YORCH of K-pop group POW channels years of experience into first solo release
POW's YORCH releases first solo single "Blow Your Mind"
As the leader of the K-pop group POW, Thai-born idol YORCH is building his personal discography with the release of his first solo single.
As the leader of the K-pop group POW, Thai-born idol YORCH is building his personal discography with the release of his first solo single.
His group debuted in 2023, but that wasn’t the beginning of his career in entertainment.
Growing up in Thailand, he became known as the "Nation’s Younger Brother," gaining national attention as a child actor.
As a group member, he and the members of POW have released numerous styles over their nearly three-year career so far, but YORCH says during that time, he also had dreams of releasing his own music.
"My company really encouraged me to try songwriting and explore my own styles. I would often share the songs I worked on with my director and talk a lot about music together, and one day she played me this demo track, and as soon as I heard it, I said I really want to do this song. After that, we spent almost three years working on it, changing the arrangement, and really cutting and trying different ideas to find the style and sound for me," YORCH tells FOX 13 Seattle.
That track was "Blow Your Mind," a song featuring artists SIK-K and Bryan Chase, and under the production of big names like Diplo and King Henry.
"When I first heard the final version, it sounded very different from the very first demo I recorded. My first thought was, ‘Wow, this was so good.’ It honestly gave me a lot of confidence too, and working with producers like Diplo and King Henry was a huge honor for me. I was honestly surprised that I got the chance to work on a song with such an amazing group of artists and producers," he says.
YORCH released one version with Sik-K and Bryan Chase, as well as a solo version with just his voice on May 22.
"Rather than intentionally trying to make it feel global, I think it happened naturally because I grew up being influenced by different countries and cultures. Also, the melody itself felt like it matched English really well, so most of the song is in English. I think that naturally gives the track a more global vibe more than anything," he explains.
Most group members don’t have the opportunity to explore solo releases so early into their career as idols, but YORCH’s long history within entertainment prepared him for the challenge.
"Since I started working at a young age, I had a chance to learn a lot by watching the stars and creatives around me. I learned how to communicate with people, how to work with the right attitude, and how to express emotions and find inspiration through art. I think all of those experiences built up over time and helped me to grow both personally and artistically," he adds.
And while he grew up with the title of "Nation’s Younger Brother" in Thailand, he says in Korea, he wants to be known as a hard worker, and someone who gives his best.
Going forward, he says he hopes this won't be the last solo release we hear from him, and as "Blow Your Mind" has finally released, showing the solo artist he always wanted to show on top of his group persona, he thanks fans for their continued support.
"Thank you so much for always believing in and supporting me. This solo single is a really meaningful beginning for me, so I was honestly really nervous, but the love and support from friends has given me so much strength. I'll continue to show you better music and even cooler styles of myself in the future, so please keep looking forward to it. I love you all so much," YORCH concluded.
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