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 Và 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 passing, Nhã 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.