Lookpong 'Monna' Bunyabhuti is a Thai singer and actress. Her career was launched after finishing 4th runner up in the 4th season of the popular reality talent show Academy Fantasia. Her singing ranges from classical, operatic, musical to R&B and pop. She sings in Thai and English. Lookpong is a soprano.
Biography
Lookpong was born in Bangkok, Thailand. She has one older sister. Lookpong started her elementary education at Phra Manda Nijjanukhroh School, secondary school at Bodindecha (Sing Singhaseni) School.
Her singing bug started early. When she was three years old, the family was having dinner in a restaurant with a live band. Lookpong marched towards the stage and began to sing. The band singer, Chen Chen, then carried Little Lookpong onstage and asked her to join in a singalong. Her mother also loved singing and has sung with her daughter on many occasions. She recognised her daughter's singing talent early on and encouraged Lookpong to take singing lessons at the age of ten. Lookpong and her sibling had been raised by their mother when her father died (on military duty) when she was ten years old. Lookpong had shown sign of singing talent in school and had represented her schools in various singing contests and won many trophies.
Education
Lookpong graduated with a bachelor's degree in Classical Music from Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts at Chulalongkorn University in 2011. (Chulalongkorn University is Thailand's foremost and most prestigious university.)
Academy Fantasia
While in her junior year at Chulalongkorn University, at the age of 18, Lookpong auditioned for the popular Academy Fantasia Reality Show and was among the final 20 contestants out of tens of thousands of applicants throughout the country.
The show was a showcase for aspiring singers whereby participants would be trained and gave stage performances each week. Held over a period of 12 weeks, each contestant would go to the next stage through votes from both TV and live audience. Lookpong was among the finalists performing the Final Concert at Impact Arena on September 8, 2007). She was the 4th runner up.
Lookpong sang Thai songs and international hits like Listen, One Night Only, Wannabe (girl group), I Will Survive, All I Ask of You (duet), My Heart Will Go On, The Final Countdown (group), Come on Over. Among these, "One Moment in Time" had been her best performance, in which Lookpong received the loudest and longest applause. Lookpong's version of "One Moment in Time" has been considered one of the best cover versions in Thailand.
Performances/Results
Week 1 – theme: Final audition: Listen – Lookpong (V17)
Week 2 – theme: The Best of Me: One Night Only – Lookpong (V17) Feat. Eingeing (V6), Puifai (V18)
Week 8 – Theme: Tele Songs: ทำไมไม่รับซักที – Lookpong (V17); ศรีแผ่นดิน นวมินทร์มหาราชินี – AF4; โทรมาอีกแล้ว – Lookpong (V17); Just Called to Say I Love You – Lookpong (V17); ค่าน้ำนม – Lookpong (V17) Feat. Papang (V3), Eingeing (V6), Nat (V1), Tol (V9), Tee (V12)
Week 9 – Theme: Cheer: One moment in time – Lookpong (V17); Medley We Will Rock You + Ole Ole Ole – AF4; The Final Countdown – Lookpong (V17) Feat. Papang (V3), Eingeing (V6), Nat (V1), Tol (V9), Tee (V12), Music (V8); Cheer – Lookpong (V17) Feat. Tol (V9), Tee (V12)
Week 11 – Theme: Dance: Come on Over – Lookpong (V17); อาโบเดเบ – Girl Group AF4; เจ้าช่อมาลี – AF4, Medley Dance ลองซิจ๊ะ , All I wanna Do, OK นะคะ, ไปด้วยกันนะ – AF4
Week 13 – Theme: Contestant's The Best of AF4 & His Majesty The King's Songs (The Extra Week): One moment in time – Lookpong (V17); ภูมิแผ่นดิน – AF4 20 V; พ่อแห่งแผ่นดิน – AF4 20 V
Post Academy Fantasia career
After signing a five-year contract with Academy Fantasia, Lookpong and her fellow AF4 contestants released a group album called X-Treme Army incorporating Lookpong's first single—Don't Say Goodbye which was rather well received.
In order to showcase individual talent, all 12 singers had been divided into 4 groups:- Rock Army, Pop Army, Spice Army and Voice Army, of which Lookpong belonged to the latter. A nationwide concert tour had been launched to promote the album. The X-treme Army in Concert was held in Bangkok (October 13, 2007), Surat Thani (October 20, 2007), Chiang Mai (October 27, 2007) and Udon Thani (November 3, 2007). On December 15–19, 2007, Lookpong and her AF4 fellows joined THAI Exclusive Trip with AF4 'X-Treme Army in Beijing'.
Throughout her career, Lookpong has travelled extensively to China, Japan, the Philippines, Singapore, Australia and England.
Discography
2014
'ความจริง...แค่ในเมื่อวาน' 3rd single from Lookpong 's Single[1]
Won the Education Ministry's Trophy by HRH Somdej Phra Thepratanasuda
Won the Center Point Singing Contest
Acting Role
Lookpong has appeared in a variety of stage musicals, television and films.
2015
In January 2015, Lookpong will be back on stage in a Thai Musical "Khor Hai Muan Derm". The Musical will be on from January–March 2515.[10]
Lookpong will be co-starring in a new TV series, a remake of classic "Sapai Jao" where she will be taking on the role of "Wirongrong" a fashionable magazine editor. The series will be shown on Channel 3 (Thailand) in 2015.
Following a successful first television series of Pol, Nikorn, Kim Nguan or PNK in 2014, PNK (an adaptation of popular classic comedy) will return for another series in 2015. Lookpong will reprise her role as Nual Laor, the wife of millionaire Kim Nguan.
2014
Pol Nikorn Kim Gnuan, the musical ( a television comedy series)[11] @ TRUE4U True Corporation
Lookpong loves animals, especially dogs, she had been a presenter for Pet Lover by Jerhigh Television programme on TNN Channel, aired between 2011–12, whereby her beloved family of Chihuahuas, Wasabi, Jennifer and Isabella had also appeared regularly with her.
Lookpong is single and currently lives in Bangkok with her mother and three Chihuahuas, Wasabi, Mijang and Foie Gras. She has an older sister who lives and works in US. Lookpong loves movies, reading, fashion and has designed a clothing range for dogs.
