Music

Upbeat beauty

By Tatat Bunnag, Photos by Varuth Hirunyatheb

Nat bounces back

Over the past 10 years, Nat Myria Benedetti has grown from being a promising young actress to becoming one of the most recognisable celebrities in the country.

After successful stints as a model and actress, 33-year-old Nat now has a flourishing musical career with six hit albums to her name.

Despite her artistic success, gossip magazines recently reported that Nat�s life was in a shambles. She faced a myriad of personal problems, from divorcing her long-time husband to taking care of her ailing mother.

Nat�s strong will power and positive thinking helped her through the tough times, and now she has bounced back with her upbeat new album, Get up Beautiful. The record is brimming with soul, disco and R&B sounds that match Nat�s fresh, pretty looks.

• Did you know •

Nat is the only child of her Swiss father and Thai mother.

Student Weekly recently caught up with the pop diva at the GMM Grammy building. Nat opened up about her stressful times and her hot new album.

STUDENT WEEKLY: What have you been doing in the two years since your last album?

Nat: I acted in the stage musical Fah Jarod Sai. It was a big hit and ran for 53 performances.

After that, I spent most of my time taking care of my mother in hospital.

STUDENT WEEKLY: Is your mom okay now?

Nat: My mom has been suffering from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis for more than two years. It�s a disorder that causes muscle weakness and atrophy throughout the body. It was really tough, but we got through the worst of it. Mom is strong and has a lot of courage.

STUDENT WEEKLY: Is there a particular reason why you chose the upbeat disco song �Beautiful Love� for your latest single?

Nat: It�s the same idea as the album title, Get up Beautiful. This album is about being happy and feeling good. My last record was sad and moody, just like my life at the time. I feel much better about life now.

STUDENT WEEKLY: Are any of the songs on Get up Beautiful based on your personal experience?

Nat: [Laughs]. Not really, except maybe �Hak Bang-earn Rak Dern Pahn Ma [If Love Passes By].� It�s about how even strong people who live without a relationship get lonely sometimes.

STUDENT WEEKLY: How do you deal with problems and obstacles?

Nat: I�m really lucky to have good people like my family and friends around me. I try to be positive about everything.

When you have a problem, you just need to accept it and let it go. You can�t just keep worrying about it forever.

STUDENT WEEKLY: What do you enjoy most � acting, modelling, hosting TV shows or singing?

Nat: Definitely singing. I�ve always dreamed of being a pop singer. I remember watching singers like Bird Thongchai, Nanthida and Madonna on TV when I was a kid and thinking that I�d love to be like them one day.

STUDENT WEEKLY: Do you think the paparazzi go too far stalking celebrities these days?

Nat: Maybe a bit too far. There are a lot more gossip magazines nowadays. Some of the things they write about celebrities in those magazines are just not true at all.

I�m lucky because I�ve never read anything negative about myself.

	promising (adj): showing signs of being good or successful stint (n): a period of time that you spend working somewhere or doing a particular activity flourish (v): to develop quickly and be successful shambles (n): a situation in which there is a lot of confusion or disorder myriad (n): a large number of something ailing (adj): ill and not improving will power (n): the ability to control your thoughts and actions in order to achieve what you want to do brim (v): to be full of something open up (phrasal v): to talk about what you feel and think stressful (adj): causing a lot of anxiety and worry atrophy (n): the condition of losing flesh, muscle, strength, etc. in a part of the body obstacle (n): a situation, an event, etc. that makes it difficult for you to do or achieve something paparazzi (n): photographers who take candid photos of celebrities to sell to gossip magazines