Kim Anh

Kim Anh (1953-    ) is a popular overseas Chinese-Vietnamese singer who is best known for her signature rendition of Teresa Teng's classic love ballad, Qian Yan Wan Yu (A Thousand Words), known to Vietnamese music lovers as Mua Thu La Bay, in both Mandarin and Vietnamese.

Born as Mach Kim Anh on September 4, 1953 in Dong Thap, a province of South Vietnam located in the Mekong Delta region near the Cambodian border, to parents of Hoa descent, she grew up in a bilingual household speaking both Vietnamese and Cantonese.  In school, Kim Anh excelled academically.  In 1969, she received a scholarship that enabled her to study abroad in Washington, D.C. as an accounting major.

Kim Anh began her career as a professional singer for the Vietnamese community in the United States during the year of 1975 after she was approached by the owner of a Chinese restaurant called Empress in Washington, D.C., an American of Chinese descent who was in need of her interpretorial assistance with members of a Vietnamese band he had just hired.  After a few times singing with the band during open mic, she would be asked to become their lead vocalist.  For the next couple of years, Kim Anh would become the toast of the town in the Vietnamese community in Washington, D.C. as she enchanted audiences with her powerful vocals and smooth renditions of popular songs in Vietnamese, Chinese and English.  Despite the sizable following she had been able to acquire in a relatively short period of time, Kim Anh's road to fame would not be without its challenges.

After having achieved such notoriety as a local performer in the Vietnamese community of Washington, D.C., Kim Anh was invited to perform at the 1977 Summer Vietnamese Festival of Performing Arts, Dai Nhac Hoi He '77, that had been organized by veteran actress of South Vietnamese cinema, Tuy Hong.  At the festival, Kim Anh would deliver an unforgettable performance of Qian Yan Wan Yu (A Thousand Words) in Mandarin and left the audience that was 1,000 strong in attendance with a lasting impression.  Within weeks after her triumphant performance which formally had introduced her to the Vietnamese-American community on a grander scale, Kim Anh was involved in a near fatal automobile accident.  Wheelchair bound for nearly two years, her rehabilitation would be a slow and painful process.  According to Kim Anh, this was when she began her addiction with drugs that had been prescribed to her by doctors for pain treatment.

In 1982, Kim Anh recorded her first studio solo album entitled Mua Thu La Bay.  The title track was a cover of the theme song of The Young Ones, a Taiwanese romance film in 1972 starring Chen Chen that was extremely popular with movie audiences of South Vietnam.  Other memorable tracks recorded on the album included Le Da written by Tran Trinh, Diem Xua written by Trinh Cong Son, Xin Con Goi Ten Nhau written by Truong Sa and Nua Dem Ngoai Pho written by Truc Phuong.  The album would become one of the all time bestsellers in the history of the overseas Vietnamese music industry.

The overwhelming success of Mua Thu La Bay instantly turned Kim Anh into a star and made her one of the busiest overseas Vietnamese singers during the 1980s and the 1990s.  She performed at live shows for overseas Vietnamese communities all over the United States, Canada, Europe and Australia and collaborated with numerous music production labels such as Da Lan, Doi Magazine, Truong Thanh, Thanh Lan, Lang Van, Asia Productions and Thuy Nga Paris.  She continued to release a series of solo studio albums and also recorded a duet album with Duy Quang, Mat Le Nguoi Tinh, for the Thanh Lan label released in 1984.  Her recording of Toc Em Chua Ua Nang He written by Pham Manh Cuong was the featured song during the opening credits of volume 3 of the popular video series, Paris By Night, in 1986.  Three years later, Kim Anh made her debut performance on the Paris By Night stage with Tam Hon Co Don written by Anh Bang.  Before Nguyen Cao Ky Duyen and Nguyen Ngoc Ngan became the permanent hosts of Paris By Night, Kim Anh and Tran Quoc Bao were the first returning hosts of the popular video series as the pair had hosted volume 15 in 1991 and volume 18 in 1992.  Other memorable appearances by Kim Anh on the Paris By Night stage included her performances of Mua Thu Yeu Duong, Gio Nay Anh O Dau and Tinh Ca Mua He.  In the 2000s, she made several well received appearances on the popular video series produced by Asia Productions which included duet performances with Tuan Vu, Thien Kim and most notably, Thai Doanh Doanh, in a rendition of her signature song, Mua Thu La Bay.  In 1994, Kim Anh released her solo music videotape entitled Duong Xua Loi Cu which consisted of music videos to several of her recorded songs filmed in Vietnam.  Among her other popular recorded songs include Sao Danh Xa Em, Canh Hong Trung Quoc and Nang Chieu.  It should be noted that Kim Anh was the very first overseas Vietnamese singer to have made an impact in Vietnamese music as she had risen to fame years before the likes of Ngoc Lan, Kieu Nga and Nhu Mai had come along.  

