’Queen of Bolero Music’ live tonight
Hanoi native songstress Le Quyen, whose voice has bewitched audiences for years, will once again seduce fans during her live show on January 4 night at the city’s Friendship Palace.
A big name in light music in the South of Vietnam before the country’s unification in 1975, most of Phuong’s works are about love. After resettling in the US and France, he continued to compose nostalgic songs about his homeland. His up-and-down love life has also provided abundant inspiration for many of his songs.
 |
| Le Quyen poses next to a photo of herself with songwriter Lam Phương on the day she released her album Khuc Tinh Xua (Old Love Songs): Le Quyen–Lam Phuong on December 24 (Photo: kenh14.vn) |
Singer Quyen said she had been lucky to meet the veteran songwriter, who is now partly disabled due to a stroke in 1995, during a tour in the US few years ago.
“He uttered my name right after seeing me at his door. He recognised me although we’d never met before. It was very moving,” recalled Quyen, who currently lives in Ho Chi Minh City.
“Moreover, the 80-year-old songwriter said he often listens to his songs sung by me. That’s why he immediately agreed when I asked him for permission to use his songs for my album,” she said.
Quyen also said that the composer has about 200 songs that he has never unveiled.
Quyen’s newest album features 12 songs – some of the best by Phuong, including Thanh Pho Buon (Sad City), Bai Tango Cho Em (A Tango for You), Thu Sau (Melancholy Autumn), Co Ua (Withered Grass), and Xin Thoi Gian Qua Mau (Time, Please Fly Quickly).
Quyen will perform all these songs in her show, as well as some other hits. She has invited male singers – Quoc Thien, Quang Dai and Duong Trieu Vu - who are among the best of Vietnamese bolero music performers, to share the stage with her tonight.
