Almost two decades since the arrival of Tata Young, Thailand has yet to see another pop phenomenon who can truly match her accomplishments. Born Amita Marie Young to an American father and a Thai mother, Tata had her first taste of success at the tender age of 11 when she won the Nissan Awards Thailand Junior Singing Contest. It didn’t take long before she was noticed by the bigwigs at GMM Grammy, the country’s biggest record label and the force behind some of the most successful local artists including Thongchai “Bird” McIntyre and Christina Aguilar.
The rest, as they say, is history.
While Tata’s meteoric rise can partly be attributed to the fact pop music in Thailand was at its zenith at a time when people willingly shelled out to buy cassettes and CDs, a lot of it had to do with her unique combination of talent and personality. Whether it’s singing, dancing or acting, the spunky little pop sensation in the iconic Sonic the Hedgehog T-shirt and baggy trousers has got it all covered.
With eight studio albums (three of which are in English) and numerous compilations under her belt, the 33-year-old pop veteran is gearing up for a two-day anniversary performance, the nostalgically titled Turn Back Time With Tata Concert, which is to be held next weekend at the Royal Paragon Hall, Siam Paragon.
“I’ve been in this business for 19 years, and I felt like it’s about time I put together a show where I can revisit the songs from all of my records up to this point,” Tata said. “A lot of my fans also told me that it’s been a while since they heard me perform the old hits, so I think it’s the perfect time for me to finally do this show.”
She said that the script and all the major details were ready, and that she needed to really focus on rehearsing to make it perfect.
The reigning pop idol looks refreshed and enthusiastic — a commendable feat for someone who stayed up until 4am finalising the fine details of the upcoming shows, then spent a good chunk of the late morning at the shooting of her own episode of Fan Pan Tae, a popular game show where contestants with a shared passion battle it out for the title of “the ultimate fan”.
Known for her opinionated and outspoken nature, Tata oozes the kind of self-assurance the more conservative among us find abrasive and even rude. It’s no surprise the Thai-American singer has copped a fair share of negative criticism throughout her career.
“I’ve learned a lot in the past 19 years, but the single most important thing that I learned is to always try to be patient. You have to be incredibly thick-skinned to survive in this business. Mental strength is an absolute must-have when you’re constantly scrutinised by the press and public. You have to be able to handle all the negativity, and accept that you simply cannot please everyone.”
Family plays an important role in Tata’s life, but the past few years haven’t exactly been a walk in the park for her, having lost her mother to oesophageal cancer in 2004 and her dad to heart failure last year. Talking about her family, Tata appears uncharacteristically serene — her tone markedly softens.
“I understand that people can’t be together forever. Loss is a natural part of life. Despite everything, I consider myself lucky to have been able to spend time with my parents before they passed. My dad suffered from a chronic heart disease for more than 20 years, and I knew how extremely agonising it was for him. Realising that we had limited time together, I was able to come to terms with his passing. The experience made me that much stronger.”
Having worked incessantly since she stepped into the limelight at such a young age, Tata also faces a number of health issues of her own including hypothyroidism and hormone-related disorders. Anyone who follows her on Instagram will have noticed several snapshots of her stints in hospital getting some sort of medical treatment. In fact, she spent a brief period last month in Germany receiving cell therapy.
“My health is definitely improving, but preparing for a concert is exhausting. The whole thing can really drain you,” she said. “When it comes to what could go wrong with your body, it’s impossible to prepare yourself because it’s just one of those unforeseen circumstances. The only thing you can possibly do is take it as a cautionary tale so that you will learn to take better care of yourself. If I could be granted only one wish in this life, I would ask to be healthy. Being well is the greatest blessing anyone could ever ask for.”
Tata has certainly accumulated a large enough fan base to warrant her popularity both inside and outside the Kingdom. She has performed in virtually all Asian countries, yet it seems her adoring international fans can’t get enough of her. Apparently, Tata might have to jet to South Korea to do a quick showcase before her concerts in Bangkok.
“The support from TTFC [Tata Fan Club] has always been exceptional. Even though I have health problems, I’m very lucky to be surrounded by those who love and care about me. It’s precisely what I need, or anyone really, to get through rough times.”
Asked if she has any new projects in the pipeline we can look forward to, Tata said that at the moment she wanted to devote all her energy to Turn Back Time, and that she didn’t want to get distracted by doing too many things at once.
“I want this show to be the best it can possibly be,” she added.
“Having said that, I don’t think anyone should ever stop trying to do new things. We should always strive to improve ourselves. If there’s an opportunity for me to release another English-language album, then why not? I’m definitely open to the idea.”
Despite the five-year hiatus since her last proper concert, Tata seems to be under no pressure whatsoever. “You know what, working with other artists is actually more stressful because you have to be considerate. With my own show, I have the freedom to do whatever I want. I’m in my element and in complete control of how I want things to turn out.”
More than a handful of Tata’s hit singles have now become beloved classics. Needless to say, they hold special places in the hearts of those who grew up in the ’90s. A visit to a karaoke bar is hardly complete without someone attempting to perfect the Rob Guan Ma Rak Gun choreography or awkwardly playing catch-up with the lyrics to Sexy, Naughty, Bitchy.
“The music industry has changed drastically, what with social networks, MP3s and illegal downloads. Sadly, it’s just not as scary as it used to be. I can’t tell you how proud I am that my music stands the test of time, and is being enjoyed as much as it was when it first came out.”
So, what’s next for the former wonder girl? “I’ve done pretty much everything in the entertainment business. What I still want to do more of, though, is travelling. I love diving, so beaches are my number one destination. I’ve been to a lot of places, but most of the time I had to rush back because work was waiting. I wish I could change that.”
Speaking of changes, Tata admits that she’s not the same person she was 20 years ago. “Being a celebrity, people tend to forget that I’m no different than they are. I’m only human. I have feelings. I’ve aged just like everybody else. I’ve been through loss and break-ups just like everybody else. At the end of the day, nothing stays the same. That’s the way life goes for everyone — famous or not.”
Turn Back Time With Tata Concert
When: 7pm, March 22 and 23
Where: Royal Paragon Hall, Siam Paragon
Tickets are from 1,500-3,000 baht, and are available at thaiticketmajor.com.
