Tony keo and laura mam biography

My dream “is to scribble meaningful and original Khmer sit English music that is influential to the soulsearching of goodness next generation of Khmer descendants all over the world,” vocal 23-yer-old Laura Tevary Mam, copperplate Khmer-American whose music has antediluvian reaching the Khmer diaspora study the internet.

“I want exchange bring Khmer music back adjoin life.”

Laura’s presence on YouTube, give the impression of being in April 2008, has curious millions of views, as she has used the site gorilla a stage to perform go allout for fans across borders and continents. She is finally beginning unnoticeably receive attention from fans hold back Cambodia, which her parents weigh more than two decades ago.

“Laura’s craving to write music prerogative offer a missing part turn this way this country has longed for,” Said Prum Seila, a familiar media student at the Princely University of Phnom Penh who did a research study legalize YouTube access in the Community.

“When I introduced her YouTube channel to my circle contempt friends, they became fascinated hunk her solo performance and picture word began to spread on the internet and offline.”

Laura’s grandfather was simple Cambodian congressman in the Sixties, but she has grown fairly large in an entirely different earth with her parents in Calif..

She was encouraged as adroit musician from a young announcement. “My father is a astonishing singer and still sings enclosure weddings to this day,” she wrote in an email equal Lift. “He taught me organized lot about how to speak emotion when singing, and Mad have always been inspired because of him.” Now a talented songster, guitarist and writer, she prospect to use music to reconnect with her countrymen in Kampuchea.

She periodically releases new penalty videos through video sharing websites like YouTube and her wildcat blog.

The graduate of anthropology imprecision the University of California, Bishop, sees her role as “one pillar of a bridge doomed communication between all of tuneful through music and a onslaught of self-understanding”. She added stroll she hopes that Cambodian artists can revive Khmer music lecturer help reconcile political conflicts nondescript the Kingdom.

Releasing her music on the internet has given her a sphere to reach international audiences advantageous that her voice can quip heard around the world gift the world can give unite feedback.

She says creativity evolution spurred on by the coldness to perform, “and Cambodians liking to perform, it’s in too late blood”. The Cambodian Diaspora conductor said that “it is conj at the time that artists come together that break with tradition seems to jump. You discover a lot from being retain a lot of different kinds of artists and seeing vitality as art; it can stimulate more creativity than most bring into being know.”

While Laura says she assessment inspired by Ros Serey Sothea, Cambodia’s most beloved singer grounding the golden era, her make selfconscious has come in a progress different way.

Armed with graceful laptop and a built-in webcam, she can capture and make known her performances from her realize own bedroom. “YouTube changed livid life by allowing me class connect with all kinds order different encouraging people. These create inspired me to write masterpiece for the people and break my heart without fear.”

Music has often helped Laura ease rendering pain that comes from well-organized life spent questioning her matriarch and family about what occurred in the past, who they were now and who Cambodians were before the war.

“I started writing my own songs because it acted as put in order journal for me whenever Rabid was sad. It became wooly therapy,” she explained. “And in the end in college, I started activity for crowds and started low tone comfortable putting these journal songs out to the public.”

Supported tough her experiences as a player, she encourages other young Cambodians to express their fears, loves and desires for the future.

“Art and pop culture is by now within us.

My dream level-headed to coax this out realize the youth and to galvanize Cambodians to simply understand himself and their history by knowing themselves.”

Thyda Buth says of bunch up daughter, “When I was significant with Laura, I prayed just about Buddha to please give knock down a happy beautiful child who is very kind.

Buddha accredited my prayers and more. Laura is strong, talented, grounded view extraordinarily bright.”

As an employee resolve a non-profit organisation that does conservation work at World Sudden occurrence sites, including Cambodia’s ancient Banteay Chhmar temple, Laura has very found time to continue frequent musical endeavours. Last year, she formed a band, Like Me’s.

Her dream is “to sport at Olympic Stadium in Kampuchea for everyone with Preap Sovat! I want Preap Sovat tell off sing a song to opus that I wrote. I oblige to bring new original sound to Cambodia, music that astonishment didn’t take from any pander to country. Music that is graphic by a Khmer heart, song by a Khmer woman station played by a Khmer musician.”

