Thai entertainers Joong, Aou, Santa and Pond, forming JASP.ER have opened the door to a different kind of artistic expression. All four had already established careers in the entertainment industry before coming together as a boy group, but performing music as a team has presented challenges that even years of acting experience could not entirely prepare them for. There are no second takes during a live performance, no opportunity to stop and begin again when something goes wrong.
Through their music, JASP.ER have been finding their own style, combining confident performances with a more sensual and grown-up image. JASP.ER have continued to explore different musical styles with each release, with songs such as SADISTIC, TAKE IT OFF, TOUCH, LOVE SCENE and the more recent WISH showing they are not afraid to experiment with different sounds and moods.
According to Pond, they knew early on that they wanted to move away from the usual boy-group image and embrace something sexier and more mature, an approach that can be heard in their music. Joong describes the overall feeling of their music as darker and more atmospheric, comparing it to the mood of a room illuminated by red light, which perhaps best captures the direction the four members have been exploring together. Yet behind the choreographed performances and confident stage appearances are four individuals still discovering what they are capable of. Aou speaks openly about how the encouragement of his fellow members helped him overcome his lack of confidence, while Santa values the chance to create something together that none of them could achieve in quite the same way alone.
Talking to JASP.ER, you quickly get a sense of how much their friendship means to them and how important they consider supporting one another – as friends and as members of the same group. Their individual careers remain demanding, and bringing four personalities into one creative project inevitably requires compromise and honest conversations.
JASP.ER are now getting ready for their first performance in Europe, taking the stage at The A Festival in Paris on 25 October 2026. Although the four members are already well known to international fans through their acting careers, performing together in the French capital will give us the chance to see a different side of them and get to know them better as singers.
Pond knows that becoming internationally recognised as a group will take time, but he is pleased to see more opportunities opening up for JASP.ER outside Thailand. Joong hopes that even those who have never listened to their music before will enjoy the performance enough to want to hear more. At the same time, Santa looks forward to sharing the songs, choreography, and lively performances the group has spent so much time preparing. For Aou, there is also the excitement of visiting Paris for the very first time.
With their European debut just around the corner, View of the Arts caught up with all four members to talk about performing live, finding their own musical style, the importance of their friendship and what they hope to achieve together in the years ahead.
View of the Arts: All four of you were already experienced performers before JASP.ER, particularly through acting and television. When you walk onto a music stage together, does that experience make you less nervous, or is performing live in front of an audience a completely different kind of pressure?
POND: For me, I think the pressure is quite different, although my previous experience as an actor has definitely helped me a lot, because there are many things I’ve learned through acting that I can also use when performing as an artist on stage. However, if you ask me which one is more stressful, I would say that performing live is more challenging, mainly because when we’re acting, we usually have the chance to do another take or start again if we make a mistake or feel that we haven’t done a scene as well as we could have. When you’re performing live, though, you don’t have that option, because once you’re on stage in front of an audience, you have to keep going no matter what happens, even if you make a mistake along the way. That’s why we need to spend so much more time rehearsing and making sure we’re properly prepared, and I think that’s what makes live performances more challenging for me and also adds that extra pressure.
JOONG: My experience as an actor may not directly reduce my nervousness that much, but there are definitely some connections. When we perform with JASP.ER, every part of the song, whether it’s the pre-hook or the hook, has moments where we gradually build up the emotion. That’s similar to acting, where we have to gradually build an emotion throughout a scene. Our facial expressions and body language also matter, so our acting skills can definitely help. As for the pressure between performing on stage and acting in a series, I think they’re different. When you’re acting in a series, you don’t have to move your body as much as you do when you’re performing. But both have something in common: we have to present ourselves and what we have to the audience.
SANTA: Actually, I don’t think the nervousness has decreased at all. Before this, we were performers in a different way, but now that we’ve become part of a boy group and have to dance seriously, there is still a lot of excitement and nervousness. There are also many things that we still have to learn.