Kim Anh Looking Fabulous at 62

In recent years, Kim Anh has spent most of her time living and working in Vietnam.  Now in her sixties, she has long overcome her previous battle with drug addiction and continues a fast paced schedule of nightly performances at various venues in Ho Chi Minh City along with concert tours all over Vietnam.  Kim Anh is a mother of two grown sons.  Her oldest son is from her first marriage back in the early 1970s and her youngest son was born in Paris from her second marriage during the 1980s.  

20 International Celebrities You Didn't Know Are Vietnamese

Here are twenty internationally known celebrities that many folks have no idea are Vietnamese.  Many of these celebrities are mixed with Vietnamese descent and may not appear to look Vietnamese or even Asian at all.  Others, due to their professional stage names which don't include traditionally Vietnamese surnames such as Nguyen or Tran, are often mistaken to be of other Asian races.  But indeed they are all Vietnamese.

Link(s):

10 Viet Celebs Who Don't Look Vietnamese

1.  Axel Tony:  French Pop Singer
of Cameroonian, Martinique and Vietnamese Descent 

2. Dany Carrel:  Legendary French Cinema Actress
of French and Vietnamese Descent 

3. Danny Graves:  American Professional Baseball Player
of Vietnamese and Anglo-American Descent 

4. Diane Fleri:  Italian Cinema and Television Actress
of Estonian and Vietnamese Descent 

5. Fabien Corbineau:  South Korean Cinema and Television Actor, Male Model
of French and Vietnamese Descent 

6. France Nuyen:  Legendary Hollywood Actress
of French and Vietnamese Descent 

7. Isild Le Besco:  French Cinema Actress, Director and Screenwriter
of Breton, Vietnamese, French and Algerian Descent

8. Jane March:  British Film Actress
of Vietnamese, Chinese, British and Spanish Descent 

9. James Duval:  Hollywood Film Actor
of Vietnamese, French, Irish and Native-American Descent

10. Jay Manalo:  Filipino Film and Television Actor
of Vietnamese and Filipino Descent

11. Lance Krall:  American Television Actor, Comedian and Screenwriter
of Vietnamese and Anglo-American Descent

12. Leslie:  French Pop Singer
of French, Vietnamese and Polynesian Descent

13. Maggie Q:  Hollywood and Hong Kong Film Actress
of Vietnamese, Irish and Polish Descent 

14. Maiwenn:  French Cinema Actress, Director and Screenwriter
of French, Breton, Vietnamese and Algerian Descent 

15. Michelle Banzer:  Fashion Model and Miss Kentucky USA 2007
of Vietnamese, Chinese, Mongolian, Russian, German, Cherokee and Irish Descent 

16. Nai Bonet:  Hollywood B Movie Actress and Famous Belly Dancer
of French and Vietnamese Descent

17. Olivia Munn: American Actress and Television Personality
of Chinese-Vietnamese and Anglo-American Descent

18. Ray Lui:  Hong Kong Film and Television Actor
of Hoa Descent 

19. Tyga:  American Rap Artist
of Vietnamese, Jamaican and African-American Descent 

20. Yohan Cabaye:  French Professional Rugby Player
of French and Vietnamese Descent 

Ngoc Giau

Ngoc Giau (1945-    ) is a famous actress of Southern Vietnamese folk opera known as cai luong.  

