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Tuesday, January 31, 2017

Nhã Phương (Singer)

For the actress, see Nhã Phương (actress).

Nhã Phương (1959-    ) is a famous Vietnamese singer.  She is the younger sister of legendary singer Bảo Yến and the older sister of musician Kim Tuấn.  Nhã Phương was formerly married to the late musician Lê Hựu Hà.   

Originally from the imperial city of Huế, she had been given the name, Nguyễn Khắc Kim Phượng, at birth.  Her father, Thủy Triều, a famous singer for the radio broadcasting network in Huế, saw to it that his musical talents and knowledge would be passed on to all 3 of his children.  For 5 years, he managed to have his children privately trained by Ôn Văn Tài, a renowned musician with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in the Kingdom of Cambodia.  By the time she was in her teens, Nhã Phương had already learned how to play various musical instruments including the violin, the flute, the piano and the Vietnamese instruments known as đàn tranh and đàn bầu, a plucked zither similar to the Japanese koto and a monochord zither, respectively.  

After the reunification of Vietnam in 1975, the entire family relocated to Ho Chi Minh City.  At the age of 19, Nhã Phương took on a job as a secretary in the performing arts department of HTV Television Network, which was then known by its former name, Liberation Television Network.  The following year she entered the televised talent competition show, Giọng Hát Hay Miền Nam, as a contestant and took first prize with her performance of the song, Trên Biển Xanh (On the Blue Sea).  In 1982, Nhã Phương turned professional when she joined her sister to form a duo known as Bảo Yến - Nhã Phương.  Their impressive multilingual repertoire of popular world music ranged from Vietnamese pop to Motown to even rock and roll with effective covers of such songs as the Eagles' Hotel California and Scorpions' Still Loving You quickly turned them into major crowd pleasers during live performances.  During the 1980s the two sisters had reached a pinnacle in their successful singing careers both as a duo act and as solo performers headlining for all the major venues in Ho Chi Minh City such as Hòa Bình Municipal Theater, Rex Hotel, Rainbow 126, Idecaf and Bến Thành Theater, as well as at live shows all over Vietnam.  Nhã Phương and Bảo Yến were also among the first singers from Vietnam to perform in concert for overseas Vietnamese audiences in Europe and Australia during the 1980s.  Nhã Phương has recorded for many major music labels in Vietnam such as Bến Thành Audio, Saigon Audio and Vafaco.  Among her most popular signature songs include Mặt Trời Bé Con written by Trần Tiến, Tạm Biệt Chim Én also written by Trần Tiến, Thành Phố Tình Yêu  Nỗi Nhớ written by Phạm Minh Tuấn and Hát Với Chú Ve Con written by Thanh Tùng.   Nhã Phương's last solo studio album to date, Một Chút Tình Quê, was released in the year 2000 by Bến Thành Audio.   


In 1985, Nhã Phương married musician/songwriter Lê Hựu Hà.  As her solo career continued to flourish during the late 1980s all the way into the 1990s making her one of Vietnam's brightest pop stars, her husband's career as a musician and songwriter suffered setbacks as the popularity of his music had dramatically waned.  The contrast of paths headed by their careers would put a strain in their marriage.  Frustrated with his career failure, Lê Hựu Hà turned to alcohol which led him to erratic behavior often verbally abusing his wife.  Eventually, Nhã Phương had to carry the heavy load of being the soul breadwinner of the family unit which included their two sons.  As time passed, such problems in their 18-year marriage mounted as the abuse from her husband gradually increased from verbal to physical.  Finally, at the beginning of 2003 Nhã Phương realized that she had had enough of his abuse and mustered up the courage to separate from her husband.  Less than 5 months later, Lê Hựu Hà passed away after suffering from a massive stroke.  Four years after Lê Hựu Hà's passingNhã Phương remarried to an Anglo-American college professor named David. 


On August of 2007, Nhã Phương traveled to the United States with her sister to perform a medley of popular songs written by her late husband, Lê Hựu Hà, on Asia Entertainment's volume 56, Mùa Hè Rực Rỡ 2007 - Yêu Đời Yêu Người.  During Christmas of that same year, she was invited back to appear on Asia Entertainment's volume 57, Thế Giới Tình Yêu, this time as a solo performer singing Vui Chơi Tình Ta (Jambalaya).

  
Nha Phuong and her husband, David,
on their wedding day (2007)
Nhã Phương has resided in Denver, Colorado since the year 2009.  She lives with her current husband and two sons from her first marriage.  


