While Denmark’s Grand Prix hope Chanée is in Oslo to prepare herself for next Thursday’s great semi-final in the Eurovision Grand Prix song contest, a political conflict is raging in the streets of Bangkok. And it affects the singer, who is half Thai. Chanée’s stage name comes from her full Thai name Ratchanee Birch Wongskul.
“It affects me when I see the images of the riots in Thailand and I hope my father’s family, who lives in Bangkok, are well. Fortunately, they live a little outside the city and not the middle of the action, “says the singer.
Sad
Chanées father was from Bangkok, but lived in Denmark until he died when Chanée was 15 years old. He has one sister, and five brothers who live in both Bangkok and Phuket.
“I know my father would be incredibly sad to see all the unrest in Bangkok right now. There have been conflicts before, and it was hard for him to sit in Denmark and view it from a distance. He would always call and ensure that the family in Bangkok was ok,” Chanée remembers.
“When singer was five years, the family moved to Bangkok for a few months to test whether they would live there. But they ended up returning to Denmark.”
Looked up her father’s family
After her father’s death it was hard for Chanée to maintain contact with her father’s Thai family. They do not speak English, and as Chanée doesn’t speak any Thai, the contact faded out.
“I lost contact with them since my father died. But seven years ago I looked them up through our surname and established contact with them again. I went to Bangkok to visit them and they all came to pick me up at the airport and showed me around town. They were so hospitable and sweet. But it’s hard to communicate and keep in touch when I do not speak Thai. They do not really understand when I tell about my life and they have no idea about my participation in Eurovision Grand Prix, says Chanée.
In love with a blonde
The Thai Danish singer’s father came to Denmark at the age 18 to study engineering. Here he learned the Danish language and continued studying business admin. Later he changed direction and was trained in banking business instead. And then he fell in love.
“My father had been in Denmark for four years when he met my mother. He was out shopping at Christmas with a Danish friend, and my mother was then working in a supermarket where she was wrapping up Christmas gifts wearing a Santa Claus hat and wore her long blond hair falling down to her hips. “I want this girl!” he told his friend. And he succeeded, they started dating, fell in love, married and then they got me,” says Chanée.
Buddhism and meditation
Daenmark’s Eurovision Grand Prix hope is born and raised in Denmark and as her father spoke perfect Danish, it was the only language in the home.
“I love Thailand and the Thais, but I feel very Danish. I think almost never about it except when people refer to me as Asian,” she says.
However, the Thai culture was present throughout her upbringing.
“I grew up with a good mix of Danish and Thai traditions. For example, I received gifts for Christmas Eve and on New Year’s Eve, when the Thais give presents. My father was a Buddhist, he meditated much, and through him I was introduced to this and other Buddhist traditions. I’m not even a believer, but I use meditation in my daily life,” she says.
Now Denmark hopes that Chanee can meditate Denmark to win the Eurovision Song Contest in Oslo.
