form a band called Joint Reaction, and went to a competition hosted by the Musical Association of Thailand under the patronage of His Majesty the King and we won. We got so many shows after that.

We decided to change our name to The Impossibles with the hope that it would bring us luck. We borrowed the name from a cartoon series where the hero is a musician. And also, we just wanted the impossible to be possible.

We became so successful. We only had two albums in 1972 and 1973 but we went on tour in many places around the world, like Hawaii and Europe.

Everyone was a hippy back then but I never took drugs. I don’t know why. Maybe I just wasn’t interested or I was just too exhausted from our tight touring schedule.

We finally decided to dissolve our band while we were playing in Sweden in 1976. We all needed to go in different directions. For me, I was getting more acting jobs, too.

I never get bored singing the same old songs. If I felt bored with my songs, why should others listen to them? If you don’t love what you’re doing, who will love it?
I’m taking singing classes because I feel that the new artists are so talented. I had never taken any singing classes so I wanted to improve. I don’t want my work to sound outdated.

Being gifted isn’t enough anymore. Everyone needs a promoter to push them to be a star.

I started studying for my degree five years ago. I love studying but I didn’t have a chance before because I was poor. I’m now studying to get a doctorate degree. I’ve chosen to study political science because I love it. It’s all about management.

The secret of my long happy marriage is virtue and morality. And if we feel a big fight coming, we stay away from each other until we’re both calm. It just gives us time to think about the problem and how to avoid it in the future.

I was crushed when my wife [Aranya Numwong]had a stroke and brain hemorrhage last year. She always gets check-ups. It made me realize how vulnerable we all are. You never know that someone right next to you could fall to the ground at any time.

Being together is the most valuable thing for me. I’m so lucky that she’s much better now.

I stay in shape by jogging every morning.

I haven’t had a “worst moment” in my life. The problems I faced, I knew I could solve.

Taking care of others is a part of living in society. If you have something to give, just give.

I think my new album Chak Wan Nan...Teung Wannee Pror Mee Khun [From Those Days to These Days, Because of You] might be my last. I don’t know how long I will live, but I will sing until I can’t do it any longer.

I have a back-up plan. I’ve just bought a rubber tree farm to be my income if I can’t work as a singer anymore.

I am so happy whenever I sing in concert. I make fans happy, too, but me, I am beyond happy.

If I could perform a song with any group, it would be The Beatles. Our band was famous when The Beatles ruled the world. Their songs are everlasting.

My daughter is the most precious thing to me. My wife and I would do anything for her. I quit smoking 28 years ago for her.

If you don’t love what you do, you will never be successful. Put your efforts into getting what you really want. Life is short, you better hurry.

What inspired you to start singing?
I just love singing and I’m always happy when I sing. I do admire singer-and-composer Wan [Thanakrit Panichawit]. The way he writes songs is so special; he talks about love so naturally.

Why did you start uploading your clips on YouTube?
It wasn’t originally my idea, it came from my older brother. He always said that I sing beautifully and have a sweet voice, so he just wanted to upload some video clips to show his friends that I really sing well. I didn’t agree at first because I was too shy, but he kept on at me until I said yes. The first clips that I uploaded last year are songs that I wrote. But the one that gained attention from everyone was when I covered Jesse J’s “Price Tag” with my brother playing acoustic guitar. It blew me away when we saw the views go from a few hundred to 20,000 in a couple days. It’s now nearly 1.5 million views. My parents were even more surprised because they didn’t think that I sang that well.

How do you feel about your unexpected popularity?
It’s unbelievable. We never expected it to go this far. When we see how much people love it, we just can’t stop making new clips to upload. I’m overjoyed when I read comments like “I feel so refreshed after hearing your voice.” I am really grateful.

How did Dome [Pakorn Lum] approach you?
His assistant got in touch. It’s such a surprise. He’s a super star! He wants to work with me because he really likes my voice. We finally did his song “Kid Tueng” and released it on YouTube. We’re also doing another project together as well.

What do you do when you’re not singing?
I am studying in grade 10 in Trang province but now I am planning to move to study in Bangkok. It’s more convenient for me to study and work as a singer at events like wedding receptions or parties. I will live with my brother who is studying at KMUTT Ladkrabang.

Do you ever think about entering some reality TV competition?
No, I don’t like being on stage, it’s too much pressure for me. I don’t like to compete with others, even if it’s just a competition at school. I just love to sing where people hire me to sing.

What is your biggest dream?
I want to be a singer, of course, but I know it’s a fleeting career. I can do it only for a limited amount of time in my life so I need to find a long-term career that I can always earn a living from. I want to be an accountant because I really like math. I want to be an accountant first, then I will chase my dream of being a singer.

Youtube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/NaMm0N

How did this project start?
I’ve been thinking about making my own movie for a while. I’m a film lover and have been working as a film dubber for 20 years but haven’t had a chance to get a real start. Then one day I met my boss (Somsak Techaratana-Prasert, founder of Sahamongkol Film International) and he told me that he thought I could produce a film. That was a kind of my first inspiration; it took me two more years to come up with the first draft.

You’re the head of the Panthamitr dubbing team; did that help with making the movie?
I’d say making the movie helped me with dubbing because when I started writing this story, I found out that dubbing scripts and screenplays are totally different, the latter being more difficult and detailed. In dubbing scripts, you just have the dialogue; all we need to do is play a character with the script in hand. But to write a screenplay entails adding so much more detail for each scene.

Panthamitr is funny, are you worried people will assume it’s a shallow film made by comedian?
I am afraid, but not in that way. People know that Panthamitr is fun and have a high expectation for that. People might come to see this movie and expect that, but what if we fail because it’s just not that fun. That would scare me more.

What was the hardest part when making this movie?
Of course, it was how to make it fun and meet audience expectations. The first time I wrote the script, the balance between romance and comedy was around 50/50, but after several revisions, we reprioritized it, but tried not to let that ruin the story. Good thing is that I had a very professional cast: Mario, Judd and Pla-Kung worked well together. It’s like they don’t just follow my script, but also have fully-adapted to the characters to bring them to life. They were so creative, coming up with fun ideas to add into scenes.

Speaking of the cast, why them? Did you choose them by yourself?
Well, I had Mario, Judd and Pla-Kung in mind since I started writing the script. Mario’s character is a playboy that loves extreme and crazy behavior, so I wanted someone that is good looking but never aware of it. For Judd, I had seen him in Lud 4 Lud, and I needed a character like that: a handsome guy always surrounded by girls. Pla-Kung is a character that we normally see in a group of friends; not that good looking or funny, though he could be silly sometimes, but very sweet and loyal.