Viet Thao

 Viet Thao (1954-    ) is a famous Vietnamese-American emcee, voice over actor and comedian.

He was born on February 3, 1954 in South Vietnam.  Viet Thao began his career in the early 1980s as a comedian and emcee for various local parties and weddings around Orange County, Calfornia.  His fast growing popularity would land him a steady gig as a stand up comedian and host at the Caravelle Nightclub in Anaheim, California in 1986.  His likable speaking voice also enabled him to enjoy another career doing voice overs in Vietnamese for Taiwanese and Hong Kong films and soap operas during the 1980s.  Viet Thao eventually formed his own lucrative voice over company, Vietnam International, during the late 1980s.  In 1989, Viet Thao dabbled successfully in Southern Vietnamese folk opera theater, known as Cai Luong, when he played in a supporting role in a live production of Chuyện Tình Lan và Điệp starring Huong Lan, Chi Tam and Huu Phuoc at the Anaheim Convention Center.  As master of ceremonies for numerous live concert shows for Vietnamese audiences, he has traveled all over the United States, Canada, Australia, Europe and Asia.  

Since the 1990s, Viet Thao has been the host of many live show music video series produced by various overseas Vietnamese production studios.  In 1990, he along with singer Huong Lan cohosted volume 10 of the popular Paris by Night live show music video series produced by Thuy Nga.  In the mid-1990s, Viet Thao began cohosting the popular live show music video series produced by Van Son Entertainment alongside Van Son and Hoai Linh.  His long tenure lasted for nearly 20 years at Van Son Entertainment.  His last appearance on Van Son Entertainment's live show music video series was volume 47, Hè Trên Xứ Lạnh, filmed in Edmonton, Alberta of Canada in the year 2011.  

Viet Thao is also the host of Tonight with Viet Thao, his own talk show which airs on VFTV.

Link(s):

MC Viet Thao Facebook Page

Y Phung

Y Phung (1979-    ) is a famous overseas Vietnamese actress and pop singer.  She is the daughter of veteran Cai Luong performers, Minh Phung and Kieu Tien.

Born as Nguyễn Mỹ Thể on February 18, 1979 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, she made her stage debut in the Cai Luong play, Khói Rừng Quê Mẹ, at the age of 6.  In 1994, she began singing for various music venues and cabarets in Ho Chi Minh City and became famous for her covers of New Wave/Italo Disco songs recorded originally by Modern Talking, in particular You're My Heart, You're My Soul.  Prior to leaving Vietnam, Y Phung had become an established cinema actress.  Her most film role was as Mỹ Phượng in the film, Hải Đường Trắng (1994) starring Lê Tuấn Anh, Cát Phượng and the late Lê Công Tuấn Anh.  Among her other popular films included her big screen debut, Riêng Chỉ Có Anh (1994), Những Cánh Hoa Dại (1995) and Đời Vũ Nữ (1998).  Her sex appeal that had been easily captured on film earned her the dubbed title from Vietnam's cinema viewer audiences as "Nu Hoang Sexy" (Queen of Sexy).  For many years while still living in Vietnam, Y Phung was among the celebrities targeted by tabloids largely due to her alleged abrasive persona and rumored love affair with film actor Ly Hung.  

In 2007, Y Phung married an American citizen of Vietnamese descent and moved to the United States.  The following year, she signed with Asia Entertainment and has become one of the most popular performers of the label.  She has recorded duets with various other performers including her father, Minh Phung, Thao My, Thanh Thuy, Thai Doanh Doanh, Lam Thuy Van and Dan Nguyen.  Among her most popular recorded songs have included Một Ngày Mùa Đông written by Bảo Chấn, Anh Về Với Em written by Nhat Truong and Yêu Một Mình written by Trinh Lam Ngan.

In 2014, Y Phung filed for divorce with her husband of 7 years.  She has publicly stated that the main problem behind the marriage was that her husband had wanted her to have children while she has no desire to become a mother.  On October 29, 2016, Y Phung married her longtime boyfriend, a Vietnamese-American named Duy Tuong.  

Y Phung as Mỹ Phượng in the film, Hải Đường Trắng (1994)

Link(s):

30 Most Beautiful Viet Celebs of 2015 

Dan Nguyen

Dan Nguyen (1984-    ) is a famous overseas Vietnamese singer.

Born as Nguyễn Đặng Đan on July 9, 1984 in Hue, Vietnam, he grew up as the eldest in a family of four children.  At the age of 14, he along with his mother and three younger siblings, two sisters and a brother, left their native homeland for the United States resettling in Orange County, Southern California.  When he turned 16, he started entering singing competitions held at Vietnamese communities in both Southern and Northern California regions, as well as in Washington state.  Out of the six competitions he had entered in total, he took home the first prize trophy four times.  

