Amita Tata Young*

Amita Tata Young sits in a makeup chair just one foot away from me. I break the ice by telling her about Eat Bulaga, where she will be guesting the following day. When she realizes how big the show is, she says with widening eyes, "Wow, that makes me really lucky."

Tata Young or simply Tata, as she is known by her millions of adoring Thai fans, is in town to do some promotional work for her latest album I Believe, her first all-English album. The pop star, born and raised in Thailand, wants to break into the world market, and before comquering the West, she first has to conquer the Far East.

Outside Thailand, few people are familiar with Tata. Make no mistake, though, she is not a "new thing," having produced six earlier albums. "I've been singing in Thailand since I was fifteen," she says proudly. "I had my first album then. Since that time, I've sold over 12 million copies in Thailand. I've been working in the business for nine years now."

Her self-titled debut album was Thailand's Album of the Year and garnered her the distinction of being the Best Recording Artist of Thailand in 1995.

"I started singing when I was eight. I entered a very popularo contest in Thailand, something like American Idol, and I won. A label company saw my performance on TV, and they got really interested. They approached me, and that's when I got started with the gig." Opening up new markets outside Thailand to the talent of Tata Young might seem daunting, but this energetic lady relishes the experience. "The English language album gives me more exposure. It's like a new challenge, and I love it. I have to start again, just to introduce myself, and that's more like it. How many people can say they've had that experience? I can name Ricky Martin, Shakira, just a few."

Tata's biggest single off the album - Sexy, Naughty, Bitchy - has its share of detractors, especially among conservatives who see the song as a negative influence to young fans. As one of Thailand's "10 Most Influential People" and one of the "25 Most Influential Trend-makers in Asia, Tata has this to say: "To picture myself as a role model is really something difficult because humans are humans. It's not like we're perfect people. We don't do everything right all the time."

In 2001, Tata Young was estimated to be worth some US$ 2 million. What was she worth now, I asked, wondering if this question would be a touchy one. "Honestly, I have no idea. My manager handles those things. I just do what I do, sing and perform. The money is a good thing when you're in the business but honestly, I don't care. I'm from a pretty wealthy family myself, so the money is not the big priority in being an artist."

"I wish I had beachfront property," she shares. "I think land is probably the best thing you can invest in in Thailand. It's smart! There's no risk. It's always yours. It's not like stock where you have to depend on it going up or down. Land is always there."

Part of the Tata Young machine is her fan club, where fans can keep up-to-date with the life and career of Tata, and purchase Tata merchandise. While marketing like this isn't new, what is surprising is a full thirty percent of all merchandiese proceeds goes to Tata's pet charity, the Human Development Foundation.

"That money is given to the Human Development Center in order to help people with AIDS, kids who caught it from their moms, women who caught it from their husbands. This is all run by Fr. Joe. It's a Catholic organization."

In an industry where image is all important, Tata Young knows how to project, protect, and maintain hers. She is very particular about the clothes she wears during the shoot. She refuses to let her hair done a certain way. She seems upset during the first few set-ups, and I almost walk away with a negative impression of her. Then comes the bathroom shoot.

For the first time in the afternoon, I see this young lady having fun, in control, and really enjoying herself. She loves the whole concept and poses gamely for the cameras in a dirty men's room, not just doing glam shots but playing it up with more provocative ones.

Tata Young is a girl who knows what she wants and is unafraid to go out and claim it. She says she wants to conquer the world. Maybe she will.

*I wrote this for Manual magazine a year ago.