Srisalai finds the love

Love will be definitely be in the air later this month, as 67-year-old diva, Srisalai Suchatawut returns to the stage for her second full-scale solo show.

“When I sing, I feel the love,” she says.

To celebrate that great emotion, she performed the specially composed song “Proh Rak Tee Ter Hai Ma” (“Because of the Love You Give”) at her triumphant concert a year ago and now she’s adopted it for the title of her upcoming show.

Srisalai explains that the love she feels isn’t just the gift she was lucky enough to receive from her late husband but also the love that comes from her fans. Even though she left the musical scene at the peak of her career and disappeared from the public eye for decades, she’s come back to a genuinely warm welcome. 

Last year, she marked her return to the music scene with a concert at the Thailand Cultural Centre that it was a sold-out success. She donated part of the profits to Wat Phra Baht Nam Phu, which takes care of people living with Aids.

“Some of the proceeds from my upcoming concert will go to a charitable cause too,” Srisalai confirms.

A familiar face at charity concerts, in February Srisalai took the lead in the “PS I Love You” concert, raising more than Bt6million for a hospital in Lampang. She has also recorded a number of songs for charity, not just in Thailand but also in the US, which she considers her second home.

“I have raised funds for the procurement of computers and to build libraries at needy schools. I check what’s needed and determine in what ways we can help,” she says.

Srisalai promises to deliver an impressive performance. “I won’t disappoint my fans. They have paid for the concert and I always strive to ensure that they get their money’s worth.”

Jazz tunes will dominate her upcoming concert. Special guests will include top saxophonist Sekpol Unsamran aka Koh Mr Saxman and former actor Toon Hirunyasap. One of the highlights will be a retro setting featuring jazz tunes from the good old days.

“I’ve been working on this concert since March,” says Srisalai, adding that her “Proh Rak Tee Ter Hai Ma” show will run for two hours and feature 22 songs, all of them reflecting her feelings, her attitudes and her style.

As for last year’s show, Srisalai will be dressed by leading fashion stylist Somchai Kaewthong, owner of Kai Boutique. “This time, Somchai will be unveiling eight new costumes, compared to six the last time, and like last year, they will each fit the songs' themes and moods.”

Srisalai has also prepared by undergoing voice training with Rungroj Tullaphan, working with him for an hour every week to further strengthen her skills. “It’s like updating my voice and [vocal] levels, with a focus on pronouncing particular consonants like G or F. It's not training in how to sing, because I have my own style. Working with Rungroj helps me preserve vocal cords and voice box. Without good care and additional training, a singer can get sick. And a lot of singing could cause my voice to be husky.”

The veteran vocalist has also put time into planning her song list, making it clear to the organiser that she has no intention of singing songs that run against her thoughts. “If I don’t agree with the theme of a song, I won’t be able to sing it well. My feelings will show,” she points out.

She says she chose love as the theme of her concert because she appreciates its value, describing it as the power behind her decision to fight on even during her darkest hours. “The great love I have received has sustained me,” she says. “It has kept me going”.

While there are no plans for future concerts as yet, Srisalai says three things will stop her performing: loss of vocal power and her looks and what she calls “the fire in me”.

“All the creativity will be gone if there is no more fire in me. If I were to force myself to keep singing without it, I would become just a singing machine. When the fire dies out, then I must stop.”

 

Husky voice

_ “Srisalai Suchatawut Live in Concert” takes place at the Bangkok Convention Centre, Central Plaza Lat Phrao on August 22 at 8pm.

_ Tickets are Bt1,000 to Bt3,000 at ThaiTicketMajor

_ Call (02) (262) 3456 or visit www.ThaiTicketMajor.com.