Mitxoda Weekly #29: Singing for Those Who Listen

From Southeast Asia’s quiet strength to rock’s first wild clock, music keeps holding us together.

Author

Mitxoda
April 11, 2025

Hello Dear Friend!

Welcome to Mitxoda Weekly #29! Glad to have you here!

I wish I could travel like Stephen from Berlos Band does... meeting people, exploring new places, and enjoying the sun with friends.

But right now? My kind of travel is floating on the sounds of Crayon Tabibito, and thinking back to my trip to Thailand almost 10 years ago. I was in Lampang, Phitsanulok, Chiang Mai... An unforgettable journey, eternal memories.

I don’t think I’ve ever felt such peaceful calm, such a deep sense of well-being, or such constant kindness all around me. And I am horrified by the latest earthquake out there…

And who better to talk about this feeling than someone born and raised there, like Crayon Tabibito?

I really hope you’ll let yourself be carried away by his words, his talent, and his creative ideas.

And don’t miss all the latest releases waiting for you at the very end of this email, sometimes your mailbox hides them when I write too much (yep, guilty!). Just make sure to expand the message if it looks cut off ;)

Alright, I’m heading back to my yoga session now…

Take care,

Mitxoda

Au menu, this week:

Before We Start…

  • 🔥 Help me shine! Vote for my song "Seconde Vie" on RNL Radio, every vote counts and yours means the world. 👉 Click here to vote 

  • Sign the petition to demand One Stream = One Cent, a minimum wage for artists who make the music we love. 👉 Add your voice here !

Artist Spotlight: Crayon Tabibito, “Warm and kind” is not just a sound, it’s a life philosophy.

There are musicians who strive to break boundaries. Others aim to climb charts. And then there are rare souls like Crayon Tabibito, who quietly build sanctuaries. His music doesn’t shout. It invites, it comforts. “It is warm and kind”, he says when asked to describe his sound, and you instantly believe him. Not because it’s a catchy tagline, but because everything, from the way he expresses to the way he composes, reflects that gentleness. In a world growing louder by the day, Crayon Tabibito offers a refuge. His songs are like true companions, humble and attentive, good friends sitting next to you when words fail. Make yourself comfy.

❝

I have never been blocked from the freedom to learn and create

A life shaped by art and love, no barriers, no detours.

Crayon Tabibito doesn’t speak of breakthroughs or struggles the way many artists do. Instead, he recalls the beautiful simplicity of freedom: “I have never been blocked from the freedom to learn and create”. That sentence alone feels like a quiet revolution. Born into a family where art and music were regularly celebrated, he grew into his role as a creator organically. His earliest memories are filled with singing; by high school, words and melodies began flowing into songs. Unlike the typical narrative of rebellion or constraint, his story is one of encouragement, a fertile ground where creativity could thrive. That gift of permission, of being allowed to follow joy, has become the essence of his sound.

From poppy love songs to meditations on peace, a lyrical metamorphosis.

His teenage years were filled with love songs, reflections of everyday feelings and schoolyard romances, as many of us experience. But then, something shifted. Crayon Tabibito had the unique opportunity to spend time alongside Buddhist monks and novices, a chapter that left a lasting imprint on his worldview. From that point on, his lyrics evolved toward peace, inner stillness, and the universal longing for love in its deepest sense.

“I realized I wanted to write music and lyrics using various themes and styles”, he explains, and that realization brought with it a rare fluidity.

Crayon doesn’t see genres or messages as boxes. To him, they’re colors in a palette, tools to create honesty. His songs aren’t trying to “say something” in the traditional sense. They’re trying to understand something.

Tradition is not nostalgia, it’s innovation with roots.

When he speaks of Thai musical traditions, Crayon does so not with academic detachment, but with lived, sensory memory. The temple bells. The Thai gongs. The particular flavor of Look Tung or Pleng Phua Cheewit echoing through village air. They are soul markers. “Since my second album in 2014, I have blended traditional sounds into my music”, he says. But what’s remarkable is how seamlessly he does it. The result is NOT folklore. It’s not even fusion. It’s continuity. Crayon Tabibito doesn’t just use traditional elements. He lives them, remolding them through contemporary emotion, so a bell from the temple can ring alongside a gentle synth and both feel perfectly at home. Oasis Gas Station brings something powerful to this mix. That song is awesome!