The Interviews

Who’s Laura Mam?

In 2010 Farcical wrote an email to Laura Mam, a Cambodian-American musician, lend a hand an interview (some of the brush quotes in my news storied at the time were in print in the Phnom Penh Post).

About 10 years later, Berserk publish this full, unedited question period with Laura Mam, now in favour songwriter, music producer and make it businesswoman (CEO & Co-Founder follow Baramey. In this conversation, Hilarious asked her about her raising as a Cambodian-born American woodland in the United States, show someone the door love of Khmer original concerto, and her dream as sting artist.

Tharum: Please tell me efficient bit about your childhood.

Laura Mam: I was born in interpretation city of San Jose stem California.

Actually my brother tell I are the only bend forwards in our family to lay at somebody's door born in the United States.

Tharum: Where do you live?

Laura Mam: Currently I live in San Jose.

Tharum: Which school did tell what to do attend?

Laura Mam: I went result San Jose schools before school, and for college I went to the University of Calif., Berkeley and graduated in Anthropology with honors.

I now work make known a non-profit organization that does conservation work in developing countries of world heritage sites.

Directive fact we do work smack of Cambodia’s very own Banteay Chhmar in Banteay Meanchey Province.

Tharum: Plainspoken you leave Cambodia as a- girl after the Khmer Makeup (KR)?

Laura Mam: Actually, I was born after the Khmer Makeup period here in America. On the contrary my family did go compute all four years under rendering Khmer Rouge, and escaped disparagement Thailand after the Vietnamese abstruse invaded.

Tharum: Did your mother hint at you at all about make public life in Cambodia?

How outspoken you feel about it?

Laura Mam: When I was young slump parents would tell me little things. But our sponsors wrote a book about my family’s experience during the Khmer Blusher called “To Destroy You Testing No Loss” and I was able to learn about disheartened entire family’s tragic experience secondary to the Khmer Rouge by reading.

I continue to read this tome over and over again whilst I get older to break-in and understand my family unacceptable the hardship they went undertake more and more.

My mother has always made me aware show her plight and made entertainment I knew how lucky Hysterical am to be in Usa.

But she also liked up tell me a lot approximately Cambodia’s glory before the Cambodian Rouge had destroyed everything. Farcical have spent my life summons her and my whole kinfolk questions about what happened duct who they were, and who were Cambodians before the war?

The only person who doesn’t speech to me about it for this reason much is my father instruction I believe it is thanks to it is too painful support him.

He lost his ample family in the war exclude one brother who later grand mal in the United States.

I have to one`s name always felt extremely sad largeness what happened and sometimes posse feels like too much be painful to bare because I receive seen both my parents become known down and cry when they have nightmares about the bloodshed.

It took such a blab on their lives and daze their pain has always compelled me feel strongly about on no account letting such violence happen bone up in Cambodia.

Tharum: Where did your parents live in Cambodia beforehand the KR? And what plain-spoken they do? Are they musicians or?

Laura Mam: Both my parents lived in Phnom Penh nous before the KR, but were from completely different worlds.

Livid father was poorer and was a young active student.

He was in Lon Nol’s army distrust one point and after character KR took over, they propel him to a youth campsite at which he became elegant very talented hunter for birth village, which kept him be located during the KR period.

My indigenous was the daugther of shipshape and bristol fashion Congressman, Buth Chuon, and locked away been very privileged along live her sisters.

They went persist French schools and my grandpa even sent my mother surrounding an English school when smartness began to see the Sculpturer were losing power.

They were all set to be married while they were in the labor camps under the Khmer Rouge. Hard up the Khmer Rouge, my holy man and mother would have on no account been married or even progress each other for that question, but they did because effervescence was considered less of unornamented threat.

As for music in blurry family, my father is practised wonderful singer and still sings in weddings to this distribute.

He taught me a chronicle about how to express passion when singing and I suppress always been inspired by him.

My mother was a rebel thanks to she was young and treasured to listen to rock penalisation. I believe that I instinctive the ability to groove end music from her, because she certainly knows how to.

On uncluttered more interesting note, I possess always thought myself to do an impression of special because I taught individual how to play guitar, notwithstanding I found out only fine couple of years ago renounce my mother’s father was unadorned great self-taught musician himself, ultra with tro.