Quynh Huong

Quynh Huong (1960-    ) is an overseas Vietnamese singer and Vietnamese-language radio and television program hostess.  She is the daughter of legendary Vietnamese singer Thai Thanh and film actor/director Le Quynh.  Her older sister is overseas Vietnamese diva of pop music, Y Lan.

Born as Lê Thị Quỳnh Dao in Saigon, South Vietnam, she is the third eldest in a family of 5 children.  At the age of 5, her parents divorced.  She along with the rest of her siblings were then raised solely by their mother.  In 1980, her mother arranged for her along with her youngest brother, Lê Đại, who is 4 years younger and a disabled paraplegic, to depart from Vietnam for France.  Shortly thereafter, from there they would relocate to the Southern California to be reunited with their father who had been living there since 1975 and remarried with 4 more children.  Her eldest sister, Y Lan, was then living in Houston, Texas, while her mother and the rest of her siblings would arrive in the United States in 1985.  


Quynh Huong, Ha Vy, Nini, Lam Anh and Vina Uyen Mi
 
(Asia Entertainment)
Like her eldest sister, Y Lan, she started her professional singing career much later on in life.  At the age of 33, she changed her stage name from Quynh Dao to Quynh Huong, in order to avoid confusion with singer Quynh Giao, which has the same pronunciation as Quynh Dao in the Vietnamese language and signed with Asia Entertainment.  She first appeared on volume 2 of Asia Entertainment's live show video series, 10th Anniversary Asiaas part of a quartet along with singers Nini, Ha Vy and Vina Uyen Mi performing a total of 3 songs, The Model written by Ralf Hutter and Karl Bartos, Lời Buồn Thánh written by Trịnh Công Sơn and Cuộc Tình Lầm Lỡ written by Khúc Lan.  On the following volumes of Asia Entertainment's live show video series, Quynh Huong would branch out on her own as a solo performer with songs such as Con Tim Đa Tình written by Phạm Duy and Sa Mạc Tình Yêu written by Khúc Lan.  She even co-hosted Asia Entertainment's volume 5, Asia 5 Đêm Sài Gòn 4 In Montréal, alongside Cong Thanh and Truong Ky.  In 1996, Quynh Huong performed as part of a trio alongside singers Trung Hanh and Thanh Lan a medley of popular Vietnamese songs featured on Asia Entertainment's volume 8, Đêm Nhạc Hội, and again co-hosted Asia Entertainment's volume 10, Gởi Người Một Niềm Vui, where she had also performed a duet with singer/songwriter Hoàng Trọng Thụy a song he had written, Quên Câu Giã Từ, which would mark her last appearance on the live show to date as a singer.  That same year Quynh Huong recorded her debut solo studio album, Kỷ Niệm, released under her sister's music production label, Y Lan Productions.   She also collaborated with various other major overseas Vietnamese production labels such as K Entertainment, Xuan Dai and Hai Dang, which released another solo studio album for Quynh Huong, entitled as Biết Nói Gì Đây (1999).  During the years when her singing career was in full swing, Quynh Huong had become a regular weekly headliner at the Queen Bee Nightclub in Stanton, California and toured all over the United States, Canada and Europe performing at live shows for overseas Vietnamese audiences.






During the latter of the 1990s decade, Quynh Huong had embarked on another career as radio and television talk show hostess.  She first joined the staff at Saigon Cali Radio Hai Ngoai on 106.3 FM working as co-host of the daily talk show along with Quoc Thai, Bang Chau, Kha Tu and Doan Mai Phuong.  From there, she went onto becoming a correspondent for Little Saigon Television.  Her newly found success in radio and television broadcasting was largely what had prompted her decision to put her career in music behind her in the early 2000s.  Quynh Huong has been invited back by Asia Entertainment to co-host on many volumes of its live show video series alongside singer/songwriter Duc Huy, singer Anh Dung and the late singer/songwriter Viet Dzung.  

Quynh Huong resides in Orange County, California.  She is a mother of a grown daughter who is now a pharmacist.      

   

Saturday, January 28, 2017

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  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 LamMong Người Phương Xa written by Thanh NhànXác Em Nay Ở Phương Nào written by Trần Chí Phúc and Ngọc Khôi,Trái Tim Nghiệt Ngã written by Khúc LanMầu 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 DanThanh 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.  

Friday, January 27, 2017

Vietnamese Celebrity Homes Part 1

It seems that in every culture, people are interested in knowing about the lifestyles of famous people.  They want to know how celebrities live, where they live and what celebrities might have.  The Vietnamese culture is no different.  Here is the first posting in our series called Vietnamese Celebrity Homes.  These are some of the most luxurious and most beautiful homes.  The ten homes of Vietnamese celebrities featured on this posting are as follows.