AOU: For me, every time I go on stage with JASP.ER, I’m always nervous. I’m really excited because this is another part of my dream that I’ve always wanted to do, and now we’re actually doing it. So, there is both pressure and excitement, wondering whether we’ll be able to do it well. I want fans to see us as artists who can perform, sing, and dance. These are all skills that we’ve worked hard to develop; we weren’t simply born with them. So being part of JASP.ER has been a huge challenge in my life. I want to do it as well and as perfectly as possible. Of course, I understand that nothing is truly perfect, but we’ll always do our very best.
JASP.ER has allowed me to do many things I’ve never done before. It’s almost like unlocking another side of myself. It has given people more of a chance to get to know the real me – JOONG
VOA: Acting usually means stepping into somebody else’s character, while music allows you to show more of yourselves. What have you discovered about your own personality as performers through JASP.ER that audiences might not have seen through your acting work?
POND: With acting, of course, there is a framework defined by the character we’ve been given. Whether it’s a drama or a comedy, there are fairly clear boundaries to work within. Performing on stage is different. When I’m performing on stage, I feel happy with the feeling of each part of the song, the sound of the audience, the beat of the music, and the lyrics. I try to turn all of those feelings into my own emotions and energy. For example, when we perform WISH on stage, we take in the feeling we get from hearing the fans scream and try to express that feeling through our performance. I feel that being an artist means we don’t have to stay within a specific framework of how we are supposed to express ourselves. We can express ourselves according to the feeling and happiness we experience in that moment.
JOONG: I don’t think I’ve discovered one specific new thing about myself, but I feel that JASP.ER has allowed me to do many things I’ve never done before. It’s almost like unlocking another side of myself. It has given people more of a chance to get to know the real me. Ultimately, what people see in a series is us playing a character. But when we sing or perform, it comes from our real selves. So, audiences get to see another side of us that they may never have seen through our acting.
SANTA: For me, being part of JASP.ER has allowed me to show everyone the side of myself that has always dreamed of making music. Becoming an artist is something I have wanted from the beginning. It is genuinely something that I love and feel represents who I am.
AOU: When I’m acting, audiences see me express a lot through my eyes and facial expressions when I’m in character. But as an artist, audiences haven’t really had the chance to see how much I can actually sing. Some of the JASP.ER songs have already given me the opportunity to show that, but I think that at the upcoming JASP.ER concert, I’ll try to show as much as I possibly can and let everyone see that I can do more than what they’ve seen from me so far.
I want JASP.ER to continue being a safe space for the four of us, where we can express our opinions about anything and continue encouraging and supporting each other to do the things we want to do – AOU
VOA: Since “SADISTIC”, we’ve seen different sides of JASP.ER through “TAKE IT OFF”, “TOUCH”, “LOVE SCENE” and now “WISH”. As your catalogue grows, what do you feel is becoming the recognisable JASP.ER sound or identity?
POND: I think it probably comes down to the concept. From the very first day we talked with our seniors and the team, we wanted JASP.ER to have a sexier and more mature concept. The lyrics and song titles have a stronger intensity, and some of the beats are more powerful. I think that’s one of the group’s defining characteristics.
JOONG: I think it’s the overall mood. Especially when you look at the songs we’ve released during our first album, when you put them all together, they feel like they’re part of the same musical identity. There’s a sexy quality and a dark, red-lit kind of atmosphere that runs through all of them. I think listeners can probably feel that too.
VOA: Being part of a group means that four individual personalities have to become one team. When you disagree creatively – perhaps about a performance, choreography, or how something should be presented – how do the four of you usually find common ground
SANTA: Most of the time, we just talk. We focus on understanding each other. If there’s something we don’t understand, we ask questions and talk it through until everyone understands. We don’t like to leave things unresolved. If there’s an issue, we clear it up. Ultimately, it’s about finding a middle ground together and seeing what each person can do, so that the final result can be as complete as possible.
