The creation synthpop songs of Waruntorn Paonil and nostalgia that linking life experiences of fans

Abstract

This research article aims to understand and examine the process of creating synthpop song content by Waruntorn Paonil, an artist who integrates the charm of vintage synthpop genre into her songs, making her music continuously popular in the Thai music industry. The study explores this process from the perspective of the songwriter as the messenger and examines how nostalgia in her music connects to the life experiences of fans as receivers of the message. This qualitative research study gathered data through in-depth interviews with two composers directly involved in the music creation process, one expert in music education who shared insights on the value of music in relation to everyday life, and ten fans of Waruntorn Paonil who received the Top Fan badge on Facebook. Additionally, data was gathered through online interview contents with Waruntorn Paonil and an analysis of documentary sources. The research findings indicate that the music creation process consists of: 1) the attitudinal perspective, which includes song interpretation, the foundation of past memories, and inspiration for songwriting, and 2) the process, which involves brainstorming, song composition, and conceptual design. In terms of content categorization under the framework of nostalgia in music, it was found that fans primarily connect with life experiences related to emotions and feelings, followed by relationship status, and then specific life situations. All of these categories share a common core-establishing emotional connections through fans’ personal experiences and lived experiences. The researcher expects that this research will generate knowledge and practical guidelines for creating music, benefitting to the Thai synthpop music industry. Additionally, it contributes to a deeper understanding of audience behavior in message reception, emotional responses, and nostalgia. These insights are beneficial to song writers and artists who seek to produce music and develop diverse music presentation formats that better align with their target audience.