Q&A: MAKARA Makes Their U.S. Debut in KEXP Live Session
INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW
☆ BY FAITH LUEVANOS ☆
BANGKOK-BASED PSYCHEDELIC ROCK BAND MAKARA—breaks through globally in their recent KEXP live session. By blending psychedelic rock with the deeper roots of their musical culture, MAKARA introduces Molam music to the United States, a traditional folk music style that originated from Northeast Thailand and Laos.
Within their KEXP live session, the band not only performed fan favorites like “COCO” and “Strawberry Mind,” but also debuted new releases, “Samare” and “Yong Song,” introducing different layers of Thai culture on a global platform. MAKARA is one of the many Southeast Asian artists who are carving a place for themselves within the indie genre.
The Luna Collective received the opportunity to chat with Q of MAKARA to discuss the success of their live session, the Bangkok local music scene, their musical inspirations and more. Read the full interview below.
LUNA: How did MAKARA form, and how did you discover your sound?
MAKARA: Before forming the band, I had already released two solo albums, but after spending years making music alone, I started to feel lonely and wanted to create something together with friends. That eventually led to the formation of MAKARA and our first album, Strawberry Mind. At the beginning, we were searching deeply for our own musical identity and sonic character. Over time, we realized the thing closest to us was Molam music, which is a traditional folk music style from Northeast Thailand and Laos that we grew up hearing since childhood. We started blending the spirit and melodic language of Molam with psychedelic rock, and eventually began describing our sound as “Neo Molam Psychedelic.”
LUNA: You recently did a live session with KEXP. How does it feel to have this performance out, and how does it differ from other live performances?
MAKARA: We feel incredibly honored and proud. Reaching this point took more than ten years of dedication, and performing on KEXP was one of our biggest dreams as a band. We’re also very happy to be able to present Molam music to international audiences in the form of a modern band.
What made the session even more special was that we performed unreleased songs. We were improvising throughout the set as well, so it felt wild, risky and alive. At the same time, we felt like we had already come this far and had nothing left to lose, so we just gave everything we had and tried to make the performance feel as raw and real as possible.
LUNA: Within our music culture, it's extremely special and significant to have a Bangkok-based band playing on KEXP. What has this experience been like for you?
MAKARA: Honestly, it has been a life-changing experience for us. We came from being a band with almost no institutional or government support, and somehow became a source of inspiration for other artists—even in a small way—to continue making music that truly represents themselves and to share it with the world.
At the same time, we think many Thai listeners also felt proud of how unique and special the Molam culture can be. You could really see that in the reactions and comments after the session came out.
LUNA: Who are some of your musical inspirations?
MAKARA: Our inspirations come from many different places and artists, including Alex Turner, Eric Clapton, Barrie Cadogan, Billie Eilish, Brian Wilson, The Beatles and Jamie Hince, among many others.
LUNA: For new listeners, how would you describe your music?
MAKARA: The simplest way to describe our music would probably be “Neo Molam Psychedelic,” which is our own fusion of Molam music and psychedelic rock.
LUNA: I'm not very familiar with Bangkok's local music scene. How would you describe it?
MAKARA: Bangkok’s music scene is very community-driven. People really rely on and support each other, and there’s a strong sense of connection within the scene. At the same time, alternative music still has very limited platforms and opportunities in Thailand, especially outside the major cities, and support from the government is still very lacking.
LUNA: As you begin to break through internationally, what are some goals of yours?
MAKARA: One of our biggest dreams is to tour around the world with the band and with our families, too. I always imagine us traveling together in a big tour bus with friends, my wife and children, exploring the world while being guided by music. To me, that feels like what living truly means.
LUNA: Any final messages for fans and new listeners?
MAKARA: Please check out our older songs, too. We already have a lot of music out there while we continue shaping and building our next album. Thank you so much to everyone listening and supporting us.
