Violette Wautier

2.1. Family Background and Childhood

Violette Wautier was born on October 10, 1993, in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. She holds both Thai and Belgian nationalities, a result of her mixed heritage; her father, François Wautier, is Belgian and worked as a software engineer, while her mother, Ruchira Taprap, is Thai and served as an associate professor at King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang's Department of Agro-Industry. She has one younger brother named Khan. The family relocated from Japan to Thailand when Wautier was two years old, leading to her being raised primarily within Thai culture, though she is fluent in Thai, English, and French, and has some knowledge of Japanese from her early years.

2.2. Education and Early Influences

Wautier attended Marialai School until 2009 before transferring to Debsirinromklao School. During her youth, she was an AFS exchange student in Canada, an experience that broadened her perspectives. Her childhood was filled with inspirations like Disney movies and Luc Besson's film *The Fifth Element*, which fueled her early ambition to become a storyteller. At the age of 14, she authored a fiction novel. Musically, Wautier was greatly influenced by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, inspiring her to pursue songwriting and begin performing at her high school. She also developed an interest in English songs, further shaping her musical direction. In 2015, Wautier graduated from Chulalongkorn University with a degree in Motion Pictures and Still Photography from the Faculty of Communication Arts.

3.1. The Voice Thailand (2013)

Violette Wautier first came into the public eye through her appearance in a music video for the band C-Quint before joining the second season of the singing competition *The Voice Thailand* in 2013 at the age of 19. During her Blind Audition, she performed "Leaving on a Jet Plane", impressively prompting all four coaches to turn their chairs for her. She ultimately chose to join Team Joey Boy. Her audition video garnered the highest views of the season. Despite this strong start, she was eliminated during the Knockout round.

3.2. Acting and Music Debut (2014-2017)

Following her time on *The Voice*, Wautier quickly ventured into acting, securing her first role in the 2014 horror film *The Swimmers*. Her performance in this debut received significant criticism. Despite this, she continued to pursue acting and music simultaneously. She recorded songs for various films and television series, often appearing in the productions as well. She notably collaborated with studios GTH and GDH, starring in films such as *Heart Attack* (2015) and *A Gift* (2016). For her role as Je in *Heart Attack*, Wautier earned critical acclaim, winning multiple Best Supporting Actress awards, including the prestigious Suphannahong National Film Awards, the Thai Film Directors Association Awards, the Kom Chad Luek Awards, and the Thai Film Awards from the Entertainment Critics' Association. In 2017, she also starred in the independent film *Die Tomorrow*, directed by Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit. During this period, she released the pop single "ก็แค่ไม่มีฉัน_{Gor Kai Mai Me Chan}^Thai" and briefly worked as a radio DJ for Cat Radio.

3.3. Rise as Independent Artist and International Recognition (2018-2019)

After several years under contract with Universal Music Thailand, Violette Wautier decided to pursue an independent career. In 2018, she launched her own record label, The Wautier Record. This transition marked a significant turning point, allowing her greater artistic control. The same year, she released her debut English-language single, "Drive," accompanied by a music video directed by Nattawut Poonpiriya. This was quickly followed by her second English track, "Smoke," which achieved remarkable international success. "Smoke" broke records, becoming the most-viewed English song by a Thai artist on YouTube, accumulating over 90 million views as of August 2024. The single also topped the Apple Music charts in eight countries, including Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka, solidifying her status as the most-streamed English-language Thai artist in history. In 2018, she also appeared in *Club Friday The Series 10: Ruk Rao Mai Tao Garn*, and in 2019, she took on a lead role in the Thai remake of the Taiwanese drama series *Endless Love*.

3.4. Debut English Album: Glitter and Smoke (2020-2021)

Following the widespread success of "Smoke," Violette Wautier reunited with Universal Music Thailand to release her highly anticipated debut all-English album, *Glitter and Smoke*, on June 19, 2020, after more than a year away from the recording studio. The album was co-produced by Wautier, who also wrote all nine tracks. The lead single, "Brassac," an alternative pop anthem named after a small French town, was inspired by a short-lived summer romance, which Wautier described as having a "Call Me By Your Name" vibe. Another key single from the album was "I'd Do it Again," an electro-pop track reflecting on past relationships. *Glitter and Smoke* received critical acclaim, with NME Asia selecting it as one of the top 10 albums from Southeast Asian artists in 2020. During this period, Wautier also featured in the film *One for the Road*, which garnered an award at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival. She continued her musical output with the release of the music video for her single "This Time" in August 2021 and engaged in significant collaborations, including "Love Hate" with Suppasit Jongcheveevat and "Future Ghost" with Indonesian electronic music trio Weird Genius.