AOU: Most of the time, our opinions are actually quite aligned. But if we disagree about something, for example, if one person likes one song and another person prefers a different one, we look at the timeline of the songs we’ve already released and the songs coming next. We consider which one could make a bigger impact and which order would create the best overall mood. Then we choose the order based on that. The song the other person likes can always be released later. We’re not planning to do JASP.ER for just a short period of time. We want to continue for a long time and go as far as we can as artists. So, we still have many songs ahead of us. We can consider the reasons behind each release and the right timing for each song.
With JASP.ER, I get to show a different side of myself. I can be more idol-like, dance more, and bring a stronger energy, because I have three members beside me raising the energy together. Being part of JASP.ER has given me so much – SANTA
VOA: JOONG, you have experience with both music and acting, but they require very different ways of communicating emotion. When you record or perform with JASP.ER, what part of your personality do you think comes through most naturally in your voice and performance?
JOONG: Performing on stage allows me to stop worrying about how I am supposed to look in other people’s eyes. I can simply be myself, with my own style, my own way of singing, my own way of dancing, and my own signature moves. So, it is 100% me, doing what I enjoy. As for which part of my personality comes through most naturally, I think it is not just one side but all of them. Fans may see my sexy and playful side through the dancing, the eye contact and the choreography. Sometimes they can feel my dedication from all the practice that goes into the show, and sometimes they can feel the emotions I pass on through the music and the performance.
VOA: AOU, you joined what eventually became JASP.ER after the others recognised another side of you as a performer. Looking at yourself now, what ability or quality have you discovered through JASP.ER that perhaps even you didn’t realise you had before?
AOU: Actually, it’s confidence, especially confidence in myself. In the past, I wasn’t very confident. I didn’t think I could do things well or that I could accomplish certain things. But having the other three members constantly cheering me on and encouraging me, saying things like, “You can do it,” “Just go for it,” “Give it your all,” or “If you want to do something, just do it,” has really helped me. Having all three of them support me made me realise, “Oh, I actually do have confidence and ability too.” Another thing I’ve discovered is singing. Before, I would only sing by myself in the bathroom, and I didn’t know how far my voice could actually go. But after joining the group, taking more singing lessons, and getting to sing different genres, I realized that our limits aren’t necessarily where we think they are; we can push beyond those boundaries.
VOA: SANTA, you have released music outside JASP.ER as well as performing with the group. When you work on something individually compared with standing beside these three members, does your approach to singing and performing change? What does being part of JASP.ER give you that performing alone cannot?
SANTA: Yes, it changes quite a lot. With JASP.ER, I get to show a different side of myself; I can be more idol-like, dance more, and bring a stronger energy, because I have three members beside me raising the energy together. Being part of JASP.ER has given me so much. First, there is the experience of working as a team, learning from each other, and creating something that none of us could make on our own. And most importantly, there is friendship. It is like I have gained three older brothers who I am very close to. We genuinely care about one another; we never leave anyone behind, and whatever we are working on, we move forward together.
I feel that what we’re experiencing right now is only the beginning, as we’re slowly getting more opportunities to reach audiences outside Thailand and travel to different countries to perform – POND
VOA: POND, you’ve spoken before about JASP.ER being a dream shared by the four of you and wanting the group to reach an international level. Now that JASP.ER is actually beginning to meet audiences outside Thailand, has your idea of what the group could become changed or grown even bigger?
POND: It’s still a dream of mine and something I really want JASP.ER to achieve, but I feel that what we’re experiencing right now is only the beginning, as we’re slowly getting more opportunities to reach audiences outside Thailand and travel to different countries to perform. At the same time, I know that we still have a long way to go before we can truly say we’ve reached an international level, and although that goal might be difficult to achieve, I see it as a challenge that gives us something to keep working towards. I believe that when you put your heart into something and give it everything you’ve got, there’s always a chance that things will work out, even if it takes longer than you expected. We may only be taking our first steps now, but I really believe this is a good beginning for us.
