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Music More 2 meetBy Suwitcha Chaiyong, Photos by Varuth Hirunyatheb Nice 2 Meet U grow from boys to men
With their colourful hairstyles, good looks and smooth moves, Nice 2 Meet U definitely have what it takes to be a successful Thai boy band. The guys picked up plenty of young and dedicated fans in the kingdom with their self-titled debut album last year. Those fans are getting excited again now that the four young popsters � Jarupong Kluaymai-Ngarm (Jack), 21, Tana Limpayaraya (Chain), 20, Pongthon Wanakiatikul (Tae), 20, and Kawin Imanotae (Panjan), 21 � have released their second record, Nice 2 Meet U More. Their new single �Khon Duea Dueng (Tenacious Man)� is already topping the charts. The new album presents the guys in more mature light. For the publicity shots, they�ve traded their Japanese-style school uniforms for dark, stylish outfits. They also got more involved with making the new album and videos, offering solid singing, deeper lyrics and powerful dance routines. �We participated in this album more than the first one,� Jack said. �We told the producer how we wanted to pitch the notes and suggested instruments for the songs. Tae also wrote a rap lyric.� GROWING UP
The band�s songs still deal mainly with puppy love, but Nice 2 Meet U More is an album that presents things from a more grown-up point of view. �The songs on the first album were about high school romance, but Nice 2 Meet U More offers a university students� point of view of girls,� Panjan said. Their new outfits also emphasise the fact that that the guys aren�t a high school band anymore. �Each member has a stylish outfit to suit their character,� Chain said. �Panjan wears skinny jeans decorated with flowers to make him look sweet, while Tae dresses in streetware with hoods to match his hip-hop style.� Though the guys are happy with their new grown-up image, some of the changes took time to adjust to. �I�m not normally a flashy dresser,� Chain said. �It took me a while to get used to my light brown hair, but I was OK after our fan club said they liked it.� FEELING THE PRESSURE
It�s always stressful following up a successful first record, and the guys felt a bit of pressure while making their second album. �We were worried about the second album because our debut went so well,� Tae said. �We wanted to improve on the first one.� For the band, the title Nice 2 Meet U More implied that they had to deliver more than what the first album offered. �We felt that there had to be more of everything, and we feel a lot of pressure to improve,� Panjan said. �We worked harder, practised our dance routines more seriously and worked to enhance our singing technique.� With so much work and pressure, each band member went through periods of feeling down, but the guys were able to support each other. �When one of us feels depressed, the rest of us let him take some time off to chill out,� Chain said. DEDICATED FANS
Apart from the support and friendship that the guys provide for each other, the love from their dedicated fans is always sure to cheer them up. �Sometimes we feel tired, but we�re full of energy whenever we step up on the stage to meet our fans,� Tae said. �The feeling onstage is overwhelming, and we forget everything.� The strength of their fanbase always inspires the guys to do their best. �Some of our fans follow us everywhere,� Chain said. �They even wait for us when we�re shooting videos until 3 am, so we have to keep up the good work.� STANDING OUTWith so many similar looking and sounding boy bands around, the guys of Nice 2 Meet U say they�ve found a way to stand out from the crowd. �We show our actual personalities, and our personal lives are reflected in the music,� Chain said. �Nice 2 Meet U is just four guys with different styles. What you see in the media is what we�re really like.�
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Jack has also had the nicknames Prince, Bean Head and Kitty.
