Chiang Mai-based Japanese-Thai city pop band Cherie Pops will release their first album, “The ‘Unknown’ Greatest Hits Vol.1”, on June 9, 2026.

This article introduces the album, the band members, the full track list, special message videos, and an album review by Thailand-based Japanese writer Somchay Yoshida.

Pre-Save “The ‘Unknown’ Greatest Hits Vol.1”

Cherie Pops’ first album “The ‘Unknown’ Greatest Hits Vol.1” is available on major streaming platforms from June 9, 2026.

You can listen to the album on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Amazon Music and other platforms.

Streaming Links
https://bfan.link/the-unknown-greatest-hits-vol-1

About Cherie Pops

Cherie Pops is a Japanese-Thai city pop band based in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Their music blends Japanese city pop, Showa-era pop, AOR, funk, fusion, and the present-day sensibilities of young Thai musicians living in Chiang Mai. The result is a sound that feels nostalgic, fresh, and uniquely rooted in the atmosphere of northern Thailand.

The album title, “The ‘Unknown’ Greatest Hits Vol.1”, is both sincere and playful. Cherie Pops may not yet have “hits” in the public sense, but this album brings together the songs the band truly believes in — a collection of “greatest hits” that the world has not discovered yet.

Message from Mitsuru Sutoh to Cherie Pops

Legendary Japanese bassist Mitsuru Sutoh, known as a former member of T-SQUARE, sent a special message to Cherie Pops.

He participated in Cherie Pops’ song “Tonikaku Sabishii (So Sad So Bad)”, and in his message video, he kindly introduced himself as an “associate member of Cherie Pops.”

Having one of Japan’s most respected bassists send such a warm message to a Chiang Mai-based band became a very meaningful moment for Cherie Pops.

Message from Cherie Pops｜Thai Comment by Band Leader Nohn

Nohn Intaranan, the band leader of Cherie Pops, also shared a message in Thai about the album release.

Nohn is the keyboardist, arranger, recording engineer, editor, and mastering engineer for the album. In his message, he talks about the music of Cherie Pops and the feelings behind “The ‘Unknown’ Greatest Hits Vol.1.”

As a band born in Chiang Mai, Cherie Pops carries both Japanese and Thai musical sensibilities. Please enjoy Nohn’s message in his own words.

Album Review by Somchay Yoshida

For this album, Cherie Pops received a review from Thailand-based Japanese writer Somchay Yoshida.

As a writer who has observed Thai society, culture, and music for many years — and as someone who has actually seen Cherie Pops perform live in Chiang Mai — he writes about the Chiang Mai atmosphere running through the album, the comfort of its city pop sound, and the band’s appeal as a live entertainment band.

Cherie Pops Album Review

Let your body and mind relax, and sit back deeply in a chair. Or lie down on a bed or sofa, and simply surrender yourself to the music. Comfortable cutting guitar, keyboards with an urban sense of floating, and a rhythm section that bounces lightly. And if you have ever visited Chiang Mai even once, within this polished city pop sound you may find the old city streets, the bustle of the markets, the mountains in the distance, the flow of the Ping River, and that uniquely relaxed atmosphere coming back to you.

What I felt throughout this album was an atmosphere unique to Chiang Mai — something that is neither Japan nor Bangkok. This may also be related to the fact that I myself spent several years after the COVID period in the neighboring province of Lamphun, experiencing everyday life in this region firsthand. Above all, my memory of seeing them perform live at “Mellowship Jazz Bar” in Chiang Mai is strongly connected to this music.

Below, I would like to briefly touch on some of the songs that left a particularly strong impression on me.

03 Mellowship Fellowship

Perhaps because the title comes from Mellowship Jazz Bar, the venue where I first saw them, the Chiang Mai night when I first watched this band came vividly back to me.

04 Sunshine Cat

This is a song with a warm and gentle atmosphere. I myself love dogs and cats so much that whenever I come across them on the street, I cannot help but stop for a moment. So I can really understand the slightly “tsundere” feeling and the comforting sense of healing in this song.

08 Fly From Home

As someone who has lived for a long time far away from Japan, my homeland, I sometimes find myself thinking, “I really have come a long way.” In that sense, I could relate to the feeling expressed in this song.

