Independent Thai pop star Cupnoodle is set to release her first single of 2023 with her ode to resilience, ‘That Pretty’, on 7th September.
Cupnoodle writes the most relatable, sardonic, yet soulful tracks you’re ever likely to hear! With a string of self-released hits behind her, Cupnoodle has seen her tracks appear on UK TV shows, garner flagship playlist spots from Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube Music, and seen her hand-picked by Spotify as one of the best Asian Indie artists of 2022.
Cupnoodle’s name is a nod to the features her songs share with the food brand: originally Asian, instant, and with a global influence.
Her soulful R&B-inflected indie pop sound draws upon her diverse musical and geographical influences, being born to Thai and German parents, studying Music Technology in London, UK, and living and working out of her studio in Bangkok, Thailand.
Her lyricism is laced with wry humour, and can shift from raw and emotive to brutally caustic sarcasm within a matter of a few bars.
Cupnoodle’s latest soulful pop single ‘That Pretty’ explores the themes of self-acceptance and resilience in the face of the constant public scrutiny we subject ourselves to through social media.
For Cupnoodle, real name Sasha Johst, that resilience is grounded in finding people who love us unconditionally and, ultimately, learning to love ourselves in the same way.
In Johst’s case, this unconditional love is modelled on her mother (“I look like my mother, she’s the best of all / That’s who I wanna be”), though she is quick to acknowledge that this role could be filled by anyone, explaining:
”In my case, I’m blessed to have a really great relationship with my parents, and it’s really through them that I’ve gradually come to learn what it means to love myself.
There’s so much pressure on us to be perfect – just think of how we try to present ourselves on Instagram, for instance – but I came to realise that my parents love me no matter how imperfect I am. We all need that kind of anchor in our lives if we’re
going to find self-acceptance, and that person could be a partner, a best friend, a sibling, or anyone.”
This sort of positive outlook, grounded in her own real-world insecurities, has become the archetype of Cupnoodle’s writing.
She speaks to her audience almost like the big sister that everyone wants, and her songs are replete with empowering messages, sage advice, and just enough witty self-effacement to make you feel better about the all-too-familiar situations she describes.
This is no doubt one of the reasons why she was selected as a leading female artist globally by Spotify as part of their EQUAL campaign last year.
With an ever-expanding TikTok audience in the tens of thousands, sync placements with MG and Mercedes Benz, and a nod from Lifestyle Asia as ‘one to watch’ for 2023, expect her forthcoming debut album to showcase Cupnoodle’s many musical flavours.
