For Nantida, warm hearts, moist eyes

For veteran singer Nantida Kaewbuasai, “The Show Must Go On”, and that was the apt name of her memorable concert last Saturday celebrating 30 years in the business. Her fans concurred, packing out the 7,000-seat Royal Paragon Hall after an extra five months’ wait. The show had been postponed from early February, when the political turmoil raised concerns about safety.

The wait was surely worthwhile. At the end of the three-hour show Nantida was joined onstage for the three final tunes by her daughter, Chontida Asavahame, whose nickname is Pleng, meaning “song”.

Nantida, 53, was greeted with thunderous cheers and applause when she opened the show with “Lakorn Chak Sud Thai” (“Last Scene of the Drama”). Her voice remains as powerful as ever, captivating the audience from the start. Many sang along to large sections of the 36 songs she performed.

The singer, widely considered a diva in full standing, presented a medley of eight hits from her heyday. These included “Bok Noi Dai Mai” (“Could You Tell Me?”), “Kwan Fai” (“Smoke of a Fire”), “Fah Yang Mee Rao” (“The Sky Still Has Us”), “Khien Wai Khang Tiang” (“Write It on the Bedside”) and “Sai Kab Thale” (“Sand and Sea”).

There was also “I Who Have Nothing”, the tune with which she won the 1978 Asian Amateur Singing Contest in Hong Kong at the age of 19. She told us she’d been reluctant to compete – her mother had only coaxed her into entering a preliminary national round by lying to her that they were going to visit her ailing grandmother.  

Another highlight of Saturday’s concert was “Wimarn Din” (“Paradise on Earth”), which Nantida sang along with a recording of the late Rewat “Ter” Buddhinan, photos of whom appeared on a large screen behind her. Nantida mesmerised the audience with her trademark deep but powerful voice and her clearly profound devotion to the music. She seemed overwhelmed by emotion after finishing the song. Fortunately she could lean against the fortifying applause that rewarded her.

Nantida’s long-time friend Viyada Komarakul Na Nakorn, another veteran of the trade, joined her for “Kon Piset” (“Special Person”) and much laughter and cheers with a rendition of the teen sensation “Bok Trong Rak Jung Boei” (“Frankly Speaking, I Love You”).

Next came “Thailand’s young divas”, as Nantida called them – Kaem Vichayani, New Napassorn and Jiew Piyanoot – followed by “Thailand’s young divos” – Bell Supol, Bee Pirapat and Nueng Apiwat. 

Nantida also sang her new song of heartbreak, “Jep Jon Khao Jai” (“So Hurt that I Understood”) and a medley of eight sad love songs, including “Kuen Sud Thai” (“Last Night”), “Kwam Rak See Dam” (“Black Love”), and “Sak Wan” (“Maybe One Day”).

Her daughter Pleng, the final guest of the evening, showed that she’s inherited much of her mum’s talent. After their emotional duet on “Kho Mue Ther Noi” (“Let Me Hold Your Hand”), during which Nantida kissed Pleng’s hand, she told us her daughter provides her with all the moral strength she needs. And the people in the audience, Nantida added, were her “true love”.