In 2006, while attending a concert event featuring a gala of singers with the Asia Entertainment label, a chance meeting with singer Trish Thuy Trang would then change his life.  The famous female singer agreed to hand deliver one of his demo tapes to Truc Ho and Thy Van, the artistic music director and the CEO of Asia Entertainment, respectively.  Immediately, both Truc Ho and Thy Van were taken by Dan Nguyen's unique style of singing and dashing good looks.  Shortly, thereafter he was signed as an exclusive recording artist with Asia Entertainment.  Dan Nguyen made his debut appearance the following year on Asia Entertainment's volume 55 live show music video series, Hát Với Thần Tượng (Singing With Idols), in a duet performance together with his idol, veteran Vietnamese singer Che Linh, of a classic tune, Thói Đời written by Truc Phuong.  The overwhelming positive feedback from viewer audiences on his very first music video appearance for Asia Entertainment gave confirmation to the label's executives of their decision to sign him and that indeed a new star had been born.    

During the next ten years signed with Asia Entertainment, Dan Nguyen's career flourished rapidly.  He recorded a string of highly successful solo studio albums while under contract with Asia Entertainment and would become one of the bestselling Vietnamese recording artists worldwide.  Among his most popular solo studio albums released by Asia Entertainment include Những Lời Này Cho Em (2008), Thành Phố Mưa Bay (2010), Xin Làm Người Tình Cô Đơn (2010), Có Thế Thôi (2012), Ngày Xuân Thăm Nhau (2014), Nàng Áo Tím (2015), Thương Về Miền Trung (2015) and 100 Phần Trăm (2016).  In addition, Dan Nguyen was often paired up with Y Phung, as the two recorded a series of well received duet albums together for the Asia Entertainment label during this period.  He has also toured extensively playing to sold out Vietnamese audiences all around the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia.  Dan Nguyen is also an accomplished songwriter and has written several popular Vietnamese ballads such as Chuyện Tình Không Dĩ Vãng, Tôi Vẫn Cô Đơn, Một Lòng Yêu Em and Dòng Máu Việt Nam.

As of the beginning of 2016, Dan Nguyen has switched labels and is now signed with Thuy Nga Paris.  

Link(s):

30 Most Beautiful Viet Celebs of 2015

External Link(s):

Dan Nguyen Fan Club on Facebook

Diep Thanh Thanh

Diep Thanh Thanh (1971-    ) is a popular overseas Vietnamese singer.

Born as Thao Diep in 1971 in Saigon, South Vietnam, she is the second eldest in a family of four children.  Both her parents, Xuân Diệp and Ngọc Điệp, were established performers in Southern Vietnamese folk opera.  Her paternal grandfather was legendary musician/songwriter Thu Hồ.  Her biggest support had come from her aunt, famous overseas Vietnamese singer, My Huyen.

Having been raised in a Roman Catholic family, her first experiences performing in front of a live audience was with her church choir.  After her family had relocated to the United States resettling in San Diego, California during the early 1990s, she joined the Chúa Thánh Linh choir and became one its lead singers.  In 1998, she signed with Asia Entertainment and was given the professional stage name of Diep Thanh Thanh by the label's artistic musical director, Truc Ho.  From her debut appearance on volume 19 of the popular live show music video series produced by Asia Entertainment that year with a performance of a Nhat Truong-penned tune, Từ Đó Em Buồn, Diep Thanh Thanh managed to leave a lasting impression with viewer audiences with her angelic vocals and beauty.  She has since become one of the most popular performers on the Asia Entertainment label and has a large following of fans in all four corners of the world.  Among her most popular recorded songs for Asia Entertainment include Hoa Ti Gôn, Trăng Tàn Trên Hè Phố, Lần Đầu Nói Dối, Bây Giờ Còn Nhớ Hay Không and Chán Em Ghê.  She has also performed several extremely well-received duets with singer Manh Dinh on Asia Entertainment's live show music video series.  For almost two decades, Diep Thanh Thanh has enjoyed one of the longest tenures with Asia Entertainment.  When not recording or making video appearances for Asia Entertainment, Diep Thanh Thanh's busy schedule consists of fulfilling live concert tour dates performing for Vietnamese audiences worldwide.  

Link(s):

30 Most Beautiful Viet Celebs of 2015

Van Anh

Van Anh (1971-    ) is an overseas Vietnamese singer of mixed Vietnamese and African-American parentage.

Born in Bien Hoa, South Vietnam in 1971, Van Anh is the eldest in a family of two children.  Her father was a serviceman in the US military of African-American descent who had met her mother while he was stationed in South Vietnam during the Vietnam War.  Shortly after her birth, Van Anh's mother would lose all contact with her American father as he had been sent back to the United States after serving his tour of duty in Vietnam.  Van Anh and her younger brother, Alex, were then raised solely by their mother in Vietnam.  A year after her graduation from high school in Bien Hoa, Van Anh along with her mother and younger brother moved to her fatherland, the United States, under the Amerasian Homecoming Act.