Creation is a full-body joy, from spark to final mix.

When asked which part of the creative process he enjoys the most, Crayon smiles: “Each creative process has its own enjoyment”. Whether he’s composing the skeleton of a melody, imagining the textures of sound design, or simply singing with abandon, he finds joy in all of it. He envisions the final sound before it exists, then walks backwards to build it, layer by layer, detail by detail. It’s as if he’s sculpting an emotion out of silence. “The most fun is making it all while imagining the final sounds I want”. There’s a childlike excitement in that sentence, a sense of play that we often forget in our adult pursuit of so-called “perfection”.

Art can still be joyful work.

✔️ Follow Mitxoda on Bandcamp or on any another platform 
✔️ Grab my songs on Bandcamp or go old-school with a physical copy of my EP Distant and Close here.

Conversations: a return to heart-centered love.

His latest album, Conversations, feels like both a renewal and a reunion. For the first time since his debut, Crayon returned to writing songs about love, not as a vague ideal, but as something deeply lived and expressed through dialogue. “The album's theme is about the expression of love songs in conversations”, he says. That word conversation is key. These aren’t one-sided declarations. They’re exchanges, spaces where emotions bounce, dissolve, grow.

After nearly a decade, Crayon returned to this theme with excitement. He rediscovers it like one revisits an old friend, only to realize they both grew, and the love remains. “They also color my life”, he adds. The image is perfect: love, as paint, tinting everything it touches.

Soundtrack storytellers, anime spirit.

It may surprise some to learn that Crayon’s university major was animation. But as soon as he speaks about it, the connection to his music becomes crystal clear. “I watched many Japanese anime series and movies... I can’t deny that the things that inspired me the most from them are their beautiful soundtracks”. Artists like Yoko Kanno and Maaya Sakamoto wrote melodies and told stories. Crayon absorbed that, and it changed the way he thought about music. Not as background. Not even as mood. But as narrative. Every note must serve the emotional arc. Every phrase must speak from the character’s heart. His music, like the best anime soundtracks, reveals a new scene. Listen to this one : ปากอย่างใจอย่าง (that I can’t pronounce nor understand!)

A tour, a dream, a promise.

When asked what he dreams of next, Crayon’s voice softens. “I dream of performing a live tour once in my life”. Touring, especially internationally, remains a distant possibility for many indie artists, limited by funding, logistics, or simply timing. But he holds onto the hope: “I want to search for new connections to make my dream come true”. And you get the sense that, if ever this dream unfolds, it will be a celebration. A thank you. A meeting of souls. I wish I could be part of it one day!

A sound to heal, not to impress.

So what does he truly want listeners to experience? Healing. Not in the dramatic, savior-complex way. But in the quiet way a good cup of tea (like the one you have right now) or a shared silence can soothe. “I hope my warm music and sound will heal them”, he says. It’s simple. Powerful. If they understand the Thai lyrics, he hopes they’re moved. If they don’t, he still wants them to feel the emotion. “I hope they will notice some unique elements I tried adding to each song”. In a world racing toward louder, faster, more shocking art, Crayon’s subtlety feels radical. He’s not demanding your attention. He’s offering you comfort.

Phum, ChaHarmo, and the mentors behind the music.

Crayon’s humility also shines in how he speaks of other artists. He doesn’t position himself above others, he situates himself among them. He admires Phum Viphurit, not just for his success, but for his fluency in English and ability to tour the world. And then there’s ChaHarmo from SuThep Band, his mentor and guide, whose influence shaped Crayon’s decision to fully embrace the path of a singer-songwriter. These aren’t name drops. They’re thank-yous. In a scene that can sometimes feel competitive, Crayon builds bridges.

💔 South East Asia in Mourning, And the Indies Rise in Response

Fifteen days ago, the earth shook. A 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit Myanmar, sending shockwaves across the South East Asian region, including Thailand, Laos, and Bangladesh. The human toll is staggering: more than 10,000 lives lost, thousands injured, entire communities displaced. For those of us watching from afar, it's difficult to fully comprehend the depth of the suffering. But for artists like Crayon Tabibito, the tragedy is personal.

