Four Decades of Female bands in Thailand : From Singing Groups to Idol Girl Groups

Abstract

This article studies girl groups, formations of female performers, in the musical industry of Thailand from 1982 until 2022. Primary and secondary documentary data was gathered from printing and electronic media as contemporary evidences showing contexts for Thai girl group artists at different times. Results were Thai girl groups function with three main components: 1) producers who organize musical or idol camps to generate music and manage performers; 2) members categorized by age criteria as artists or idols requiring diverse development before attaining artist status, following music label or idol camp presentation criteria; and 3) channels include traditional media (print, radio broadcasts, television); and new media (websites, social media, YouTube.com, applications; as well as external activities (music festivals and related events). The existence of Thai girl group artists in each era depends on political, economic, social and cultural factors. as well temporal values. International popular cultures from the West, Japan, and South Korea strongly influence on music production and Thai girl group performances. Presentation through musical style and fashionable dress evolves according to international music and entertainment business trends and directions in addition to individual consumer requirements.