Around the end of last year In 2025, Thairath Plus spoke with Valentina Ploy, or Ploy–Valentina Giardullo, about Warm (Part I), her first EP that conveyed warmth through six acoustic tracks. This time, she returned to discuss two exciting topics: first, the release of Warm Part II EP in December last year, which continues to express another half of Valentina’s identity; and second, her concert on the Chao Phraya River that perfectly complements the concept of both EP parts.
By now, many have become familiar with Valentina Ploy. She is a shy young woman who overcame her shyness through music competitions such as The Voice Thailand Season 6 and other major stages including Miss Universe Thailand 2018. From then until now, she admits, “I’m still a bit shy,” a trait reflecting her Thai heritage that has become warmth expressed through her first EP. She said Warm Part II reveals another side of her Italian roots, with songs filled with fun and diverse sound designs blended with the melancholy of the lyrics.
“At first, I had a phrase: ‘Sometimes I wish I was cooler, but maybe I was born to stay warm.’ Sometimes, we want to be cool like others, but maybe we were born to be warm. The English plays with words: cool means stylish, warm means warm-hearted.”
“So I wanted to present it in two parts, making them clearly distinct—from hair color, the mood, to sound design. Being mixed-race, I divided it into two halves: the Thai side, chill, shy, warm; and the other side, full of energy.”
She worked with Richard Craker, a talented producer who has collaborated with Grammy-winning songwriters, on Part I. Ploy shared that he gave her considerable freedom in making music. Richard’s guitar skills helped Warm Part I achieve the comfortable, warm mood she desired. For Part II, she teamed up with a new producer, Jackson Dimiglio Wood, who brought his own style, helping her discover a fresh and more playful musical direction.
The first song, titled Rebecca, immediately distinguishes itself from Warm Part I. At first listen, it might seem to be about a woman named Rebecca, but Ploy intended it to address Rebecca Syndrome—the jealousy caused by monitoring an ex-partner’s past relationships.
“I’ve had it since I was a child, feeling insecure whether my ex was better than me. This syndrome is even featured in books and Netflix shows. It’s fascinating why humans think this way. Jackson and I wrote it as a fun, somewhat humorous song—why do I think like this? Oh Rebecca baby, you b*tch. We didn’t want these feelings, so we put them into very pop music to heal. I hope girls who feel the same will feel better after hearing it.”
The second song cannot be overlooked because it became a viral hit on TikTok and was so searched on Google that it appeared as the suggested query ‘hello sawasdee ka song.’ Its real title is So Valentina. Ploy said this song truly reflects her identity—her ethnicity, language, and personality.
“Actually, the lyrics are sad. It talks about being an emotional weight lifter, carrying others’ feelings more than one’s own. It’s sad. We’re here helping everyone, bearing their emotions, but when we reach our limit, it’s quite sad. Just because we appear positive doesn’t mean we aren’t struggling, because I’m a person too.”
“I wanted this song to be very Valentina—in words and language. The music blends sound design with acoustic, featuring Thai, Italian, and Spanish because I speak five languages. ‘Hello sawasdee ka’—that’s me in every way.”
SNAP is the third song, evoking the sound of something breaking or a photo being taken. Ploy explained SNAP means finger snapping (demonstrating by raising both arms and snapping fingers). The song doesn’t have a deep backstory; it’s a fun self-encouragement in true Valentina Ploy style.
“When I was sad or wanted something but never got it, I used to pretend, imagine that snapping fingers would make it happen (laughs). It became a joke among friends and family. I think if we focus and pray, it attracts what we want.”
The final song, Xx or kiss kiss, carries sad lyrics in a lively rhythm. Ploy emphasized it’s about a relationship that doesn’t feel like love but is pretended to be love. Humorously, she explained Xx stands for kiss kiss, a sign-off lovers often send. In the song’s context, it’s like a message never sent: 'I miss you xx, but I won’t send it.' We tried every way to forget you—starting anew, changing hair color. Everything happened, so we put it into a song,” Ploy said, running her fingers through freshly dyed hair from a few days ago.
On Sunday, 1 February, Ploy will hold the concert Warm on the Waves on The River Club boat by the Chao Phraya River, where she will perform songs from both EPs in a warm sunset atmosphere. Fans of Valentina Ploy know this is her first serious concert—not counting performances at live houses or as a supporting act. Initially worried about ticket sales, she is now ecstatic as the concert is sold out.
“It comes from the song Porsche (in Part I). I was traveling with family in Italy on a boat for a day—a very happy moment. At that point, I didn’t care how life would turn out because being on the boat with my family was pure joy. The song reflects life as waves—people come and go. Everything is like being on a boat, a journey on waves that rise and fall like life. I thought turning this song into a real-life experience where others could feel what I did would be wonderful—to be with the music, in this world, warmth, and sunset.”
Although Ploy grew up partly in Italy, she visits Bangkok every year, often taking a boat trip on the Chao Phraya River because she loves the sparkling reflections on the water and the cityscape with temples scattered along the riverbanks. Hosting a concert on the Chao Phraya thus expresses her Thai identity. However, she revealed there were challenges behind organizing this concert, especially after becoming a fully independent artist. The original vision of a concert on a boat cruising the river had to be scaled down to a stationary boat at the pier due to various issues.
“I believe everything happens for a reason. What will be, will be. But it was great when I saw the venue—it was beautiful. I knew why it had to be here. The boat is stunning, the view is amazing, and behind us is the statue of Luang Pu Thuat. Hugh, Luang Pu Thuat (laughs). It’s incredibly lucky.”