Born in Saigon as Phong Thi Ngoc Giau, she came from an impoverished family background.  As a young child she had learned to sing by listening to cai luong plays on broadcast radio and joined the Kim Phung Theater Troupe where she worked mostly as an extra to eventually small speaking parts on stage productions in order to supplement the family income.  By age 12, Ngoc Giau and an older brother were recruited by the prestigious Kim Chuong Theater Troupe which enabled her to travel all over South and Central Vietnam performing for live audiences at various playhouse theaters.  In 1958, at the tender age of 13, she was cast as Juliette in the Vietnamese cai luong version of the Shakespearean play, Romeo & Juliette, opposite actor Hung Cuong.  That same year she was introduced by fellow cai luong performer, Minh Chi, whom she had impressed with her singing voice, to the owner of Asia, then one of the most prominent record labels in Saigon.  Shortly thereafter, Ngoc Giau was offered a recording contract with Asia.

Hung Cuong and Ngoc Giau

In 1960, Ngoc Giau won the coveted Thanh Tam Award, South Vietnam's equivalent to a Tony during the 1960s, as best actress for her portrayal of the lead character in the cai luong play, Dieu Thuyen.  Seven years later, she would be honored with a second Thanh Tam Award, a fleet shared only with two other veteran cai luong performers, Thanh Nga and Bach Tuyet.  Ngoc Giau is best known for her portrayals of such roles on the cai luong stage as Ba Huong in Doi Co Luu, Trieu Minh in Co Gai Do Long starring Tan Tai, as the title role in as Chi Hang in Con Gai Chi Hang, as Hien in Doi Mat Nguoi Xua starring Huu Phuoc, as My Tien in San Khau Ve Khuya starring Thanh Nga and Thanh Duoc, as Nhung in Tuong Cuop Bach Hai Duong starring Dung Thanh Lam and as Thi Lo in Rang Ngoc Con Son starring Minh Vuong.  Ngoc Giau was cast in the role of Mrs. An in the film adaptation of the classic cai luong play, Tinh Lan va Diep, starring Thanh Nga, Thanh Tu and Bach Tuyet.  In 1984, she along with Le Thuy and Minh Vuong went on a successful tour performing for overseas Vietnamese audiences in several European countries.  In recent years, Ngoc Giau has portrayed numerous comedic roles in plays, television skits and movies in Vietnam.  In 2004, she was the leading actress in the Vietnamese television comedy mini-series, Lang Hoa Tinh Yeu, costarring Kim Xuan.  Two of her most famous comedic roles on the silver screen have been as Mrs. Hoai in  Khi Dan Ong Co Bau (When a Man Gets Pregnant) (2005), which featured an all-star cast that included Nguyen Phi Hung, Hong Nga, Tan Beo, Truong Ngoc Anh, Bao Quoc, Hong Van and Phuong Thanh and as the mother of the lead character named Thang portrayed by Dan Truong in Vo Lam Truyen Ky (2007), which had also costarred Chi Bao, Hoai Linh, Vu Thu Phuong and Cat Phuong.  In 2011, Ngoc Giau was officially recognized with Vietnam's top artistic award, the honorary title of Nghe Si Nhan Dan, the People's Artist.

Twice married, Ngoc Giau is now a proud grandparent.  From her first marriage, she had a daughter who died at the age of 12 from leukemia.  Her younger daughter now resides in the United States and has a family of her own.  Now at age 70, Ngoc Giau still continues to perform for live audiences in cai luong stage productions in Vietnam, as well as for overseas Vietnamese communities of the United States, Europe and Australia.  

Kim Tu Long

Kim Tu Long (1966-    ) is a famous actor of cai luong. Southern Vietnamese folk opera.

