Tilly Birds Talk New English Single “Retro-39”

Thailand’s Alt-Pop trio, Tilly Birds sits down to answer some questions for HypnoticAsia readers! The trio make their epic return with a new single entitled “Retro-39”. This time though, the single is an English track, making it different than their past releases. The members took time out of their busy schedules to answer some questions we had about the new single.

Thai alt-pop band Tilly Birds is back with a new English single, “Retro-39”. The single is now available globally on major streaming platforms. Taking late nineties to early 21st century nostalgia to showcase their growth as artists, they aim to capture the hearts of multiple generations with this upbeat and easygoing soundtrack to love and life.

– Tilly Birds’ Press Release

The interview is now available below. See what they have to say about the new song!

Tilly Birds Interview

Introduce yourselves to the readers of HypnoticAsia!

Hi HypnoticAsia, we are Tilly Birds from Bangkok, Thailand

“Retro-39” takes listeners on a nostalgic journey through late ’90s and early 2000s pop culture. What inspired you to tap into that specific era for this track?

It’s funny, but apart from the track title and the MV, we don’t really feel like this song has a strong retro vibe at all. It’s probably just a mix of different sounds and genres from different decades, like most Tilly Birds’ tracks. Honestly, we just let our intuition takes the wheel of our creation.


Your previous English release, “White Pills,” had a heavier rock sound, while “Retro-39” feels much lighter and more upbeat. How did the shift in sound reflect your personal and artistic growth?

Yeah, it definitely changed us in someways. The whole album kind of reflects a certain time in our lives. Where we were as three guys influenced what we wanted to say, the sound we were after, and what we were trying to accomplish. Since it took over two years to make, it probably shows different phases of us in our late20s.


Milo, you mentioned that songs are like people, they age. In what ways do you think “Retro-39” represents where you are now as a band compared to your earlier work?

I feel like this song mostly captures the good vibes we get from music, both as performers and listeners. Compared to our earlier stuff, it really brings out a sense of nostalgia with those 70s and 80sretro sounds we grew up loving. The lyrics are all about rewinding to better times. Mixed with the band’s usual style, I think we’ve made a modern-vintage track—a happy-sad song about still being in love with things from the past.


Can you share more about the process of landing on the title “Retro-39”? It’s a funky name and you’ve hinted that its origin wasn’t quite as glamorous as fans might expect!

When we finished the song and tried coming up with a different name, nothing felt right. We thought about something more straightforward like “Rewind,” but it just didn’t have the same vibe. “Retro-39” is catchy but still has a bit of mystery to it. It’s kind of a weird name, but it just works perfectly.


Third, you took the reins on directing the music video for “Retro-39.” What was the creative process like, and how did your love for romantic comedies influence the video’s direction?

It was fun! Writing process is always fun; it exercises your imagination. Also, writing the first draft on a flight back from Singapore, was very work-friendly; you got no internet, no disturbance, and so the first draft of the script was done there. I decided to do that because we were running out of time and options to pick our director for the video. I thought to myself maybe I could pull it off. I grew up watching a bunch of Rom-Coms, thanks to my dad, and since we’re in 2020s, I have a feeling the 2000s era is quite retro-ish now, so it fits the theme of the song.


The video is packed with references to classic romantic comedies like “About Time” and “(500) Days of Summer”. Why did you choose those specific films, and what message were you hoping to convey to viewers through these references?

I chose the movies I did mostly because of the year they were released and how they became so iconic for the audience. 500 Days Of Summer, Begin Again, Notting Hill, About Time, Groundhog Day, Say Anything, and Love, Actually are all iconic for the movies that they already are. Another reason is I grew up with them and they gave me such fond memories, so I just want to relive my childhood memory through this work.
I would want the audience to play a fun game guessing the references in the video (not just the film), and hopefully once they realize it, they are taken back to the golden days and the classic times.

Billy, you mentioned that this is the “brightest” song Tilly Birds has ever made. What do you hope listeners take away from the upbeat energy and nostalgic feel of “Retro-39”?

Yeah, I’d say this is probably the lightest song too. So, as a heads up—Tilly Birds might not always give you what you want, but we’ll always give you what you need. If you keep an open mind, you’ll start to see the connection between “White Pills,” “Retro-39,” and the other tracks. How they all fit together, the order they run in, and the themes—they’re things we’ve really put a lot of thought into. We want listeners to have a full-on experience, like watching a really good movie, when they hear the album.

Since “Retro-39” was designed to be a gateway for international listeners, what are your hopes for expanding your reach to a global audience, especially with more English-language tracks?

We’re really hoping these new songs bring something fresh—whether it is new listeners, new venues, or new people to work with. But at the same time, we’re all about baby steps. Having a song blow up overnight sounds exciting, but it also comes with a lot of pressure that can be overwhelming. So,,we think it’s better to grow slowly and build up a fanbase over time.

You’ve played festivals and concerts all around Asia. How do live performances and fan interactions in different countries shape your music and approach to songwriting?

Touring in new places, especially new countries really opens our minds and gives us fresh inspiration for making more music. It doesn’t directly change what we create but it’s like high-quality fuel we didn’t realize we needed. Plus, it boosts our confidence to make music that truly connects with who we are.


The Retro-39 tape recorder played a unique role in the making of the song. Do you think that the use of retro technology or references to past eras might influence more of your future work?

Who knows, maybe it will, maybe it won’t. We might go full vintage or head straight into something futuristic. Honestly, we have no idea where the band’s sound is headed.

 But one thing is for sure—whatever it is, we’ve got to like it and vibe with it first.
So yeah, if those things spark our interest again, it could definitely happen.



As you gear up for your next album, what can fans expect in terms of musical direction? Will “Retro-39” set the tone for what’s to come?

Like we mentioned before, “Retro-39″and “White Pills” are just the appetizers for this full-course meal. We’ve got a lot more coming your way, and we really recommend listening to everything in the order we’ve set. That’s how you’ll get the full experience of the album.
So, to answer your question, no, this song doesn’t set the tone on its own, but it is part of the bigger picture along with the rest of the tracks.


Check out Tilly Birds’ new English single, “Retro-39”, streaming on all platforms now! Music video below.