Thien Trang

Thiên Trang (1953-    ) is a famous Vietnamese singer and former actress of Saigon cinema.

While still a teenager, Thiên Trang had achieved stardom back in her native South Vietnam as both a film actress and singer.  At the age of 17, she was cast in two Vietnamese feature films, Điệu Ru Nước Mắt (1970) starring Hùng Cường and her most famous role in Loan Mắt Nhung (1970) starring Thanh Nga, Ngoc Duc, Ngoc Phu and Kim Xuan.  Although the film was intended as a starring vehicle for lead actress Thanh Nga, it was Thiên Trang's fresh debut performance that ended up receiving the most attention from viewer audiences.  The popularity spawned from her portrayal in Loan Mắt Nhung would lead Thiên Trang to recording the movie's eponymous theme song written by Huynh Anh.  As a recording artist, she had collaborated with various record labels while in South Vietnam prior to 1975 such as Du Am, Thuong Ca and Song Nhac.  Among her other popular recorded songs during this period include Chien Si Hanh written by Hoang Thi Tho, Sa Nguon written by Tam Anh and Pham Ma Hong written by Hoai Nam.

For more than a decade after the Fall of Saigon, Thiên Trang had chosen to remain out of the spotlight.  She had settled into married life in the United States and became a mother of three children.  In 1987, Thiên Trang came out of hiatus and resumed her music career with the release of Tiếng Hát Thiên Trang, her first solo studio album produced by Asia Entertainment.  The success from her debut studio album then led her to numerous collaborations with other major overseas Vietnamese music production labels like Phuong Hoang, Doi Magazine, Giang Ngoc and Lang Van.  Among her most well received audio recordings of songs during the late 1980s well into the 1990s included Ngay Em 20 Tuoi written by Pham Duy, Mua Tren Pho Hue written by Minh Ky, Tango Di Vang written by Anh Bang, Hoa No Ve Dem written by Nhat Truong and Noi Buon Hoa Phuong written by Thanh Son.  Thiên Trang had also recorded several duet albums with other artists such as Phuong Dung, Tuan Vu and Che Linh.  She has performed at live shows for overseas Vietnamese audiences all over the United States, Canada, Europe and Australia.

Thiên Trang was one of the first overseas Vietnamese singers to become superstars through appearances in music videos.  She has appeared on music videos produced by Thuy Anh, Diem Quynh, Thuy Nga Paris and Asia Entertainment.   On the Paris By Night stage, Thiên Trang had performed a solo of Ai Cho Toi Tinh Yeu written by Truc Phuong and in a duet with singer Anh Khoa of Ai Buon Hon Ai written by Hoang Thi Tho.  In 1991, Asia Entertainment released Tinh La Giac Mo, a solo videotape starring Thiên Trang which consisted of five music videos of songs she had previously recorded for the label.  Two years later, she was invited back by Asia Entertainment to appear on Asia 2:  Dem Saigon where she performed Mua Rung written by Huynh Anh.  Her last appearance to date was on volume 72 of Asia Entertainment's live show series in a medley of Huynh Anh-penned songs together with Huy Sinh and Ngoc Dan Thanh filmed at the Pechanga Resort and Casino on May of 2014.  Although in recent years Thiên Trang has slowed down considerably in her music career, she still continues to perform occasionally at live concert shows and has not publicly announced any plans of retirement.

Link(s):

Another 50 Most Beautiful Vietnamese Women of All Time