VOA: You all have demanding individual careers alongside JASP.ER. If you could protect one thing about this group as it becomes busier and more successful, what would you want to make sure never changes between the four of you?
POND: The one thing I never want to change is our passion. Whether the group becomes successful or not, I believe that everyone’s passion will remain the same. It hasn’t been easy to get to this point and build the support we’ve received from so many people. So even if one day we become successful, I think we’ll still look back and remember that this is something we worked hard to build together.
JOONG: For JASP.ER, I want to preserve the sincerity we have toward one another. Everyone has their own responsibilities and their own lives, but when the four of us come together, it doesn’t feel like we’re simply coming to work. It feels like we’re doing something we genuinely love. Some work can make us tired, but when we’re here, we forget about that tiredness and have fun. We get to be with our friends and do something we love.
SANTA: Mainly, I think it is about being a source of comfort for each other. When we work together, we want everyone to feel at ease. If one person becomes uncomfortable or unhappy, we feel that we are no longer working as one unit, and everything becomes more difficult. I think caring about one another and being considerate of each other is the most important thing.
AOU: With JASP.ER, the four of us talk very often about wanting this to be a safe zone. We want to be able to express ourselves freely, share our opinions, and feel comfortable being ourselves when we’re together. I want that safe-zone feeling to remain unchanged. I want JASP.ER to continue being a safe space for the four of us, where we can express our opinions about anything and continue encouraging and supporting each other to do the things we want to do.
VOA: You will be bringing JASP.ER to The A Festival in Paris, where some people may already know you as actors while others may discover you for the first time as a boy group. One by one, can each of you tell us what we should expect from JASP.ER on stage, and give us one reason why people absolutely shouldn’t miss your performance?
POND: All four of us are very excited that we’re going to perform at The A Festival in Paris. It is JASP.ER’s first time performing in Europe, and it’s also my first time visiting Paris. As a four-member boy group, I’m sure many people who come to see us want to have a good time and leave with some happiness. We don’t know what expectations everyone might have, but our responsibility is to give it our all. Whether we have a lot of time or only a little, we’ll try our best to communicate with each other and deliver the best performance possible, so that the fans who have been waiting for us won’t be disappointed, whether they’re waiting for us in Paris or watching the event online. The thing you shouldn’t miss is definitely the performance, because we’re confident that we’ll give it everything we’ve got.
JOONG: I want everyone to enjoy the show, especially our fan favourites. If you haven’t listened to them yet, you can check them out beforehand. I don’t know what everyone expects from JASP.ER, but what I hope is that the people who come to watch us will have the best time possible. Maybe they’ll even think, “Who are these guys? They’re really good!” I want this performance to be an opportunity for people to discover more about who we are and what kind of group JASP.ER is.
SANTA: I think the main thing is fun. If you’re coming to see us, I want everyone to have fun with us. Enjoy the music, the dancing, and the performance that we’ve worked hard to prepare for everyone. We’ve put a lot of effort into it, and we hope everyone will enjoy it and continue to follow JASP.ER.
AOU: What I really think people should not miss is that this will be my first time in Paris, and it is also JASP.ER’s first time in Paris. There are going to be many firsts for all of us, so please come and share them with us.
Written and interviewed by Maggie Gogler
Featured image © RISER MUSIC
A huge thank you to RISER MUSIC and GMMTV for the assistance with the interview, and to The A Festival for arranging it. Above all, we are incredibly grateful to Joon, Aou, Santa and Pond for taking the time out of their incredibly busy schedules to answer our questions. We truly appreciate their time and thoughtful responses.
View of the Arts is an online publication dedicated to film, music, and the arts, with a strong focus on the Asian entertainment industry. As we continue to grow, we aim to deepen our coverage of Asian music while remaining committed to exploring and celebrating creativity across the global arts landscape.