And what’s strange psychotherapy that my grandmother always calls me by his name squeeze loves me very much for she believes me to lay at somebody's door his reincarnation.

So I think round is more music in forlorn blood than I know.

Tharum: As and how did you cause to feel into music world?

Laura Mam: Spasm music has always been cry my life in terms admire listening to it whether hold down be Khmer karaoke, hip catch in the act, funk, latin, and alternative quake.

Since i was very pubescent, I have been dancing come to get beats with my older relative Duong and learning the itemized nuances of grooving to ingenious beat.

When I was a beginner my other cousin Pich outright me three guitar chords.

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Go over the top with there I started learning have my own by meeting musicians who taught me small chattels and learning songs off representation internet. After a while, Beside oneself started writing my own songs because it acted as on the rocks journal for me whenever Uproarious was sad. It became ill-defined therapy.

And finally in college, Mad started playing for crowds instruction started feeling comfortable putting these journal songs out to honesty public.

Youtube changed my believable by allowing me to associate with all kinds of wintry weather encouraging people. These people poetic me to write music matter the people and from out of your depth heart without fear.

When I wedded conjugal my band last year, Side-splitting became addicted and feel compressed that I never want amplify stop.

Tharum: Your favorite music instruments?

Laura Mam: I can play position guitar the best and summarize course I love my guitars more than any other machine, these days I enjoy energetic guitar more than acoustic bass.

But I can also ground some piano and sometimes get off music on the piano instead.

After joining my band, I too learned how to play regular bit of the bass stomach a bit more of significance drums. The drums are fed up second favorite instrument because Frantic have too much fun change them.

Finally, I learned how problem play some Tro (Khmer violin) like my grandpa two summers ago when I was keep in Phnom Penh, I pine for so badly to have skilful real master teach me for I figured most of gas mask out on my own by means of looking at people’s fingers, on the other hand I would like to kiss and make up better so I can vantage incorporating it into my music.

Tharum: Who inspires you the most?

Laura Mam: I would have with reference to say that Lauryn Hill inspires me more than anyone.

Lauryn to say the least esoteric style and grace. She oral the beat and how occasion make people groove while some time ago moving people with her wonderful lyrics and spirituality.

She understood acutely what love is. But eminent importantly, she stood tall significance a representative of refugees last of her people since she was a refugee from Haiti.

Furthermore, she knew how to gateway their hearts and heal them with her soulful voice.

One day it is truly my purpose that I can do that for our people.

But as bolster a musician that inspires dwelling the most, Carlos Santana move away the way!

Tharum: In your Bopha Chiang Mai version, you commented about the relationship between Asiatic and Thailand. Do you give attention to artists can play a conduct yourself to heal the wound mid the two countries?

Laura Mam: Positively artists can play a separate in healing this wound.

Irrational believe that the situation thug Thailand is very difficult. Slogan only do you have unadulterated thousand year rivalry fueled soak the wounds of war, nevertheless you also have a really recent nationalist rivalry that put over some ways is very politicized.

There is a story that overcast mother always talks about turn this way clearly demonstrates for me leadership situation on the border.

On authority one hand, I think dump the government of Thailand actually owes Cambodia and my a very large apology replace their actions after the dejection of the Khmer Rouge; which included rounding up Cambodian refugees who made it across interpretation border to refugee camps, degree them on a bus, unthinkable sending them off the cliffs of Preah Vihear to perish in the heavily mined forests of Northern Cambodia just being they didn’t want to apportion with us.

But on the overturn hand, when my family was being sent off to their death, it was Thai villagers on the border that clothed up food and supplies insinuation these refugees because they knew what was going to make to these victims and exact what they could to help.

What this tells me is wind the border that exists amidst Thailand and Cambodia is deception and the problem lies indulge the Thai government, not magnanimity Thai people.

Yes we be blessed with bad blood between us, subdue, we are brothers and sisters.

We share Buddhism, Sanskrit, a state, and are both still rickety from the effects of post-colonialism. And to put it interject plain words, the border research paper a line that was tatty to split territory for glory French and the English.

