Scott's way or the highway

The road to success isn't always paved with gold

Did you know? Scott was one of the vocalists for the band Fongnam, which plays Siamese classical music in a modern style.

Story by Nuttaya Muneerat, Photography by Paniti Boonma and courtesy of Maker Head

No one ever said life is easy. While it may look like life for Thailand's celebrities is, there are always a few new stars who come along and prove that success is even sweeter when you have overcome great odds.

Scott R. Seguin is one such guy. Life now looks sweet for the Thai-American singer from Maker Head record company. He's got the looks, he's got the talent and he's got the record deal. But it wasn't long ago that Scott was just another restaurant singer with a dream and a path to stardom that looked filled with potholes.

Getting started

Ever since he was young kid, Scott loved to sing. He dreamt of being a professional in the bright lights. But he had had a problem � he was terrified of singing in front of other people.

By the time he was 19 though, he decided it was time to get over his fear and do what he loved. He walked into a restaurant in Korat and showed them his stuff. Sure enough, he was hired to entertain diners as they ate their meals.

After a while in Korat, Scott decided it was time to take the next step and moved to Bangkok. Once again he found work singing in restaurants and pubs. It was during his numerous restaurant gigs that Scott met Jittrapol Buanim, who works at Grammy. Jittrapol told Scott that he had talent and suggested that he audition with Maker Head.

It was the break Scott had been looking for. He auditioned and the company liked what it heard. Scott was signed to a contract.

"Singing at the restaurant helped me to do a good job when I went to audition," Scott recalled.

It seemed like he had finally made it. He quit his restaurant job and was ready to roll. But not so fast, there were still a few more hurdles to clear.

Maker Head had enrolled Scott in a singing course, but rather than help him it ended up hurting him. "My singing quality dropped because the singing course was too little, only two times a week and two hours a time," Scott said.

Not only that, but at the same time Maker Head decided that competition in the industry was too tough at that time. "My album project was put on hold even though I had already began to record a few tracks in the studio."

Try again

It seemed Scott's dream had been crushed. But Scott knew better than to give up so easily.

He went back to his old life of singing in restaurants and even took some time to go overseas and sing at a hotel in Macao. "Singing a lot, wherever you can is the best classroom for any singer � especially singing in front of the public," he said. "It helped me learn how to sing well and learn how to entertain my listeners. It was science and art experiment that I had to do by myself."

While improving his skills, Scott was also able to save some money. He used that money to make three new demos and sent them to Maker Head. "I made three tracks, and two of them, 'Pak Khaeng (Stubborn)' and 'Wan Wai (Be Affected),' were accepted," he said.

Sweet success

This time, Scott wasn't to be denied. Maker Head had new faith in him and Scott went on to make Scott, his debut album. It is a combination of R&B and soft rock, but overall Scott said it is still a pop album.

He's come along way since singing in the restaurant. He said that his new success is so much better. At a restaurant people mainly come to eat and secondly to listen to music. But now, when it comes time for Scott to put on his first concert, he said he knows that people will be there to see him. "I have never performed at any concert," he said. "I don't know if I will feel pressure or not, but I'm sure that it will be a great new feeling."

Scott's message

And when his day in the concert spotlight comes, Scott said he hopes that his music and his story can touch the listeners and possibly inspire a few future musicians in the crowd. "The talent has to have some luck go along with it," he said. "So, don't lose heart when you are faced with problems or obstacles. Just practice your skill frequently and try to make your dream come true with every bit of your ability."

Vocabulary

overcome (v): to succeed in dealing with or controlling a problem that has been preventing you from achieving something
pothole (n): a large rough hole in the surface of a road that is formed by traffic and bad weather
break (n): an opportunity to do something, usually to get something that you want or to achieve success
faith (n): trust in somebody�s ability or knowledge

Idioms

ready to roll: ready to start something; usually something that will now be easy