Thai female band Lyra, backed by Universal Music Group (UMG)
–  the largest music label in the world –
is looking to expand its devoted fan base and give a direct competition to
South Korean artists with their new music genre T-Pop, Reuters reported.

“We have high expectations. We want to introduce T-Pop music to the world,” the report quoted Jennis Oprasert, a
20-year-old Lyra member, as saying.

The south Korean artist in recent years, have turned K-Pop into a global phenomenon.

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The group was launched last year by UMG in collaboration with
Thai firm Independent Artist Management (iAM). The group was reportedly formed
after auditioning around 80 girls and young women from BNK48, a popular idol group
in the country.

According to Paul Sirisant, the representative of UMG in the
country, the move amounts to taking a risk. However, he further expected the
originality of the band to be a driving factor behind their success.

“We saw them transform into their individual artistic
selves, which is great, but there were many tears,” Reuters quoted
Sirisant as saying, as he described the band eventually coming and staying together
in a house as plans to go to Los Angeles were interrupted by the pandemic.

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“The dancing, the music genre is different. I’ve never
done it before, but even though it’s hard, I’ve loved (doing) it since I was a
kid, so I’m ready”, 18-year-old Lyra member Natticha ‘Fond’ Chantaravareelekha
was quoted saying when asked about making the shift from BNK48’s musical style.

The band has become a part of a burgeoning group of Thai
artists who have started to get recognition from investors and the international
audience.

“We plan to have more bands with universal,” the report states
iAM CEO Nataphol Pavaravadhana as saying, who also claims upcoming musical
groups to be different from Lyra.