Philip Huy

Philip Huy (1968-    ) is a popular Vietnamese-American singer.

Born as Nguyễn Chí Hùng on April 11, 1968 in Vung Tau, South Vietnam, he is the youngest in a family of 7 children.  In 1975, he and his siblings left Vietnam with their mother for the United States.  Unfortunately, his father wasn't able to make the trip with the rest of the family and remained in Vietnam until his death 20 years later.  During the first several years in the United States, his family moved around and lived in various states from Ohio, Kentucky, Mississippi to finally resettling permanently in Southern California in 1978.  While Philip Huy was in high school, his older sister, Tuyet Nhung, had become a professional singer in the Vietnamese community.  During his senior year at Cal State Long Beach as an accounting major, he dropped out of college to follow in his sister's footsteps to pursue a career in music.

In 1994 one night while visiting the Can Club in Orange County, California, which was where his sister was a regular performer, Philip Huy went on stage to sing during open mic and caught the eye of musician Ngoc Trac who then referred him to the owner of Mây Productions.  Shortly thereafter, a recording contract was signed.  From his first appearance on volume 10 of the Hollywood Night video series produced by Mây Productions performing a cover of Harry Nilsson's Without You, viewer audiences were mesmerized with his soulful style of singing and his ability to sing in English as if he were a native speaker.  A debut solo studio album also entitled as Without You would be released by Mây Productions in the fall of 1994.  His next two appearances on Hollywood Night would also be well received by viewer audiences with covers of Because I Love You and The Eagles' classic, Hotel California, which has since become known as Philip Huy's signature song with Vietnamese audiences.

Philip Huy performing a cover
of Elvis Presley's Summer Kisses, Winter Tearson the Paris By Night stage (1996)

Through an introduction by his then girlfriend, singer My Huyen, in 1996 Philip Huy began collaborating with Thuy Nga Paris.  On volumes 36 and 37 of the popular Paris By Night video series, he performed covers of The Moody Blues' Nights in White Satin and Elvis Presley's Summer Kisses, Winter Tears in both English and Vietnamese lyrics, respectively.  Vietnamese lyrics for both songs were written by My Huyen.  Philip Huy also appeared as part of an ensemble together with Don Ho, Thanh Ha, Lynda Trang Dai, Tommy Ngo, Bao Han, Chau Ngoc and Long Ho in a performance cover of Ben E. King's Stand By Me.  While at the top of his career, Philip Huy was touring all over the world performing at live shows for overseas Vietnamese audiences.  However, in the fall of 1996 Philip Huy abruptly walked away from the spotlight leaving many of his fans in shock.

Due to undisclosed health matters, Philip Huy went on a career hiatus that lasted for nearly 4 years.  The actual ailment he had endured during those years still remains unknown to his public.  Because of his decision to keep his health matters in secrecy, many rumors began to circulate about Philip Huy from his fans and the general public that ranged from alleged claims that he was suffering from a nervous breakdown, paranoid schizophrenia to even being a victim of voodoo.  Many had believed that the cause of Philip Huy's alleged mental breakdown was due in part to his breakup with singer My Huyen.  The only fact that Philip Huy has admitted to publicly is that he had been stricken with illness for several years and that he had recovered around August of 1999.

Philip Huy and Sy Dan on volume 75
of Asia Entertainment's live show video series (2014)

After a brief stint in accounting, Philip Huy returned to the music industry in 2000 upon the introduction to Asia Entertainment by singer Diep Thanh Thanh, the niece of his ex-girlfriend, My Huyen.  His solo performance of the Lê Minh Bằng-penned song, Đêm Nguyện Cầu,  on volume 29 of Asia Entertainment's live show video series, Chiến Tranh Và Hòa Bình, would mark his official return.  Like his previous experience with Mây Productions during the 1990s, Philip Huy would win over the hearts of Asia Entertainment's viewer audience and quickly rise to become one of the live show series' top performers in the 2000s.  Among the most popular songs performed by Philip Huy on Asia Entertainment's live show video series include All That I Am written by Jason Lam, Mong Người Phương Xa written by Thanh Nhàn, Xác Em Nay Ở Phương Nào written by Trần Chí Phúc and Ngọc Khôi,Trái Tim Nghiệt Ngã written by Khúc Lan, Mầu Nhiệm Tình Yêu written by Lê Xuân Trường and Tuyết Trắng written by Nhật Trường, in which was edited and remixed through modern technology to create a duet with the late legendary singer, Si Phu.  In addition to his solo performances on Asia Entertainment's live show video series, Philip Huy has appeared in many duets and ensembles with other artists such as My Huyen, Diep Thanh Thanh, Da Nhat Yen, Shayla, Y Phuong, Sy Dan, Thanh Truc, Thai Doanh Doanh, Le Tam, Gia Huy, Thien Kim, Thuy Huong and Diem Lien.  His lengthy professional association with Asia Entertainment continues to this day.