“Time flew when we were HYBS,” Kasidej “Karn” Hongladaromp tells NME with a grin. He and bandmate James “Alyn” Wee have only been a band for three years, but they’ve called time on what’s been a fun but hectic run. The faithfully chill Thai pop duo are trying not to let disbandment dampen their spirits. They are, after all, the same artists who named themselves Have You Been Shrimp.
HYBS was a “dream come true,” says Alyn. “It really started as a small project that happened to go further than what we could ever imagine.” Back in 2021, the pair had been working as actor/models and making music from Alyn’s Bangkok home studio in their spare time. They named themselves after an inside joke from a Thai TV show (plus a bit of wordplay, “have you been” being the same word for “krill” in Thai) and put out the bluesy lovelorn song ‘Ride’ – which shortly went viral on Instagram Reels.
More R&B-inflected earworms came and in three years as HYBS, Alyn and Karn have released a dozen singles, an LP (‘Making Steak’), and a remix album (‘Cold Cuts’). They’ve toured at least eight Asian cities and caught the ears of nearly 5 million monthly listeners on Spotify alone.
What started as a laidback project quickly took its toll. “We both felt exhausted, to be honest,” admits Alyn. The duo would fly across Asia to tour once a month, playing shows around Thailand in between, and at most get a week off to themselves. “Even when we’re resting, we’re still thinking about work,” he adds. So, they decided to go on a permanent break. “I think the simplest way to describe it is, we might need to live our lives first,” says Karn.
Before that happens, HYBS are bidding a proper goodbye – dropping their final EP ‘Well Done’ today (February 27) and playing farewell concerts in Bangkok next month to sold-out crowds of 14,000 fans. The duo talk to NME more about the “emotional rollercoaster” they’re on as they hurtle towards the finish line, and reflect on meaningful takeaways from their musical, erm, ride.
Did you have second thoughts about quitting HYBS even after announcing the break-up? Why wasn’t an open-ended break an option and how are you guys feeling?
Karn: “How we are feeling is a tough one. It’s been such an emotional rollercoaster. It’s a [valid] question though, why we didn’t just leave the break open-ended. I mean, we try not to think too much these days. We just want to focus on one thing at a time. If we wanted to take a break, then we took that break. We’re trying to just have a good time and see where it goes.”
Alyn: “We’ve definitely had more than second thoughts and we’ve thought about it a lot. Everything happened so fast. We both felt exhausted, to be honest. We’ve been making music non-stop and were on tour pretty intensely. When we can rest we stay home to recover but most of the time, even when we’re resting, we’re still thinking about work, the next song, the next tour.
“So, we came to the decision together that we wanted a break and reset to stop thinking so much and start getting inspired again, just to make sure that the reason we started making music is because we love it, and we want to keep it that way. Once we made the decision, we were sure of what we wanted, despite our emotions. Of course, I will definitely miss HYBS, touring and everything that comes with it. But it’s all been thought out and we think that it’s going to be fine.”
Will you be quitting music-making in general? What creative projects are you eyeing in the near future?
Alyn: “We’re not really in the headspace to think about the future right now. We’re just focusing on our last concert and just letting everything sink in. I want to take my time to think about what I want to do next but that is something that I want to worry about later. The whole point of the break is not having anything set in stone, like no plans.”
Karn: “We’re not quitting music, by the way. But yes, the plan is to have no plan.”
“The reason we started making music is because we love it, and we want to keep it that way” – James “Alyn” Wee
What was more overwhelming, going viral or announcing the split? Or put another way: is it trickier to start or end your journey together?
Alyn: “I think the word is different. It’s both overwhelming in different ways. Every beginning has an ending, as cliché as it sounds.”
Karn: “Like Alyn said, they’re both overwhelming in different ways. Every beginning has to come to an end – oh, but he just said that.” [both laugh together]
Two sold-out shows!
Thank you so much 🚀❤️We’ll be ready for both days 🙂
See y’all on 15th and 16th March
at MGI Hall, Bravo (SHOW DC)Again, please be aware of tickets scamming ❤️#HYBS #HYBSWellDoneConcert#Juicey #LOVEiSENTERTAINMENT #TheConcertApplication #Spotify pic.twitter.com/JLbhes2Ah6
— HYBS 🦐🦐 (@hybsband) February 5, 2024
Your two-day farewell concert will be the last time you’re playing as HYBS. How do you manage going big versus performing what fans or “shrimpies” expect?
Alyn: “We’re not pretty sure what shrimpies expect, but we’re going to give it our all. I don’t know about going big or not and I don’t want to give away any surprises, but it’s definitely going to be something special. It’s still all about the fans and the songs that they’ve grown to love and connect with. We want to make it special for us and them.”
Karn: “Yeah, I think the one thing that surprised us the most [about disbanding] is we didn’t even notice that that many people loved us. So, we need to give it our all to that farewell concert.”
“We’re not quitting music – but the plan is to have no plan” – Kasidej “Karn” Hongladaromp
What are your artistic takeaways from three years of making music together?
Alyn: “For me, I think making music without taking yourself so seriously is a great way of working because it just makes everything light-hearted and fun. I feel like just opening ourselves to trying things that make us feel good and things that are creative and fun are all crucial as an artist. We feel like taking a break is also going to help us in that area. It will help us grow as people and as artists.”
Karn: “It’s similar to what Alyn said. I used to be the type of technical musician who was so serious about something I wrote and produced. But HYBS taught me that making music doesn’t have to be that serious. You just need to be comfortable and brave enough to write something silly and have fun with it. HYBS gave me a whole new [perspective] about making music.”
What will you miss most about playing together, in the studio or on stage?
Alyn: “On stage, it’s the feeling that every show we play is different. It’s just us having fun, dancing, singing, and doing silly things. It’s all organic and that chemistry is something that I will miss.”
Karn: “I think what’s hard is being in the same room when making music. There are multiple ways to produce and write a song, but for us, that was the best way. I’ll definitely miss being in the same room and vibing together just like the good old days.”
HYBS’ final EP ‘Well Done’ is out today via Juicey. Their sold-out farewell concerts will be held at Bangkok’s MGI Hall, Bravo (Show DC) on March 15 and 16, with guests Sirup, brb. and Gangga.