3.5. Thai Album and Continued Global Collaborations (2022-present)

On October 31, 2022, Violette Wautier released her second studio album, *Your Girl*, which marked her first full-length album recorded entirely in Thai. This album features 10 tracks that explore her personal experiences with love and growth. The music video for "ระวังเสียใจ_{Ra-wang Sia-jai}^Thai (Warning)" was released the following day. By the end of 2022, Wautier was recognized as one of Thailand's Top 5 Female Artists on Spotify Wrapped and performed at CentralWorld's New Year's Eve countdown celebration.

In 2023, Wautier staged her first major concert, "YOU BETTER LOVE ME," on June 24, a significant milestone in her career. She also engaged in further international collaborations, notably "Turn Back Time" with Filipino singer Zack Tabudlo, released on October 11, 2023, for which Wautier penned the second verse. The accompanying music video featured both artists along with Thai actor Vachirawit Chivaaree. In 2024, Wautier performed at the 555 Thai Music Festival, a historic all-Thai artists event held in Singapore. She continued to release new music, including her comeback single "Dancing on a Graveyard" in May and another international single, "Favorite Mistake," in August. Later that year, she unveiled her international EP, *CALL ME DRAMATIC*, which comprises seven songs, each inspired by different film genres.

4.1. Musical Style

Violette Wautier's musical style is characterized by her distinctive vocal timbre and an eclectic mix of genres, primarily centered around pop with alternative influences. *Vogue Thailand* has described her style as "appealing for hipster teenagers." When composing, Wautier prioritizes her personal experiences as the foundation for her lyrics, resulting in emotionally resonant and relatable songs. She frequently chooses to write in English to reach an international audience and to facilitate a more direct and uninhibited expression of her thoughts and feelings. In addition to English, she also writes and performs in her native Thai and has some songs in French, showcasing her multilingual versatility.

4.2. Influences

Wautier draws inspiration from a diverse range of artists and genres. One of her earliest and most significant musical inspirations, particularly for songwriting, is American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. From the Thai music scene, she was influenced by veteran singer Sarunrat Deane during her younger years. Beyond these, her songwriting is also shaped by contemporary artists such as Lana Del Rey and Lauv, indicating an appreciation for introspective and electronic-infused pop music.

5.1. Background and Health

Violette Wautier is a ลูกครึ่ง_{Lûuk Khrʉng}^Thai, a term used in Thailand to describe a person of mixed race, specifically in her case, Thai-Belgian. Her father is Belgian, and her mother is Thai. This mixed heritage has been a notable aspect of her public identity. Wautier is also transparent about her health. At the age of 14, she was diagnosed with scoliosis, a condition that required surgery. She has since been a vocal advocate, sharing her experiences to raise awareness. Additionally, she has publicly addressed comments regarding her height, which is 62 in ^{(158 cm)}.

5.2. Relationships

Wautier's romantic life has been a subject of public interest. She is currently in a relationship with Jirayu La-ongmanee, a well-known Thai actor who is also the lead singer of the band Retrospect. Their relationship became public in 2019.

5.3. Political Views

Violette Wautier has publicly expressed her political views, including her support for the Thai monarchy and her opposition to the use of violence during the 2020-2021 Thai protests. Specifically, she spoke out against the Pathum Wan crackdown in 2020, an event during which riot police used water cannons against pro-democracy protesters. The protests were driven by demands for monarchical reform, democratic change, and human rights.

7.1. Studio Albums

7.2.2. As Featured Artist

8.1. Films

8.2. Television Series

9.1. Radio DJ

In 2015, Violette Wautier worked as a radio DJ for Cat Radio, showcasing her ability to connect with audiences through a different medium.

9.2. Host

In 2022, Wautier took on hosting duties for "Friendsfly Ep1," a program on the YouTube channel GoyNattyDream Channel, where she collaborated with other personalities like Arachaporn Pokinpakorn, Apichaya Panichattrakul, Nanthana Thagadkul, Bosssok Kamonpipat, Ammy, and Namhom.

9.3. Concerts

Wautier has participated in several major concert events throughout her career. In 2015, she was part of the "Star Theque GTH 11 ปีแสงคอนเสิร์ต" (Star Theque GTH 11 Light Years Concert). A significant milestone was her first headlining concert, "YOU BETTER LOVE ME CONCERT," held in 2023. The same year, she also performed as part of the "4 Queens Concert."