MANILA - Bambam's rise as a solo artist has been remarkable since he released his first mini album in 2021.

But amid a busy schedule, there's no sign that the Thai-born K-pop star will slow down soon.

In an exclusive fan event in Manila on Thursday, Bambam revealed that he is already preparing for his next album and teased that fans can expect a different version of him this time.

"My next album I'm working on it and I cannot say so much. This time it is not so bright concept. I think you guys can see something new from me," Bambam told reporters during a media conference at the Ayala Malls Manila Bay.

Bambam was back in Manila after three years. His last visit was during the Manila leg of GOT7's "Keep Spinning World Tour."

• Concert recap: GOT7 ends 2019 world tour with sold-out Manila show

Aside from being a member of GOT7, Bambam has been promoted as a solo artist since the septet left their former agency JYP Entertainment after seven years.

Bambam is currently signed under ABYSS Company.

In June last year, he released "riBBon", the title of his mini album and its title track, marking his official debut as a soloist. The album consisted of six songs, most of which he co-wrote and co-produced.

Come 2022, he kicked off the new year with a bang, releasing his new mini album "B." Also containing six tracks, the first song "Who Are You" featured a collaboration with Red Velvet's Seulgi. Meanwhile, the second song titled "Slow Mo" was written by Bambam and American artist Pink Sweat$.

Since all GOT7 members are also being promoted as solo artists and with everyone writing and producing their own music, Bambam was asked if he usually asks for advice from them.

To this, Bambam jokingly said no because "they might steal my ideas."

"Before 'riBBon,' actually, 'Pandora' was the title song for the 'riBBon' album. And then Yugyeom, he sent me his solo music and I was like 'oh the concept is (the) same... okay I need to change.' So I changed to 'riBBon.' That's the time I was like, 'I'm never gonna show them...,'" he said.

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But after the success of his first two mini albums, is Bambam feeling the pressure while preparing for his next music?

"Not really," he said. "Because I'm really confident about my next album. Right now I hope I can have a concert in the Philippines. I want to show the new album. The songs, I want to perform it to you guys."

For Bambam, the challenge now is stretching his time to promote his current music while preparing for his next album.

"In my first album, I just moved to a new company. I had a lot of time and I didn't really have a lot of schedules that time. But after 'riBBon' was released, I had to do all the schedules and make an album at the same time," he said.

This year alone, Bambam held a successful fan meet in Bangkok. Together with his fellow GOT7 members, they had their first comeback after leaving their former agency. GOT7 is now a self-owned K-pop group after successfully acquiring the rights to their music and other trademarks, a rarity in the entire industry.

• GOT7 promises to stay together in new song 'ENCORE'
• GOT7 returns with EP that best represents K-pop band

Bambam also became the first K-pop act to perform at the NBA halftime show, where he debuted his song "Wheels Up."

"I was s excited ... I don't think I'm super tall, but I don't think I'm super short, too. Everywhere I go in Korea I'm mostly like the basic height, but then when I go to NBA I see all the players, my God I feel like a little baby... It was a good experience," Bambam said.

Aside from the exclusive fan events in Cebu and Manila, where he also talked about the possibility of collaborating with Filipino artists, Bambam also performed at the K-pop Masterz show in Manila at the Mall of Asia Arena on Friday, where he shared the stage with K-pop group TREASURE and fellow GOT7 member Jackson Wang.

• Bambam in Manila: Possible collab with James Reid and everything about PH

Bambam was also among the performers at the K-pop Masterz show in Bangkok.

No doubt, Bambam is one of the few Southeast Asian artists who made it big in K-pop, an industry that remains difficult to penetrate for performers with its notorious demand for nothing but perfection.

Asked about his advice to Filipinos and other fellow Southeast Asians who look up to him as an artist and dream of becoming as successful as he is, the K-pop star humbly said, "I'm not that successful."

Nevertheless, Bambam still gave some words of encouragement to aspiring artists.

"Just be yourself, never give up. And I want you to know what you're capable of right now because there are a lot of people who just follow what other people do," he said.

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