The making of a national artist

The story of how soon-to-be-designated National Artist Banyen Rakkaen got started as a mor lam singer.

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After 45 years in the entertainment business, Banyen Rakkaen will be named a National Artist this year for her contribution to folk music. "I am overjoyed and excited beyond words. This is the highest honour of my life," she told Bangkok Post entertainment editor Onsiri Pravattiyagul.

In this short excerpt from the interview, Banyen explains how she got started as a mor lam singer. You can read the full story here: http://www.bangkokpost.com/lifestyle/interview/393256/musical-royalty

The making of a national artist

Onsiri Pravattiyagul

Born to a contractor father and housewife mother in Ubon Ratchathani, Banyen has always had a vocal gift, one which caused her aunt, mor lam master Noowiang Kaewprasert, to become interested in training Banyen even before Noowiang had heard her sing. She was 14.

"She said I had an echo in my speaking voice. From my speaking voice alone, she was very certain that I could sing mor lam. My mother had always wanted to be a performer, so we decided that I should quit school and study mor lam.

It was very arduous. Every minute awake, I spent studying mor lam. I studied singing and dancing, and I had to memorise all the words. During the day I studied with master [my aunt], and at night I recited. I wanted to stay up as late as I could, so I sometimes used a coconut as a pillow so when I fell asleep, the coconut would roll over, and that would wake me up," she said.

After two full years of daily lessons, Master Noowiang felt it was time for Banyen to test her chops. She brought Banyen on stage for the first time, but just to sit and observe — at first.

"I sat there in my little square. It was lum klon (poetic mor lam) that night. Then when it was really late at night, she turned around, and told me to sing. My hands and my mouth were shaking, and the sky became pitch dark without any stars. I was so embarrassed. The first song was so nerve-racking that I don't know how I got through it. But my nerves became more stable as people responded very well, and they started to give me money," she said.

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