❝

I hope my warm music and sound will heal them

Crayon’s home is part of this region. Lampang is a place I know well, and I can assure you, it’s simply beautiful. Crayon’s songs often emerge from the same ground now trembling, his lyrics shaped by its temples and traditions. And in the face of such catastrophe, the indie community of South East Asia is doing what it does best: responding with heart. Across Thailand, musicians have opened donation channels, organized benefit concerts, and offered their voices in solidarity. Crayon spoke with quiet admiration of those artists who mobilized quickly to help the victims in both Myanmar and Thailand.

This is the spirit of Southeast Asia: resilience, compassion, unity. And it’s the same spirit that infuses Crayon Tabibito’s work. Whether you understand the language of his lyrics or not, you will feel that care in every note. As he put it, “I hope my warm music and sound will heal them”. And maybe that’s what art is here for, not necessarily to solve the pain, but to hold it. Not to erase the tragedy, but to honor the humanity within it.

We invite you, wherever you are, to join this wave of care. Support grassroots relief efforts. Share the stories. Play the songs that come from this soil. Because every beat, every verse, every donation carries a ripple of hope.

Let the Kalavinka Sing

Before I close this long read, let’s return to a question that felt light-hearted at first but landed like a poem. When asked what mythical creature would love his album, Crayon replied: “Kalavinka, the mythical creature in Buddhism with a very beautiful voice. I hope it will sing my song”.

That line stayed with me.

Kalavinka is a symbol of grace and it is said to sing only truths, only pure tones of enlightenment. For Crayon, it’s not about praise, it’s about resonance. If a creature made of myth and sound were to encounter his work, he wouldn’t want applause. He’d want song. He’d want his music to be worthy of being sung again, echoed by something eternal.

And maybe that’s his deepest wish. No fame, no streams, but connection beyond form. A vibration that touches both the listener and the sky.

We hope this week, amidst chaos and quiet, you find a moment to let Crayon Tabibito’s music hold you. And we hope that, somewhere, the Kalavinka is already singing along.

Thank you Crayon, for your words!

Historical Fact: The Day the Clock Started Rocking

On April 12, 1954, music history got a serious jolt when Rock Around the Clock by Bill Haley and His Comets was recorded. Little did they know, they weren’t just laying down a catchy tune, they were launching a rock ’n’ roll revolution. The song eventually climbed to number one on both the Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart, causing parents to panic, teens to twist, and clocks everywhere to tap their little clock hands to the beat. It became the unofficial anthem of youthful rebellion, and possibly the first hit to prove that yes, you can rock around the clock, provided you’ve got a sax solo and a stand-up bass.

Here it is! A little slice of history shared just for you!

Playlist of the Week: In the Woods 

Nadine's Indie Treasures: Banjos, Beers & Bad Decisions

Ever wonder what real-deal country sounds like when it doesn’t try to impress anyone? Nadine’s pick this week is the brilliantly unapologetic Drunk and Lonely, a band that leans into the clichés with just enough wit to make it all feel fresh.

It’s raw, fun, and walks that fine line between satire and sincerity. Songs like “No Place to Go”, “Quit Hard”, and of course “Drunk and Lonely” are made for blasting with a six-pack in hand and zero regrets.

💬 Introducing Nadine’s Indie Treasures a new chapter where Nadine de Macedo handpicks and spotlights exceptional artists. Subscribe to her Bandcamp to support her work, enjoy exclusive singles, and be part of her evolving story!

Want to know more? Hit reply…

Quick Indie News

Mark your calendars! On April 16th, Jey Lowfield returns with "Final Comeback", a deeply personal and powerful debut like nothing he's done before.

Punk AF: KTO’s next banger ‘Love at the End of the Line’ ain’t just a track. It’s a rebel yell from the 1940s outback. Grit, guts, and freedom in 3 minutes. Drops May 1. Presave it now or stay stuck at the station: https://triberadio.lnk.to/LoveattheEndoftheLine 

If you'd like to introduce your latest release, just click here to submit all the details. I’d love to hear about it! 😇 Submit your track here.

Until Next Week: Songs Travel Further Than We Know.

Gratitude, always.

Music is empathy. Stories are bridges. And somewhere out there, maybe right next to you, maybe in the calm heart of Lampang, the Kalavinka is singing.

Keep listening. Keep holding space for tenderness.

See you next week, in noise, in silence, in care.

Stay indie. Stay kind.

Love, Mitxoda

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