Born as Hoang Kim Long on September 17, 1966 in Saigon, South Vietnam, he grew up in a family of four children.  Kim Tu Long is the only member in his family to have become a professional entertainer.  He has often credited veteran cai luong actor, Minh Vuong, for having inspired him given how they had been neighbors during his years growing up.  Initially rising to prominence during the 1980s, Kim Tu Long has been one of the most popular regular performers at the legendary Tran Huu Trang Theater in Ho Chi Minh City.  He has performed on stages all over Vietnam, as well as for overseas Vietnamese audiences in Europe, North America and Australia.  Among his most popular roles in cai luong plays have included Y May in Y Ban va Nang Tien, Gia Dong in Nang Tien Mau Don, Lu Bo in Phung Nghi Dinh, My Den in Song Trong Tinh Thuong, Du Nhuong in Du Nhuong Da Long Bao and Dong Thua in Ma Sieu Bao Phu Nu.  In 1992, he along with cai luong actress, Ngoc Huyen, were honored with Huy Chuong Vang Awards, Vietnam's equivalent to the Tony Awards, as best cai luong acting couple of the year.  Kim Tu Long has participated in many audio soundtrack recordings of both cai luong and Vietnamese pop music genres alongside other artists such as Dam Vinh Hung, Cam Tien, Ngoc Huyen, Cam Ly, Phi Nhung and Tai Linh.

In the spring of 2011, Kim Tu Long celebrated his 30th year in show business with a sold out live show event held at the Hoa Binh Theater in Ho Chi Minh City.  Among the lineup of guest performers that night included Bao Quoc, Ut Bach Lan, Thoai My, comedic actor Hoai Linh and singers Cam Ly and Phi Nhung.

Married to actress Nguyen Cam Tu since 1998, Kim Tu Long is a proud parent of two children.    

Minh-Khai Phan-Thi

Minh-Khai Phan-Thi (1974-    ) is a German television personality and film actress of Vietnamese origin.

Born in Darmstadt, West Germany to Vietnamese parents, Minh-Khai Phan-Thi was raised in an upper middle-class family.  Both of her parents were highly educated professionals.  Her father was an engineer, while her mother was a chemist with a doctorate degree.  At the age of 10, Minh-Khai Phan-Thi and her family relocated to Munich where she would later graduate from high school.

Minh-Khai Phan-Thi got her first big break in 1994, after she had graduated from high school when she became host of the children's television program, Die Hugo Show, for the Kabel-1 channel in Germany.  Two years later, she would become the hostess and permanent veejay on the popular German music channel, VIVA.

As an actress, Minh-Khai Phan-Thi has enjoyed a successful career in both television and cinema of Germany.  In 1997, she was cast in her first major role in the German television movie, Jagdsaison.  Since then, Minh-Khai Phan-Thi has starred in many other German television movies including Gegetzt - Der Tod im Sucher (1998), Rette Deine Haut (Run While You Can) (2001), Die Novizin (2002), Herz Oder Knete (2002), Männer ticken, Frauen anders (2011) and Sieben Tage Ohne (2013).  She has also had several recurring roles on various German television series such as Dr. Yvonne Janus on Post Mortem (2008), Mimi Hu on Nachstschicht (2003-2015), Betty on Christine. Perfekt War Gestern! (2013) and Alexa Seifart on Notruf Hafenkante (2015).  In 2004, Minh-Khai Phan-Thi wrote, directed and starred in the German television documentary, Mein Vietnam - Land Und Kein Krieg.  On the German silver screen, she has starred in such feature films like Sonnenalle (Sun Alley) (1999), Ein göttlicher Job (A Goddamn Job) (2001), Planet der Kannibalen (2001), Hinh Bong (2002), Mein Verrucktes Jahr in Bangkok (2011).  

In 2005, Minh-Khai Phan-Thi and her longtime companion, German actor Max Timm, welcomed the birth of their first child.  She is bilingual and speaks both German and Vietnamese fluently.  Minh-Khai Phan-Thi has made many trips to Vietnam and has maintained her cultural identity as a German-born daughter of Vietnamese parents.  For more than two decades, she has been a practicing Buddhist despite having been raised in a Vietnamese Roman Catholic family.  

Link(s):

Minh-Khai Phan-Thi Official Website (in German)

Anh Tu

Anh Tu (1950-2003) was a famous Vietnamese singer and the third eldest child of Lu Lien, a legendary singer/musician and founding member of AVT, the renowned singing trio of Northern Vietnamese folk music.

Born as La Anh Tu on April 16, 1950 in Da Lat, South Vietnam, he was raised primarily in Saigon.  He had come from a family of performers as all 6 of his siblings, Bich Chieu, Tuan Ngoc, Khanh Ha, Thuy Anh, Lan Anh and Luu Bich, would grow up to become established singers.