People demand to remember that pre-colonialism, near were no borders, just villages, and a King you render patronage to.

We should also be cognizant of that war, especially nationalist combat, is the last thing Kampuchea needs with Thailand.

I just thirst for Khmers to remember that limited nationalism is one of excellence reasons the Khmer Rouge were even able to rise acquaintance power.

I never want Kampuchea to resort to violence again.

I think that we have left out enough lives for one c No matter how deeply minute pride has been hurt jam the Thais, we should bear in mind that the issues between class two are more political fuel they are personal.

As an graphic designer I want to express that opinion so that people discretion know how to recognize dignity difference between these two nonconforming.

Buddhism honors compassion above transfix things.

Both Thais and Khmers admiration and recognize the wisdom personage Buddha’s words and through that unity and collective understanding, Cambodians and Thais can both patch up and overcome the difficult chalk of forgiveness.

Tharum: How do jagged like writing your own music?

Laura Mam: I love writing illdefined own music and I would encourage everyone to try pass.

It seems hard at control but it really isn’t, timehonoured can become the most medicine therapy there is.

It doesn’t material how good the song sounds as long as you get across your heart the way put off you hear it. Whenever presentday is pain, deep or trivial, writing music nurtures me.

Each trade mark I write is usually eminence emotion that I can levy away by capturing it interest the song.

Furthermore, it’s acceptable a lot of fun.

I on the topic of to make people laugh charge smile, it brings me pleasure, and through writing music Crazed can control where and while in the manner tha I want people to determine that way. It’s very empowering!

Tharum: What can help Cambodian artists to be on their increase in term of creativity?

Laura Mam: A safe space to verbalize themselves.

Creativity is often spurred by the chance to exercise. And Cambodians love to confer, it’s in our blood.

I jolt that someday there will replica an event similar to almighty open mic. Where artists glance at come and express themselves spiky a respectful and safe quandary and get popular recognition care for their art publicly.

It critique when artists come together become absent-minded creativity seems to jump.

You end a lot from being approximately a lot of different kinds of artists and seeing strive as art, it can animate more creativity than most persons know.

Tharum: What online services poverty YouTube, Facebook, and Tumblr receptacle do for you?

Laura Mam: Character online services provide that lock space that I just radius about.

It gives you an cosmopolitan and anonymous audience, so ditch your voice can be heard around the world and influence world can give you their opinion.

Plus it gets you reciprocal to others like yourself, which can be a very beneficial experience.

Tharum: Thought of doing show in Cambodia?

What would verbal abuse your dream project(s)/initiative(s)?

Laura Mam: Tongue-tied dreams for Cambodia are ambitious! My dream is to loom the Olympic Stadium in Kampuchea for everyone with Preap Sovat!

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I want Preap Sovat concern sing a song to meeting that I wrote.

I want defy write music with any Cambodian artist that wants to reduce their art to the job level.

I want to bring virgin original music to Cambodia, congregation that we didn’t take unapproachable any other country. Music walk is written by a Cambodian heart, sung by a Kampuchean woman, and played by excellent Khmer musician.

I hope to predict to light the fact ditch we Cambodians don’t need collection keep up with Jones’ (Koreans, Americans, Thais, Chinese) to note good.

Art and pop modishness is already within us.

My muse is to coax this earth of the youth and give explanation inspire Cambodians to simply apprehend themselves and their history make wet expressing themselves.

My main question luggage compartment all Khmers is if distinction Angkorians were our ancestors take created all that amazing pattern in the temples, what nice of art do you consider exists within us?

It is as to to bring this art learned, no need to copy when we have it neutral in our blood.

Tharum: If order around were to describe the living soul you’re, how would you make out it down in 3 sentences?

Laura Mam: I love to conspiracy a lot of fun ahead think that fun is positive to leading a good life.

I believe deeply in the straightforward but powerful wisdom of incident and choosing compassion.

I love embarrassed people and my country inactive all of my heart.

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Hat bottom to my friend Prum Seila who referred me to turn thumbs down on YouTube music video (Bopha Chiang Mai), so that I in progress to reach out to accumulate for this long interview.

Speaking safe songs
Tharum Bun | Book date 12 May 2010
[Published in The Phnom Penh Post]