Living Room of Ha Phuong and billionaire husband, Chinh Chu's Manhatten mansion
Viet Celeb Home #1:  Let's start out with the most luxurious of Vietnamese celebrity homes.  Vietnamese singer Ha Phuong and her Vietnamese-American billionaire husband, Chinh Chu, who is worth $1.1 billion USD along with their children live in this exquisite mansion in Manhattan.




Interior of singer/actor Ly Hai's mansion in Ho Chi Minh City  

Viet Celeb Home #2:  Vietnamese singer/actor Ly Hai along with his wife and children live in this ultra-modern mansion in Ho Chi Minh City.  The theme behind the decor of its interior does resemble somewhat something seen on Star Trek.  How can Ly Hai afford this mansion worth $2 million USD?  Besides his successful singing career, he has also invested well in various different business sectors ranging from the steel industry to cosmetics.

4-story house of singer/actress/model Ho Ngoc Ha in Ho Chi Minh City 

Singer Ho Ngoc Ha
Viet Celeb Home #3:  Vietnamese singer/actress/model Ho Ngoc Ha who was formerly married to wealthy Vietnamese playboy known as Cuong Dollar calls this $1 million dollar property in Ho Chi Minh City her home.


Singer Hong Nhung's mansion in Ho Chi Minh City 



Singer Hong Nhung in her garden 
Viet Celeb Home #4:  Vietnamese singer Hong Nhung who was formerly in a long-term relationship with legendary composer Trinh Cong Son until his passing now lives in this beautiful mansion located in Ho Chi Minh City with her Anglo-American husband, Kevin, and their two children.




Singer Dam Vinh Hung's $5 million USD mansion in Ho Chi Minh City

Singer Dam Vinh Hung
Viet Celeb Home #5:  Vietnamese singer Dam Vinh Hung for years has been known as the King of Vietnamese popular music with reported earnings as high as $20,000 USD per show.  In addition, he is also the owner of a fishing import/export company.  That is why he is able to afford this mansion in Ho Chi Minh City worth $5 million USD.






Singer My Linh's mansion located right outside of Hanoi looks more like a resort than a house.  


Singer My Linh relaxing in her backyard
Viet Celeb Home #6:  Vietnamese singer My Linh's home is located right outside of Hanoi.  This looks more like a resort than a house.  Nevertheless, it's grand.


Nguyen Cao Ky Duyen's home in Orange County, California


Living Room of Nguyen Cao Ky Duyen's Home
Dining Room of Nguyen Cao Ky Duyen's Home 
Viet Celeb Home #7:  Vietnamese-American celebrity personality, Nguyen Cao Ky Duyen, makes her home in Orange County, California.  Perhaps modest compared to American celebrities, but this former attorney at law turned hostess of Paris By Night video series and businesswoman's taste in interior design is first class.
Interior of Singer Thanh Thao's Home

Singer Thanh Thao's house in Ho Chi Minh City
Singer Thanh Thao
Garden of Singer Thanh Thao's Home in Fountain Valley, CA

Singer Thanh Thao in Backyard of Her Home in Fountain Valley, CA

Viet Celeb Home #8:  Vietnamese singer Thanh Thao is also the CEO and co-founder of Music Box Entertainment.  She currently divides her time between her homes in Vietnam and in the United States.  When in Vietnam, the singer calls this 3-story house in Ho Chi Minh City home.  And when in the United States, the singer lives in her recently purchased house in Fountain Valley, California, a suburb of Orange County.


Singer Ngoc Son's classically built Vietnamese mansion in Ho Chi Minh City

Singer Ngoc Son in the family room of his Ho Chi Minh City mansion

Ngoc Son sitting in the living room of his Hanoi penthouse
Viet Celeb Home #9:  Vietnamese singer Ngoc Son owns a classically built mansion located in the first district of Ho Chi Minh City.  The decor and architectural design represents traditional Vietnamese art.  In addition, Ngoc Son has recently purchased a penthouse apartment unit located in the heart of Hanoi.

Front entrance of actress Diem My's elegant home
located in the 2nd district of Ho Chi Minh City 
Actress Diem My had personally decorated the interior of her home.  


Actress Diem My in her kitchen
Viet Celeb Home #10:  Vietnamese actress Diem My is known for having exquisite taste.  Her house in Ho Chi Minh City is considered to be one of the most luxurious Vietnamese celebrity homes.












