F.HERO may be one of Thailand’s biggest and most influential artists not just within the hip hop scene, but he’s also perhaps its most staunch advocate and supporter.
Aside from his own work and collaborative projects, he’s also actively seeking, mentoring, and promoting a new generation of Thai artists via his label, HIGH CLOUD Entertainment.
Founded in 2021 by F.HERO, with himself as one of the flagship artists, the label currently has at 10 acts (including him).
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It must be emphasized that HIGH CLOUD is not exclusively a hip hop label. HipHopDX Asia’s Artist of the Month tells us that it is, first and foremost, a label that spotlights his favorite music styles. It is also reflective of what the modern Thai music landscape looks like, which gravitates toward pop and hip hop—but with a unique spin, and what F.HERO describes as the “Thai sound.”
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Below, F.HERO shared with us how his label started and introduces us to his fellow artists.
How did HIGH CLOUD come about? Tell us how it started.
I thought doing a recording label and the idea about High Cloud started early on until I decided it was time. When I made my album [2019] INTO THE NEW ERA, I was overwhelmed.
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Back then, it was the beginning of the pandemic so I want to do something of my own. So I started the label which has my favorite music styles like the Thai sound, T-pop, and Thai hip hop.
What’s your goal with HIGH CLOUD? What kind of artists do you want to champion?
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I have two main objectives. One, to promote artists who are doing music in pentatonic and T-pop to be well-known. Two, I would like to connect with Southeast Asia.
At High Cloud, we [liken ourselves with] a cloud. There is no fixed form, no rules, and no limitations in genres.
We as a cloud can fly everywhere and connect with everyone, as we are under the same sky. So we started doing many projects in Asia, and we [already] did many collaborations. There will be more projects that will connect our hip hop sound in Asia.
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What’s your criteria when choosing which artists to sign on the label?
It’s a personal sense, starting from my personal taste in music. I’m also already a fan of some of them. Sometimes, we see an opportunity in their talent, which I think we can develop. Some of them have the Thai sound that I like. Basically, if I like the demo they sent, they are the right ones for me.
Last year at ASEAN Music Showcase Festival, you proudly told the audience that “We are the Asian sound.” What does ‘Asian sound’ mean to you?
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During that time, I was on the stage and I felt really proud. We have artists from Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Singapore on the same stage. This is the Asian sound and we are a family.
It’s really hard to have everyone all together on the same stage so I wanted to tell the audience that we are a family and ask them to listen to our music.
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It was it huge, proud moment, having the chance to be there with everyone that has the same vision. I believe we all have the same feelings and I dare say we are not going to stop what we are doing.
In this day and age, especially seeing how many Thai hip hop artists have flourishing careers even without label backing/support, what do you think is the role of the label in the industry and for artists?
Some may need and some may not. When we first had the radio, people listened to vinyl less but still kept it, then people listened to CDs less when MP3 (audio became more widely available).
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The world keeps changing and so did the labels. The music label might be viewed as less important, but they will adapt to fit the situation. Labels will find the best way to support their artists.
The main role of music labels these days is to help plan and develop artists. Apart from the success in making good music, having great content is another key to success.
When they have the right content, we really need to learn the trend these days to develop the right style, which could help our artists to be known and have more fans.
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Can you introduce us to the artists currently signed under HIGH CLOUD?
PIMRYPIE
PIMRYPIE is a solo female rapper, singer, YouTuber, and business woman who always brings a surprise to the fans.
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BOOM BOOM CASH
They’re the first EDM band in Thailand. BOOM BOOM CASH guarantees entertainment and makes the crowd jump up right from the first song.
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BOOM BOOM CASH has performed at more than 100 stages, from clubs to festivals. The members have their each unique abilities. Significantly, they can combine Thai art with EDM perfectly.
Bear Knuckle
Bear Knuckle is hip hop dance trio with members M-PEE, J JAZZSPER, and BUBBLEGUM.
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The group has successfully made their charming music in Thai rhythm, which clearly shows in last year’s release, “DONG,” which led to a viral success on TikTok, with more than 20 million views of the dance challenge.
Txrbo
A solo male singer who has talent in songwriting and blending Thai sound in his melody.
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WHAWHA
A solo female singer with sweet vocals who has been determined to pursue her dreams since she was young.
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ACTIONTHA
An energetic artist who never fails to bring the stage on fire and also a representative of the LGBTQ+ community.
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Apart from the mentioned above, there are also three young rising artists: SUMDONG, NEWBLOOD, and RAMASUON.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Special thanks to High Cloud Entertainment for the translation.
