What was your first recorded song and why did you choose that particular song?
The first song I ever wrote was Con Dế Sầu. This song was dedicated to Tô Hoài and his well-known short story Dế Mèn Phiêu Lưu Ký, the very first chapter book that I read as a kid. Back then, I loved stories that invoked imagination, adventure, tales and heroism, as well asstories with talking animals, insects and non-living things. But Dế Mèn Phiêu Lưu Ký did more than stirring up my imagination, it sparked my interests in the world and in the people around me. It sent me on a personal soul searching quest, including that of being a hero, albeit a lonely one.
Can you share with us the favorite song that you've written? Your inspiration, how did the song come to life?
There is a story behind each of my songs. Writing songs is like recording in my own diary. In fact, some of my old journals were filled with lyrics and musical chords. Unfortunately, I lost all of these journals. Musically speaking, I think I was most satisfied with Con De Sau and Nguoi Con Gai Trong Tranh. Marking a dramatic memory of my life, I wrote Con De Sau atonally (without a definite key tone) by accident. Not too many people like the melody of this song for it sounds out-of-tune to them. But that is the beauty of this format, which goes well with the melancholic image of a wandering cricket leading a nomadic life, indefinite in his ways.Nguoi Con Gai Trong Tranh is the most currently written song in my album. I wrote it while on my trip to Viet Nam at the end of 1997, the first time I went back home after so many years. Standing in the airport lobby in Vietnam, I saw a little girl cuddled in her fathers arms, and suddenly a stream of memories came pouring back. The little girl reminded me of myself, and of my mother and my grandmother, and the little girl we once were. Time passes and our physical existence fades away. How we are remembered is from the image that our loved ones have painted with their memories of us. That was the original concept of Nguoi Con Gai Trong Tranh. However, as I continued writing the song, more ideas developed and the original concept wasslightly altered to flow with the music. My music reflects my dreamy personality. Nguoi Con Gai Trong Tranh is typical of my style. My lack of formal musical training gives me the license to ignore many composition rules. A well-known musician once criticized the way I constructed my songs as lacking of consistency, for I seldom repeated the same part twice (meaning repeating the same melody with different lyrics). Nguoi Con Gai Trong Tranh to me is free in style and spirit.
What do you think is the most interesting theme for a song?
Up to now, my songs have revolved around three major themes: beauty of life, childhood and love. The first is my favorite for it is an endless topic. There are so many beautiful and interesting things and people in life that you can talk about. Writing songs about childhood always gives me such a good feeling, especially when referring back to sweet memories of the past. Love is a hard topic for me to write about for it conveys my deepest fear and personal self. I can never be straightforward about love in my songs. It is my style and also my soft spot. To me, you can write just about anything that touches your heart. There is no one theme that is greater or more important than the other, as long as the story is true to your heart. Nothing is more touching than sincerity and honesty.
You worked with Tuan Ngoc, tell us about the experience.
I had worked with and observed a few so-called professional artists in the past and I came away feeling very disappointed. But working with Tuan Ngoc was a different learning experience for me. Beside his natural vocal skills, Tuan Ngoc is very knowledgeable in music in general. He can play the guitar very well, and can sing in different formats and styles. His vocal range is absolutely amazing. You should see him singing unplugged, playing his guitar. It was really cool! It was also a wonderful experience to see the coordination and teamwork between Tuan Ngoc and Duy Cuong. I have to thank Duy Cuong for the final touch he did to my songs. His creative arrangements gave my songs a sparkling, glamorous look that surprised even me!
What have you been doing since Nguoi Con Gai Trong Tranh
Not much. The second album is in the works, but I have no definite deadline. Im PLAYING with music, so foremost I want to have fun, not run. However, the most significant project that I recently collaborated with a group of close friends, who are also musicians, was an audio book. We organized a virtual group called The Story Tellers (Nguoi Ke Chuyen). Our mission is to produce valuable audio books for blind children in Viet Nam. Our very first book, a translation of The Little Prince by Saint Exupery, was finished at the end of 2001. To learn more about this audio book and our next coming project, go to http://www.geocities.com/nguoikechuyen2001/front.htm. I am very proud to be a part of this meaningful project, and cannot wait to start the second book.
Where do you think your music career going to go?
First of all, music is not a career to me since I have never had any formal musical training. I write songs mostly to fulfill my own thirst of self-expression and the urge to create something. In addition, I am stage phobic. Im trying to overcome this fear. So far, there is yet any sign of improvement. I love singing though. I wish to be able to write and sing for the rest of my life just for the joy of it.
Who influence you most musically and in life?
It was my late father, the movie director/producer Hoàng Vĩnh Lộc. Even though my father was not a musician, he taught me to appreciate the Arts and passed on to me his love of music. He died when I was young, yet his legacy and words of wisdom still live with me every day.
Do you ever feel lost living in one culture (American) and expressing your art in another (Vietnamese)?
You only feel lost when youre heading to a certain destination and could not find it. In my case, I guess since I am constantly a wanderer, I feel quite comfortable wherever I am. I grew up in Viet Nam. Vietnamese culture and language is the foundation of my writing and thinking. Living in the US is a blessing to me. Here I have the freedom to explore and express myself. Most of all, I am thankful for having the opportunities to be exposed to such an immense resource of world culture and arts, music in particular. I treasure the dramatic and poetic beauty of our language and culture. At the same time, I appreciate the freedom in expression and the diversity of the western music. So, being able to learn and express ones self in more than one culture should be a plus to any artists. I hope I answer your question. Yet I do get lost sometime, in my own thoughts!
Your hope and dreams.
Peace! Yes, I know. This is not a beauty pageant, but I really mean it. I do hope for peace everywhere now and in the future for our children. In speaking of hopes and dreams for the Vietnamese music industry, I do wish that someday our music will be heard near and far, everywhere around the globe, and most importantly among our communities despite our geographical or political distances. I see many, many amazing talents out there in our communities, scattered about like dust in the wind. It is a shame to see such talents wasted, fade away, or end up in a different pool. I dream that there would be a force to gather and unite this group of talented artists. Music is first and foremost a form of Arts, a creative way of expressing feelings and thoughts. Therefore, it should be versatile. In short, like Picasso saying, anything the mind can imagine of is possible.
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