PRETZELLE, the Thai Girl Group Aiming for Infinite Happiness Through Music

INC, ICE, AUMAIM, and GRACE — collectively known as PRETZELLE — took no second opinions when penning their single, “ไม่รับความเห็นต่าง” (U R MINE). Or at least, that was the popular Thai catchphrase that inspired the group’s first self-written song, released in January 2023. The accompanying music video shows the foursome dressed in Y2K-inspired looks and a youthful take on office uniform as they confidently inform the object of their affection that they’re the right person to be with. No different opinions are accepted. 

When we link up over Zoom, PRETZELLE trade the Miu Miu-esque fashion for casual wear and barely-there makeup that accentuates their natural beauty. INC, ICE, AUMAIM, and GRACE are polite without a fault, but also candidly funny and relatable. It’s part of what makes PRETZELLE one of the acts to follow closely as Thai entertainment continues its break-neck speed rise to the global stage. 

Introducing PRETZELLE

“ICE is as white as Snow White. She has very cute hair and a very sweet voice,” says GRACE, PRETZELLE’s youngest member, about her doe-eyed groupmate, ICE. Seated next to each other, the bandmates are confronted with the task of introducing one another in a few words. In between giggles and signaling at INC — the main vocalist and leader of the group — ICE picks up the baton,“[INC] has a very nice singing voice, a beautiful face and she’s very funny.”

Quickly morphing into a compliment battle, the introductions continue with PRETZELLE’s leader describing AUMAIM as the eldest of the bunch and highlighting her “very perfect sense of style” and songwriting skills. AUMAIM receives the praise with a smile, before gushing about her fellow member GRACE, “She is the youngest person in the group. She has the best memory and conscience. She’s the oldest in a behavioral sense.” GRACE, however, candidly shrugs and replies with a nonchalant “I don’t know,” when asked if she’s indeed the most mature of the group. 

On Not Taking Second Opinions 

These introductions are not so much about providing information about each other as they are a reflection of PRETZELLE’s dynamics and willingness to welcome others into their world. When the time comes, the rising Thai stars introduce their latest single with the same enthusiasm and honesty. “The song is about loving someone. That person might not love you back and there are other people [interested in] this person too. You don’t want to fight [others] anymore so you’re just going to take yourself in front of the person you like, call them yours and not take a second opinion or care about what others say,” AUMAIM tells EnVi via a translator. 

Explaining the inspiration behind the self-penned anthem, the singer elaborates, “The name in Thai translates as ‘not taking a second opinion.’ It is a catchphrase in Thailand at the moment. A lot of the times when Thai people use this phrase, they use it [for situations] such as ‘I like this artist and I take no different opinions on that.’ We wanted to use a similar phrasing, so we translated it into a love song.”

“U R MINE” marked PRETZELLE’s first comeback of 2023 and was their first release since the 2022 single, “Unlimited.” As GRACE explains, the group poured all their efforts into the song, hoping it would resonate internationally.  As it turns out, the production process itself, reached far beyond Thai borders with the involvement of Bong Won Shin, responsible for mixing K-pop hits such as NewJeans’ “Ditto.” Regarding his participation in their song, AUMAIM shares, “The producers [of ‘U R MINE’] made contact with him. We’re very honored to have worked with him. Bong Won Shin is one of the best mix engineers, and the song sounds really good.” 

I Like This and I Take No Second Opinion 

Though INC, ICE, AUMAIM, and GRACE take on a confident, slightly fierce image in the music video of “U R MINE,” off-camera, the foursome is the embodiment of the girl-next-door trope. Tackling lighter themes such as music preferences and pop culture favorites, the members of PRETZELLE are friendly, approachable, and relatable. The interview suddenly turns into girl talk when discussing questions like who they’d like to star in a movie with — GRACE picks Timothée Chalamet and INC, Song Kang — or their favorite fashion items, to which they almost unanimously reply “hats.” 

But just like their fashion choices reflect — they’re all dressed in looks that range from sporty to Y2K-infused — each of them flaunts a signature style and well-defined influences. AUMAIM, for example, wears a trapper hat paired with a crocheted sweater over a white top. The outfit selection is as playful as her answer to what fictional universe she’d like to live in. “Barbie [Life] in the Dreamhouse,“ she utters, prompting the smiles of her bandmates. Meanwhile, INC — dressed in a black halter top, denim pants, and a high ponytail — selects Stray Kids’ “CASE 143,” as a song she’d like to have in PRETZELLE’s discography and Taeyang’s “Vibe” (featuring BTS’ Jimin) as a track she’d like to cover with her groupmates. 

The short-haired ICE, who embraces ‘90s fashion with a denim overall and white top, prefers the Harry Potter universe to hypothetically live in — “That’s a nice choice!” GRACE approves with a huge smile. ICE also chooses Yaya Urassaya as her favorite Thai star and Jeff Satur’s “Fade” to add to her group’s discography. The latter is not an unexpected choice. In fact, much to the delight of their fans, PRETZELLE have previously versioned the popular hit on their YouTube channel. 

GRACE’s choices, on the other hand, are a bit more unexpected. Albeit, as the youngest of the group it shouldn’t surprise anyone that she is retro-gazing just like any other Gen Z. “I’d choose Friends, the series,” she says about living in a fictional world, “I love the 90s vibes and the characters.”  Similarly, when it comes to music she would like to have in PRETZELLE’s catalog, her immediate pick is the 2018 track “The Edge” by Panicland. But much like her fellow members, GRACE’s affinities also include K-pop, “I’d like PRETZELLE to cover aespa, but I can’t pick a song because I love their music so much.” Eventually, and proving once again that she’s all in for throwbacks, GRACE goes for “Dreams Come True,” an original song by the K-pop pioneers S.E.S. that aespa re-versioned in 2022.

PRETZELLE’s Infinite Happiness

While discussing songs for PRETZELLE to cover makes for fun conversation, INC, ICE, AUMAIM, and GRACE are thriving with their own music. Since their debut, the group has crafted a signature sound that the members hope to retain as their careers grow. “Many of our songs are energetic and the lyrics are meant to cheer people up. We want people to recognize that and know [when they listen to] a song with PRETZELLE’s quality,” says GRACE. 

With T-pop [Thai pop] quickly shaping as one of Thailand’s most promising exports, PRETZELLE know that attention is shifting to Thai artists. “The people in the entertainment industry have fine quality, so I am happy that there are more eyes looking at Thai people,” GRACE acknowledges. ICE adds,” T-pop has been growing well and a lot of bands are coming up with different sounds. I hope T-pop will be well known among a wider audience.” 

Although all of them voice it at some point in the interview, resonating with more people is not PRETZELLE’s sole goal. Armed with charming personalities and talent to spare, they hope to “make a mark” with their style — which combines sweet melodies and stronger visuals. Ultimately, they also seem to have a larger-than-life aim. As ICE puts it, “PRETZELLE has an infinity symbol in their logo, so we want to stand for infinite happiness.”

Want more girl group content? Check out article on TWICE’s comeback with “Set Me Free.”