09 Believe In Human Magic

Even in the face of Chiang Mai’s floods and air pollution, the song carries ICHI-SAN’s desire to believe in human goodwill and in the power of people to take action. But that feeling is not limited to Chiang Mai. Precisely because we live in such an unstable era, the message of this song quietly resonates in the heart.

Music, in Japanese, is written as “the enjoyment of sound.” And I believe that professionals are people who entertain others through sound. However, in recent years, there have been many live performances where technique or an inward-looking worldview comes too far to the front, while the essential point — entertaining the audience — is left behind.

To deliver human joy, sadness, fun, and worries through sound and song. Sometimes that reaches deeply into the heart, and sometimes it simply passes by. Music that one person loves may be nothing more than background music to someone else. Music has no physical shape. That is why each person receives it differently. Even so, artists continue to carry a contradiction: they may think, “It is enough if it reaches the people who like it,” while at the same time wanting more people to listen.

Japan is often said to be one of the countries in the world with a particularly strong sense of attention to detail. Whether in food or industrial products, the accumulation of almost obsessive attention to the smallest details has led to worldwide recognition. City pop, too, may sound light on the surface, but it is actually an extremely precise form of music. The bassline, the subtle nuances of the drums, the timing of the guitar cutting, and the voicing of the keyboards — only when all of these elements fit together does that unique floating feeling and comfort emerge.

Cherie Pops’ music certainly has that kind of craftsmanlike attention to detail. But their charm lies in the fact that they do not make that effort feel heavy at all. They play difficult things without making them look difficult — lightly, casually, and effortlessly. Serious music fans will likely be impressed by the detailed arrangements and performance skills. At the same time, even listeners who do not know the term “city pop” will probably find their bodies naturally starting to move. They have deep attention to detail, yet their music works as pop music that is open to everyone. That, I believe, is the greatest charm of Cherie Pops.

If you like this album, I would definitely recommend seeing them live. They are not the type of band that is complete only in the studio. They are a live entertainment band that truly shines when they share the same space with an audience. They enjoy music more than anyone else, and that happiness naturally spreads to the audience. ICHI-SAN sings while playing percussion, draws the audience in, and instantly turns the whole venue into a “space where people can dance.” There is nothing pretentious about it. Purely and simply, there is “fun” there.

If I were to describe their live show in one phrase, there is only one answer.

“Anyway, it’s fun!”

Everyone in that space can forget nationality, age, and the anxieties of daily life, and simply feel happy. That kind of space certainly exists in their performance.
You can stand up and dance. You can stay seated, close your eyes, and listen. Just let yourself surrender to that comfortable groove.
The finest city pop played by Cherie Pops will surely shine a gentle light on your everyday life.

About the Writer｜Somchay Yoshida

Somchay Yoshida is a Japanese writer who has been based in Thailand for 26 years.

Since the 1990s, he has been involved with Thailand and has spent many years researching, interviewing, and writing about Thai society, culture, and music. He is especially known for his deep knowledge of Thai popular music, including luk thung and mor lam. His long-running column “Koyoi mo Luk Thung♪” in Wai Wai Thailand magazine continued for nearly ten years, and he has also published articles on Thai music and Thai culture in various media.

He has also worked widely as a Japanese writer based in Thailand, including news translation and writing for Global News Asia, writing and editorial supervision for Thailand-related books, and support for educational activities.

http://loogthungthai.blog34.fc2.com/
https://youtube.com/@loogthungthailand
http://facebook.com/@somchayyoshida

Recording Members

Nohn Intaranan｜Keyboard / Band Leader

Nohn is the band leader and keyboardist of Cherie Pops. For this album, he handled arrangements, recording engineering, editing, and mastering. He also runs the studio Beatlab81 in Chiang Mai and works as a music teacher.

Komchai Wisankanchana｜Guitar / Chorus

Komchai plays guitar and sings chorus. Together with Nohn, he is one of the central figures shaping the sound of Cherie Pops. He has also worked as a songwriter and support guitarist for the Chiang Mai band YONLAPA, and is a member of the Chiang Mai funk band 31N7.