Anh Tu began his career as a professional singer in Vietnam during the year of 1969 when he and his younger sister, Khanh Ha, began performing for nightclubs and venues which catered to mostly patrons of US military personnel where they would cover songs of popular world music in English and French.  Their very first gig was an engagement performing for US GIs at the USO in Saigon alongside singer/actress Mai Le Huyen.  Shortly thereafter, one other younger sister, Thuy Anh, would join them to form a pop music singing group based in Saigon called The Blue Jets.  By 1972, they became known as the trio, Thuy Ha Tu, and later The Uptight, which included musicians Tung Giang and Quoc Thang.  The Uptight headlined exclusively at the prestigious Queen Bee Nightclub in Saigon.  Anh Tu and his two sisters recorded for various record labels while in South Vietnam such as Tung Giang, Nhac Tre and Nhac Hong.  Among their most well received recordings during this period included covers of songs in both English and Vietnamese lyrics such as Killing Me Softly With His Song, Waterloo and Puppy Love.  Their first recording of a Vietnamese composition was a medley of two songs written by Trinh Cong Son, Cat Bui Tinh Xa.  Anh Tu recorded two solo renditions while in Saigon which were covers of Harry Nilsson's Without You and Michel Fugain's Une Belle Histoire, for the Nhac Tre record label.

Anh Tu and Khanh Ha

Just days before the Fall of Saigon, Anh Tu along with members of his extended family which included five of his siblings and both of his parents fled from Vietnam to begin a new life in the United States.  His eldest sister, Bich Chieu, had left Vietnam in the 1960s to resettle in Italy.  The Uptight quickly resumed as a popular music group for overseas Vietnamese music audiences.  As one of the most innovative music acts among overseas Vietnamese performers, The Uptight played at live shows for overseas Vietnamese audiences all over the United States, Canada, Europe and Australia.  They even played at the legendary Palladium in Los Angeles to a sold out crowd in the early 1980s.  With Khanh Ha's solo career taken to unimaginable heights and Thuy Anh's absence for nearly two decades, Luu Bich, the youngest sibling, was recruited as the female lead singer of the group during the 1980s.  One other edition to the group was Lan Anh, another of Anh Tu's younger sisters, as the group's drummer.  Anh Tu was the only consistent original member of The Uptight.  Although he initially was the background vocalist for the group, it became evident through the years that Anh Tu, indeed, was the backbone The Uptight's success.

The formation of Khanh Ha Productions in 1988 reintroduced Anh Tu as a recording artist in the Vietnamese music industry worldwide.  Other than the recordings he had made back in Saigon prior to 1975 and a couple of duet tracks with Khanh Ha on her solo studio album, Co Hong (1986) for the production label, Lang Van, until then Anh Tu as a recording artist had pretty much drifted to obscurity.  With the release of Uptight 1 by Khanh Ha Productions in 1988, Anh Tu was reintroduced to the Vietnamese music industry with his unforgettable recorded version of Lac Mat Mua Xuan (Le Géant de Papier).  The song would become one of Anh Tu's signature songs for the remainder of his career.  The following year, Khanh Ha Productions released a full duet studio album of Anh Tu and Khanh Ha, Premier Amour, a selection of popular French love songs covered in both French and Vietnamese lyrics.  Anh Tu's popularity as a recording artist would gradually grow through the years with Khanh Ha Productions which included his recorded versions of songs such as Mo Ve Em (Je Pense à Toi), Xa Nhau Tu Day, Dong Song and Tron Doi Yeu Em (More Than I Can Say).