Thursday, January 26, 2017

Phuong Mai

Phuong Mai (1956-    ) is an overseas Vietnamese singer and performer of Southern Vietnamese folk opera genres known as cải lương and hồ quảng.

Just like her best friend from childhood, Huong Lan, Phuong Mai was also a child prodigy with a lineage of theatrical performers.  Her grandparents were veteran performers of the cải lương stage of Saigon, Cao Tùng Châu and Cao Long Ngà.  Phuong Mai is also the niece of legendary stage and silver screen actress Kim Cương.  She began her acting career at the ripe old age of 5 when she made her debut on the silver screen with a small role in Ảo Ảnh (Mirage) (1961), a film directed by Lê Hoàng Hoa.  Throughout her childhood, Phuong Mai would appear in many films and plays at the Minh Tơ Auditorium in Saigon starring Kim Cương such as Na TraCuối Đường Hạnh Phúc and Hoa Mộc Lan.  By the age of 14, Phuong Mai was recruited by the Hà Triều – Hoa Phượng Theater Troupe as the lead actress in cải lương plays.  Her biggest success while in Vietnam was her signature role in the run of the play, Lương Sơn Bá Chúc Anh Đài.  After the Fall of Saigon, Phuong Mai continued to perform at the Minh Tơ Auditorium for several more years starring in such well received plays like Dưới Cờ Tây SơnXuân Về Trên Đỉnh Mã PhiLưu Kim Đính Giải Giá thọ ChâuVề Đất Kinh Châu and Tấm Cám.

Kim Cuong and Phuong Mai
 in Saigon (1973)
Phuong Mai and Kim Cuong in the Play,
 Cuối Đường Hạnh Phúc


In 1979, Phuong Mai left Vietnam with her husband and daughter to resettle in West Germany.  While in Europe, she continued to work with other overseas Vietnamese performers such as her childhood friend, Huong Lan, Huu Phuoc, Thanh Duoc, Dung Thanh Lam, Hung Cuong, Bang Chau, Mong Tuyen, Hoang Long, Ha My Lien, Ha My HanhPhuong Thanh and Kieu Le Mai appearing in various video adaptations of cải lương plays produced by Thuy Nga Paris.  During the mid 1980s, Phuong Mai made the switch over to Vietnamese popular music with her first appearance on volume 2 of the Paris By Night video series produced by Thuy Nga performing a pair of songs, Sắc Hoa Màu Nhớ written by Vì Dân and Nỗi Buồn Châu Pha written by Nhật Nguyệt Hồ.  She would be the third artist to have successfully made the transition from traditional Southern Vietnamese folk opera to Vietnamese popular music following Hung Cuong and Huong Lan.  Phuong Mai would become one of the most popular singers on the Paris By Night video series in the 1980s with performances of songs such as Bến Thượng HảiNếu Anh Đừng Hẹn written by Lê DinhTình Hậu Phương written by Minh KỳBiết Đến Bao Giờ written by Lam Phương and a duet with singer Duy QuangĐịnh Mệnh written by Song Ngọc,  In 1987, she toured the United States and Canada performing at live shows for overseas Vietnamese audiences in various cities with major Vietnamese communities.  The following year Phuong Mai was invited back to the United States to tour with Huong Lan, Huu Phuoc, Thanh Duoc, Dung Thanh Lam, Bang Chau and Viet Hung performing reprisals classic cải lương plays, Tấm Lòng Của Biển and Nửa Đời Hương Phấn.  During this visit to the United States, Phuong Mai had also recorded her first solo studio album for the label, Giang Ngoc, entitled as Trúc Đào and went on a successful tour of Australia prior to returning home in West Germany.  

After her marriage of nearly 20 years ended in divorce, Phuong Mai left Germany to resettle in the United States in the early 1990s where she resumed her career as an overseas Vietnamese singer.  She collaborated with various major overseas Vietnamese production labels based in the United States including Truong Thanh, Thuy Anh and Lang Van.  During the mid 1990s, Phuong Mai became one of the first overseas Vietnamese performers to return to Vietnam and perform for audiences in her homeland.  


Phuong Mai at her restaurant, Quán Hủ Tiếu Phượng Mai,
in Garden Grove, California (2016)
Now in a long term in relationship with magazine journalist, Trần Nhật Phong, Phuong Mai is currently the owner of Quán Hủ Tiếu Phượng Mai, a Vietnamese noodle restaurant located in the heart of Little Saigon in Garden Grove, California.  She is the mother of singer Thao Suong.