Once resettled in Dallas, Texas in the year of 1990, Van Anh began her professional singing career in the local Vietnamese community there.  During the 1990s, the small yet thriving overseas Vietnamese pop music scene of Dallas, Texas would spawn such rising new singing sensations like Diem Lien and Jenny Hien.  Van Anh's gradual growing popularity as a singer within the Vietnamese community of Dallas, Texas over time would result in her following in the footsteps of her predecessors and rise to stardom.  After having established her name firmly with the audience within the Vietnamese community of Dallas came numerous invitations for Van Anh to perform at live show engagements in Houston, the city with the largest concentrated Vietnamese population in the state of Texas.  Once she had conquered the audience in Texas, then it was onto major cities state to state that she would continue to win the hearts of audiences.  In 2005, through the suggestion of her close friend, the late singer La Suong Suong, Van Anh decided to give Southern California a try in order to be near Little Saigon of Orange County, the largest Vietnamese community in the United States and also unofficially known as the overseas Vietnamese entertainment capital.  During the next four years, Van Anh would successfully carve out a name for herself as an overseas Vietnamese singer with her rich, soulful singing voice and exotic beauty.  As a live performer, it had become apparent that she had quickly turned herself into the ultimate crowd pleaser among Vietnamese music lovers at her shows in cities throughout the United States and Canada.  Right around this time, Van Anh began collaborating as one of the principal singers at benefit concerts formed by Gia Đình Mỹ Việt, a non-profit organization which provides assistance to Amerasians in Vietnam.  For more than a decade, Van Anh along with several other fellow Amerasian singers including Randy, Lilian, Phi Nhung, Dai Trang, Phuong Thao, Ngoc Anh, Jenny Trang and Thien Phu have performed to sold out crowds at such events all over the United States.

In 2012, Van Anh released her debut studio album, Không Còn Mùa Thu, which comprised of a selection of Vietnamese love ballads.  Produced entirely in Vietnam with arrangements in the style of big band orchestra, jazz and blues complete with lush strings, horn and percussion sections, Van Anh's debut album turned out to be a critical success.  Among the tracks featured on this album included renditions of such Vietnamese classic ballads like Nỗi Lòng written by Nguyễn Văn Khánh, Chuyện Thường Tình Thế Thôi written by Lê Quang and Có Những Niềm Riêng written by Lê Tín Hương.  That same year, Van Anh was also invited to appear on the popular live show music video series produced by Blue Ocean performing her smooth rendition of Nỗi Lòng. 

Van Anh lives in Dallas, Texas.    

Link(s):

Another 50 Most Beautiful Vietnamese Women of All Time

Lam Anh

Lam Anh (1987-    ) is a famous overseas Vietnamese singer contracted with Thuy Nga Paris.

Born as Tran Thi Bich Ha on March 14, 1987 in Bien Hoa, Vietnam, from an early age she had developed a keen interest in music.  At the age of 15, then under the name, Bich Ha, she entered and placed second in the Tiếng Hát Truyền Hình national talent show on HTV.  Having completed her studies at Dong Nai School of Performing Arts and the prestigious Saigon Music Conservatory in Ho Chi Minh City, she left Vietnam in 2007 to study abroad in the United States as a foreign exchange student.

During her first year in the United States, she became a regular performer at the popular Majestic Nightclub located in Huntington Beach, California.  Within a short period of time, Lam Anh would manage to quickly acquire for herself a sizable following of local fans within the Little Saigon community who had taken notice of her extraordinary vocal talents, alluring stage presence and striking physical beauty.  The following year she signed with Thuy Nga Paris and made her debut on the Paris by Night stage on volume 96 in a duet performance with singer Quynh Vi of Thôi Về Đi written by Vinh Tam.  Lam Anh has since risen to become one of the most popular performers on the Paris by Night live show music video series.  Among her most popular recorded songs include Cho Em Quên Tuổi Ngọc written by Lam Phuong, Nơi Tình Yêu Bắt Đầu written by Tiến Minh, Phố Mùa Đông  written by Bảo Chấn and Giấc Mơ Trong Mộng written by Đức Huy.  She has recorded duets with many other artists for the Thuy Nga Paris label such as Dinh Bao, Duong Trieu Vu, Tran Thai Hoa, Quang Le, The Son and Bang Kieu.  To date, Thuy Nga Paris has released three solo studio albums recorded by Lam Anh:  Anh Đã Xa Tôi (2011), Về Lại Cõi Sầu (2013) and Ngã Rẽ (2015).  

Lam Anh has performed at live shows for Vietnamese audiences all over the world and in recent years, has held several triumphant live concerts back in her native Vietnam.  She currently resides in Orange County, California.  

Link(s):  

30 Most Beautiful Viet Celebs of 2015