In the 1990s, with the closing of Chez Moi, a nightclub owned and operated for several years by family members of The Uptight in Alhambra, California, Anh Tu ventured out as a solo artist and finally experienced his career peak.  After several years as an exclusive performer at the Can Nightclub in Garden Grove, California, Anh Tu was recruited by nightclub owner and musician Ngoc Chanh to join the lineup of singers at the Ritz Nightclub in Anaheim, California in 1996.  Later that year, Khanh Ha Productions released Anh Tu's solo studio album, Yeu Em.  He remained with Ritz until the closing of its doors in 2001 and continued to perform at live shows all over the world.  During these years, Anh Tu enjoyed a highly successful career as a recording artist with various overseas Vietnamese music production labels such as New Castle Entertainment, Mai Productions, Love Music, Tektronic, Sao Dem and Eagle Productions.  He also recorded several well received duet albums with other artists like Thanh Ha, Ngoc Hue and Ngoc Thuy.  Anh Tu had appeared on Thuy Nga's Paris By Night on volume 10 performing Tinh La,  a cover of Depeche Mode's Strange Love, in both English and Vietnamese.  Anh Tu had also appeared with his two sisters, Khanh Ha and Thuy Anh, as Thuy Ha Tu on several volumes of Asia Entertainment's live show music video series.  Among his most popular recorded songs during the 1990s decade include Nhung Loi Doi Gian, Chi Con Minh Anh, Hoai Mong and Cay Dan Bo Quen.

On December 3, 2003, Anh Tu met his untimely death.  He left behind a son, Julian, from a brief marriage back in the early 1980s, and countless adoring fans from all over the world.  At the time of his passing, Anh Tu was only 53.  

Phuong Dung

Phuong Dung (1946-    ) is a Vietnamese singer.  Dubbed as Con Nhan Trang Go Cong (The White Dove of Go Cong Province), Phuong Dung began her professional career in music at the age of 14 in 1960 as a singer for Dai Phat Thanh Viet Nam, Radio Vietnam.

Born in Go Cong Province in Tien Giang, South Vietnam, Phuong Dung first rose to prominence at the age of 16 in 1962 when she scored her first big hit with a song written by Manh Phat and Hoai Linh, Noi Buon Gac Tro, for the record label Continental.  The major success enjoyed with her first hit single solidified Phuong Dung's name in the modern popular music industry of South Vietnam.  For the duration of the 1960s decade well into the 1970s, she would continue with a streak of monster hits such as Nhung Doi Hoa Sim, written by Dzung Chinh in 1964 and then Ta Tu Trong Dem, written by Nhat Truong which went on to earn him the Huy Chuong Vang award, South Vietnam's equivalent to a Grammy, for record of the year and another Huy Chuong Vang award for Phuong Dung for best female singer of the year in 1965.  Among her other popular hit songs included Khuc Hat An Tinh, written by Y Van and Xuan Tien, Do Ai, written by Pham Duy, Suong Lanh Chieu Dong, written by Manh Phat, Tim Ca Rung Chieu, written by Thu Ho, Canh Buom Chuyen Ben, written by Minh Ky, Noi Buon Dem Dong, written by Anh Minh, Biet Dau Tim, written by Hoang Thi Tho, Con Mai Nhung Tinh Khuc Ca, written by Quoc Dung, and what has been referred to as her ultimate signature song, Sac Hoa Mau Nho, written by Nguyen Van Dong.  Phuong Dung was among the most in demand recording artists in South Vietnam prior to 1975 collaborating with such record labels like Continental, Thanh Thuy, Son Ca, The Gioi Nghe Thuat - Tam Anh, Truong Hai, Thuong Ca, Premier, Song Nhac and Viet Nam.  


Married to a former military pilot of South Vietnam since 1968, Phuong Dung has a total of eight children.  In 1974, she left her native Vietnam and resettled in Sydney, Australia.  Two of her daughters have also chosen professions in show business.  Phuong Vy was a singer on Paris by Night during the 1990s and Hoang Ly is a fashion model.

Phuong Dung has performed on stages for Vietnamese audiences all around the world.  She has recorded numerous albums and has made music video appearances for overseas Vietnamese production labels like Giang Ngoc, Thuy Anh, Thanh Lan, Lang Van, Asia Productions and Thuy Nga Paris.  In recent years, Phuong Dung has returned to Vietnam and has performed on countless live concert shows throughout the country.  On June of 2014, she along with Giao Linh were featured performers on the Sol Vang televised live show in Ho Chi Minh City.  Later that year, Phuong Dung served on the panel of judges on the popular Vietnamese television show, Solo cung Bolero.  

Link(s):

Phuong Dung Facebook Page