Birthday Issue Cover Story: Violette Wautier Is Here To Be Honest

Sunlight spills through the glass at Rosewood Hong Kong, glinting off marble tables and mirrored walls – a tableau of effortless grandeur that invites reflection and pause. Across from the light, Violette Wautier sits with natural poise, her energy both composed and radiant. She speaks with an assurance shaped by years of growth – unhurried, warm, and deeply aware. There’s something magnetic about her stillness, as if she’s found the subtle harmony between strength and softness – between who she was and who she’s ready to be.

This October marks a moment of looking inward. As Violette celebrates her birthday – and twelve years since her debut on ‘The Voice Thailand’ – there’s an unmistakable feeling of turning a page. ‘It’s really funny,’ she says with a soft laugh. ‘The other day I realised it’s been exactly twelve years – on the 29th of September – since I was on the show. I never remember the date, but it came up recently, and I was like, wow. That’s a long way.’

A long way, indeed – one that’s carried her through pop stardom, screen and stage, triumph and metamorphosis. Yet at the heart of it all, her anchor has remained steady: honesty. It’s what runs through her music, her performances, her moments of stillness – the thread that has stitched together every evolution, every version of herself.

Read More: Cover Story – Supassara Thanachat Finds Balance

‘Music is how I understand myself’

When asked about the inspiration behind her recent love songs, like the vulnerable single ‘Wanna Be Yours,’ Violette pauses – pensive, measuring her words. ‘When it comes to my music, I try to be the most honest that I can,’ she says. ‘Because music is a way for me to express my feelings – it’s how I understand myself more by writing it down.’

She describes songwriting as a process of distillation. ‘When you have so many things to say, you try to shorten it down to a few sentences,’ she explains. ‘It cuts out all the unnecessary babbling of my feelings until it comes down to what my true feeling is.’

That ‘true feeling’, she reveals, is often rooted in vulnerability. ‘On the surface, ‘Wanna Be Yours’ feels like a love song’, she says, ‘but it’s actually a very insecure confession. It’s about that raw desire to be loved and truly seen by someone. It’s a very human feeling – it’s normal to desperately want to feel chosen. That’s where the song came from. Because I do want to be loved.’

For Violette, softness and strength are no longer opposites – they coexist. ‘Sometimes you don’t need to be strong all the time,’ she says. ‘It’s also strong to feel soft.’

She reflects, switching briefly between Thai and English in thought. ‘You’re brave for feeling some feelings, for admitting when you’re not okay,’ she continues. ‘By accepting that – saying “yeah, I’m not good today” – you can move forward. That’s what makes you stronger afterwards.’

It’s a tender kind of courage – one that refutes the illusion of perfection. For her, the beauty of honesty lies in its rawness.

‘Love itself is a good thing’

Few artists have explored love and longing as consistently as Violette. Hence, her understanding of it has deepened over time. ‘I feel like love is such a beautiful, amazing thing anyone can experience,’ she says. ‘But over time, my understanding of it has changed – not just through romance, but through all kinds of life experience.’

She draws a clear distinction where those life experiences are involved. ‘Love and relationship are not the same thing. Love itself is fulfilling and beautiful. But relationships can be beautiful too – and also painful. When a relationship doesn’t work out, it’s not love failing; it’s just two people not fitting together.’

She pauses before adding, ‘Sometimes, there are things around love that disguise themselves as love – but they’re not.’

Her honesty carries the assurance of someone who has stopped trying to overcorrect herself for others. ‘I used to try to change myself to fit with another person,’ she says. ‘But sometimes it doesn’t happen. You don’t have to really change that much. It’s more about accepting that person as they are, and also accepting yourself – good and bad – and loving through the bad as well.’

It’s a mature, clear-eyed kind of love – one that comes from experience, not idealism.

For all her poise, Violette doesn’t hide that the past year has come with challenges – both creatively and personally. ‘My career path hasn’t been easy,’ she states simply. ‘I haven’t always done everything perfectly. Sometimes I’d do something and feel like I could have done better. But at the end of the day, to be looked up to — it’s such an honour.’

Younger artists in Thailand now see her as an icon, a thought that still surprises her. ‘I’m honoured if I can inspire someone,’ she says. ‘Because I’m still making my own dreams come true. And I hope my music inspires them to do the same.’

She’s candid about moments of doubt. ‘Recently, I felt like I hit a speed bump,’ she admits. ‘Sometimes I forget how I started – from passion, from nothing else. Along the way, I might have listened to the noise too much.’

That realisation was also an awakening. ‘I kept bending myself to fit what I thought others wanted,’ she says. ‘But when you do that, people can feel it – it’s not authentic. And in the end, why would I compromise myself to please people, if they’re not pleased anyway?’

She smiles – not with defiance, but with assurance. ‘So now I’m not trying to please anyone anymore. I hope it pleases them, but I’m making something meaningful to me. I want to be the most honest and truest I’ve ever been.’

Even after twelve years, she doesn’t see herself as having ‘made it.’ ‘I try not to recycle my sound,’ she says. ‘I’m always finding something new. It feels like I’m trying to find myself in every step. Maybe I’ve found it – but we change with age, and you keep trying to understand who you are at every stage.’

It’s this sense of curiosity – not the pursuit of flawlessness – that keeps her artistry alive. ‘My next goal isn’t just about sound,’ she adds, ‘but about message. I want to make music that feels meaningful – something that comes from truth.’

And if people remember her for one thing? She answers without hesitation: ‘I hope they remember me for my honesty, my artistry, and my kindness.’

Twelve years since first entering the spotlight, Violette Wautier remains rooted in who she’s always been – introspective, self-assured, and unflinching in her willingness to begin anew. Hers is a story not of dramatic transformation, but of return: to authenticity, to passion, and to herself.

Catherine Pun

Editor-in-Chief |  + postsBio

A Hong Kong native with Filipino-Chinese roots, Catherine infuses every part of her life with zest, whether she’s belting out karaoke tunes or exploring off-the-beaten-path destinations. Her downtime often includes unwinding with Netflix and indulging in a 10-step skincare routine. As the Editorial Director of Friday Club., Catherine brings her wealth of experience from major publishing houses, where she refined her craft and even authored a book. Her sharp editorial insight makes her a dynamic force, always on the lookout for the next compelling narrative.

• Catherine Pun

  #molongui-disabled-link

  ‘Wicked: For Good’ Review: When Friendship Is The Strongest Spell
• Catherine Pun

  #molongui-disabled-link

  Need A Lift? Where To Get HIFU In Hong Kong
• Catherine Pun

  #molongui-disabled-link

  Friday Club. Insider: Ronan Chan From Ethica On Human-First Chiropractic Care
• Catherine Pun

  #molongui-disabled-link

  We Tried 212HK, Hong Kong’s Largest Indoor Pickleball Club – Here’s What It’s Like