Name-Prakarn & his passion for being a father and Getsunova’s frontman

Growing up in an elite circle has its advantages and disadvantages, and Name-Prakarn Raiva is well aware of them. And while some may say that Name’s high society background was the reason for his success, it was his passion and drive for music that truly changed his life.

Getsunova, the Thai band under GMM Grammy, is composed of four members: Prakarn ‘Name‘ Raiva, Natee Osathanugrah, Panoth ‘Noth’ Khunprasert and Komkadech ‘Pipe’ Sangwattanaroj. Before their first success, Getsuonva received much criticism. From not being skilled to being labelled as the “high society kids” band, the members still never gave up. Although the four privledged men could have easily surrendered their rockstar dream and returned to their families, their passion and dedication led to their success.

After facing many trials and errors, their perseverance paid off when they released their first hit, “Glai Kae Nai Kue Glai,” in 2012. Since then, Getsunova has become a Thai favourite as they prove to the world that they are more than just their last names.

Today, we have invited one of the band members to be featured on Lifestyle Asia Thailand’s October 2023 digital cover. Besides the handsome gentleman striking us all with his sartorial aesthetics, we couldn’t help but notice the stunning watch from LONGINES’ Master Collection that put the whole look together. So, without further ado, get ready to dive deep with the father of two and the frontman of Getsunova, Name-Prakarn. Keep reading to find out his backstory and life updates in this Q&A.

Q&A with Name-Prakarn Raiva

Could you give us a life update? 

We’ve released many songs this year, and there will be a few new projects coming up. We’re also doing an Asia tour in Thailand and outside, like Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau. 

We saw a viral meme about Getsunova losing their confidence. How did that happen? 

(Haha). We just released a new song called “khwan (mai) mun jai.” It’s a soundtrack for the Thai drama Something in the Wind on Channel 7. Back to the clip. I like to do a trick with my microphone where I throw and catch the mic. But this time, my game was too slow. There’s also another concert incident. When I climbed over the fence to see the audience, I tripped. So, I lost some confidence there. That’s why people used it as a meme. But it also helped promote our new song (smiles). 

Usually, people view you as this cool singer, but who is Name really? What type of person is he? 

To be honest, I’m very shy. I don’t like to make eye contact when I talk to people. But being a singer, you can’t be shy. I have two personalities. One is staying at home and seeing friends. The other is when I’m on the stage. There’s just a switch in my head. I have to be a frontman. I have to be a rockstar. But personally, I’m chill and easygoing. 

You’re an Arsenal fan. Why this team, and why did you ingrain the Arsenal fan club onto your kids since they were young? 

I love football. When I went abroad to study, I witnessed the games in England and loved it. When I went to watch the games, it was when Arsenal won a second league and cup double. I’ve always cheered for Arsenal. I love them so much. I despise Manchester United. I want to ingrain my love for this team onto my kids, so I bought them shirts when they were newborns. My daughter has a genuine kit. They will never have the chance to be a fan of other teams (haha). 

You’re now a father of two. How is that going for you?

Looking at myself on the outside, I sometimes think, is it real? Am i actually a father of two? Being a father, I have much more responsibilities. There are more sacrifices I have to make. But it gives my life a bigger purpose. I want to be strong and healthy so I can live a good life and care for my family 100%. My life purpose is now for them, not for me. 

My wife has also given me the responsibility of sending my kids to school every morning. I wake up at 7:30 every day to send my kids to school. It’s a good change to my lifestyle. I sleep earlier. And even if I sleep late, I still wake up early. Then I go work out when before I never did that.

What is your definition of quality time?

Every time I go home, especially after a long day at work, when I see my kids, my tiredness is gone. Seeing them, my happiness overcomes this exhaustion. They destress me. I can’t describe it, but many parents will know this feeling. Quality time is super important. I want to spend as much time with my kids. My daughter is currently 4 years old. She’s getting to that stage where she is independent and can spend time alone. Right now, she still needs me. But later on, when she grows up, that will change. She’ll want to be with her friends more. I don’t want to regret not spending time with her as this will happen. So whenever I’m free or after work, I try to be with my two kids as much as possible. 

You’re the frontman. Most people assume that the leader always outshines the rest of the members like people will remember you more. What do you think about this?

I feel that this generation doesn’t just look at the singer. They look at the whole group, such as the guitarist, drummer, and so on. I think they’re more educated. Before, they’ll be like, “Oh, this song is good.” Now, it’s more in-depth. It’s become a niche, and they actually are into it. For instance, they’ll say things like, “This guitarist’s solo is so cool.” Some will even go further to discuss sound production.  

Has your perspective evolved since entering the music industry?

It’s changed many times. When I first started around the age of 17-18, I was a solo singer. I didn’t want to go back to university during gap year. Plus, who wouldn’t be excited to go to Grammy and make their own CD? However, despite getting in, I faced many failures since it didn’t work out. Then, I formed Getsunova with my friends. We produced super random songs. I don’t even know what it was. The sound was different. We didn’t have any practice. It wasn’t professional. We received lots of criticism, including being labelled as a high society kid’s band.

But everything worked out in the end. After gaining more experience, having lots of practice, and changing our genre to appeal to the masses, we were a hit. Our first release, “Glai Kae Nai Kue Glai,” blew up. When we released that song, we didn’t think much of it. We even said, if not many people listen to it, let’s give up. But when it was released, our lives changed. 

Has your passion changed? 

Of course. Now, I’m trying to show myself more. We started off as an indie group. Then, we shifted towards mass music. We got to do many jobs, including performing on a massive stage like Big Mountain. We even collaborated with famous artists. But now, I want to go back to creating music that hits me. I currently have a solo project. Then, one with Getsunova. But I want to show the real Name. It’s a different side that no one has seen. Also, I want to test the waters, especially the international market. I believe people are more accepting nowadays, too. It’s my passion project that I have never done. I’m super excited.