Joni Anwar


Joni Anwar, also known as Joni Raptor, is a Thai people of Indonesian and Scottish descent singer and actor. He was born in Bangkok, Thailand. He graduated from Bangkok Patana School in 2000, after which he went on to study business in South Hampton, New York in the United States.

Career

Anwar started his career making television commercials for Ovaltine, Bata, and Krissadanakorn before signing a record deal with RS Promotion.
In 1994, Anwar began his musical career in the rap duo Raptor with Louis Scott. After the group disbanded in 1998, Joni contributed to his younger brother's self-titled debut album, Anan Anwar. Not long after that, Joni began a solo career and released three albums: Bad Boy, Freeman, and Outtaspace.

Raptor

Joni and Louis Scott were 12 and 13 years old when they released their self-titled debut album, Raptor, in August 1994. They were the youngest singers in Thailand at that time. The duo's name was inspired by the famous two dinosaurs in the kitchen scene at the end of the movie Jurassic Park, and the duo liked the suggestion of "rap" in "raptor."
"Kid Thung Ter" was a big hit. "Super Hero" and "Kum Wa Peun" also charted. Their album sold over a million copies.
On September 24, 1994, Raptor participated in a joint concert at MBK Hall with British hip-hop group Hijack, debuting a collaboration track entitled "Yha Kid Wa Ter Mai Mee Krai." The song was later released on one of Hijack's greatest hits albums. On November 17, 1995, they performed a concert with other RS artists at Amy Sports Stadium, debuting their song "Kow Kew," which was then featured on Hot Collection 4.
After releasing their collaboration album The Next, Anwar and Scott released their fourth studio album, Raptor Goodbye. This was supposedly their last album together before they parted ways. "Goodbye" is something like DAY SHOCK, to thank their fans. "Sayonara Goodbye" is the old song by Pat Karby but it was rewritten in Thai. Joni and Louis wrote the English part of the song themselves.
The famous songs were "Sayonara Goodbye," "Oh Yes," "In My Heart," "Go Go Go!," and "Ruu Tao Bang Mai." Raptor Monchos Dance Concert, on 4 July 1998 at MBK Hall, was the biggest concert in this album but not the last concert since they had tour concerts around Thailand along July and August 1998.
The Raptor's last album, The Memory, is a collection of their hits from all of their albums, along with remixes and a special song, "Kwam Shong Jum."
Goodbye Concert Sayonara Raptor in 1998 at MBK Hall, was their last live performance.

Solo career

Anwar's debut solo album, Bad Boy, was released in May 2000.
Anwar worked together with Montonn Jira and composed a song "Go Now," which received the FAT AWARD: RECORD OF THE YEAR AWARD from 104.5 FAT Radio in 2002. This song appeared on the album Freeman.
Anwar recorded "Yak Hai Ru Wa Rak Ter" for the movie Sexphone, which became a big hit.
His song "Outtaspace" also received the FAT AWARD: RECORD OF THE YEAR AWARD in 2003.

Katsue

With fellow Thai teen idol, Montonn Jay Jira, Anwar formed the band Katsue.

Filmography

Film

Anwar enjoys all kinds of sports, especially water sports. He won the third prize in wakeboarding at the X Games Thailand 1998. In addition, Anwar has participated in the X Games in Phuket.
Anwar attended Bangkok Patana School in Bangkok, Thailand. Louis Scott attended the same school as well.
He has a younger brother, Anan, who is also a singer and an actor.

Discography

With Raptor

They started the WAAB Boys album by appearing on MTV Asia. "Yah Pud Leay" was the biggest hit in this album.
They wore contact lenses with a different color in each eye: one is blue and one is green.
A special album, they worked with other singers such as Dome Pakorn Lum, James Ruengsak, JR Kittikulwong, Oil Thana Suttikamol, Lift, and Voy.