Tharadon Ninsirisuk, also known as TORU / Tle｜Bass

TORU is the bassist of Cherie Pops. He joined the band after falling in love with its music and has contributed ideas for both songs and lyrics. He also played an important role in making Mitsuru Sutoh’s guest participation possible. While his main profession is being a doctor, he has a deep passion for city pop and fusion.

ICHI-SAN｜Vocal / Percussion

ICHI-SAN is from Kochi, Japan, and handles vocals and percussion. He wrote the lyrics, created melodies, and contributed many of the overall ideas for the album. Having lived in Chiang Mai for more than 20 years, he brings Japanese pop sensibility together with the life and atmosphere of Chiang Mai. On stage, he sings while playing percussion and leads the band as an energetic frontman.

Gigi, also known as Boontarika Boonjeen｜Vocal

Gigi plays an important role as the female vocalist in the recordings. She is multilingual and also contributed lyrics to some songs. Her unique and charming voice adds softness and depth to the male-female vocal style of Cherie Pops.

Folk, also known as Panupong Duangtip｜Drums

Folk is the drummer of Cherie Pops. He is highly regarded as one of Chiang Mai’s outstanding young drummers and is also active with JOINJOY and other projects. His playing supports the groove and energy of the band.

Ton Saxman, also known as Chotiwit Chatboribunkhati｜Saxophone

Ton Saxman is the saxophonist of Cherie Pops. With his wide musical range and expressive playing, he adds color, excitement, and a strong live-band feeling to the Cherie Pops sound.

Mitsuru Sutoh｜Associate Member / Bass

Mitsuru Sutoh is a legendary Japanese bassist known as a former member of T-SQUARE. He participated in Cherie Pops’ song “Tonikaku Sabishii (So Sad So Bad)”, creating a very special collaboration for the band.

In his message video to Cherie Pops, he introduced himself as an “associate member of Cherie Pops.” For the band, receiving such warm support from one of Japan’s most respected bassists has been a truly meaningful event.

Track List

1. Overture
   

   An instrumental opening that invites listeners from an imaginary “City Pop Station” into the world of Cherie Pops.

2. Tonikaku Sabishii (So Sad So Bad) featuring Mitsuru Sutoh [Album version]
   

   A signature Cherie Pops song born from the awkward yet powerful phrase “Tonikaku Sabishii,” combining loneliness, humor, and city pop brightness.

3. Mellowship Fellowship
   

   A playful song inspired by Chiang Mai’s Mellowship Jazz Bar, mixing Showa-era pop flavor, humor, and stylish city pop energy.

4. Sunshine Cat
   

   Cherie Pops’ first original song, built around the image of a cat-like, unpredictable love.

5. Umihotaru
   

   One of the album’s most dreamlike songs, where images of floating lights, Loy Krathong, Yi Peng lanterns, loss, prayer, and rebirth overlap.

6. Only One Week
   

   A pop song about the emotional distance between Christmas and New Year, expanding into a gentle prayer that difficult days will eventually pass.

7. Interlude
   

   A short instrumental bridge that connects the emotions of “Only One Week” to “Fly From Home,” highlighting Nohn’s musical sensitivity.

8. Fly From Home
   

   A warm song about leaving home, watching someone depart, and searching for a new place to belong.

9. Believe In Human Magic
   

   The album’s closing song, inspired by Chiang Mai’s air pollution and the wish to bring back blue skies, while believing in the power of people to imagine, act, and live together.

Official Links

Official Website
https://cheriepops.com/

Pre-Save / Pre-Add
https://bfan.link/the-unknown-greatest-hits-vol-1

YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/@CheriePopsOfficial

Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/cheriepopsband/

Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/cheriepopsband/

From Chiang Mai to the World

Cherie Pops’ first album “The ‘Unknown’ Greatest Hits Vol.1” was released on June 9, 2026.

It is a city pop album created over time by Japanese and Thai musicians who met in Chiang Mai — filled with nostalgia, humor, loneliness, departure, prayer, and belief in human magic.

Please pre-save the album and enjoy the beginning of Cherie Pops’ journey.

Listen by Streaming – “The ‘Unknown’ Greatest Hits Vol.1″ / Cherie Pops