Get to know the first signed artiste under south-east asian music label redrecords.
THAI-GERMAN singer Jannine Weigel was just about to move back to Germany when she received the opportunity to realise her music dreams in Asia.
“I was planning on continuing my studies in Germany but I learned about this exciting project just in time and decided to be a part of it.”
The said project is a joint venture between low-cost airline AirAsia and international music company Universal Music Group to start RedRecords – a music label devoted to discovering and grooming new talents in South-East Asia.
“The idea is to use the marketing power of AirAsia to find talents in South-East Asia, make great music and help them break through in the global market,” says AirAsia Group chief executive officer Tan Sri Tony Fernandes who shares RedRecords’ vision during its launch in Kuala Lumpur recently.
Weigel is RedRecords’ first signed artiste. “I got to work with Universal before this and that’s how it all started,” she shares on learning about RedRecords. Weigel released a Thai single, Pak Rai Jai Rak, with Universal Music Singapore in 2018.
“Then about six months ago, I met with the team and we had a series of meetings.”
Born in Steinfurt, Germany, she moved to Thailand when she was 10. Since then, Weigel has been churning out multiple EPs and singles, both in Thai and English, besides starring in Thai films and TV shows.
Weigel, now 19, recounts her career beginnings and talks about her love for music.
1. How did your showbiz journey begin?
When I moved to Thailand, I started with acting first. I would act in commercials. And then I thought that I would like to try out something else. So I joined a singing competition and that really sparked an interest in me to really pursue music. I’ve always loved music. I used to always sing karaoke.
2. What made you decide to join a new label instead of a more established one?
For me, it has to do with trust. It’s a partnership between AirAsia and Universal Music. I feel like both companies are trusted by people. So it was an easy decision to join this label even though it’s new.
3. What do your parents think about you pursuing music professionally?
I’ve been enrolled in a pre-bachelor degree programme (in English). So I’ve collected enough credits for two years. I have another two years left to complete.
So there’s not much left to study and I’m not in a rush to graduate. My parents are pretty chill with that. They are supportive of both my studies and my music as well.
4. Who’s your musical inspiration?
It has always been Taylor Swift who really inspired me to start writing my own music and tell my story. I just recently started taking it more seriously. So I’ve only released three songs that I’ve written.
5. What do you do in your free time?
It’s usually music-related. I’m actually quite introverted. I like being at home, recording covers, writing my own songs or just play the piano. Sometimes, I meet up with my friends as well.