Phương Mỹ Chi's Latest MV Tells Eternal Love Story in Vietnam's Khmer Community
After forays into the worlds of reality TV and cinema, Vietnam’s folk pop princess Phương Mỹ Chi has returned to her roots with a fresh new full-length album, pioneered by the lead single ‘Thiên đường với người thương’ (lit: In heaven with my beloved).
Tracing My Family's Fondness for French Tunes, From Colonial Times to Vietnamese Versions
“Tombe la merde; tu ne viendras pas ce soir [Shit is falling; you’re not coming tonight]”: an outburst of laughter and applause would inevitably fill the room as my dad, in his deep, mellifluous voice, put his own profane twist on Salvatore Adamo’s ‘Tombe la neige.’ This track, like ‘Paroles… Paroles…’ by Dalida or Christophe’s ‘Aline,’ are widely known and adored in both France and my family in Vietnam. My childhood unfolded against these rhythms, melodies, and lyrics, whose origins were so far removed from me, both temporally and geographically.
But What Even Is an Expat: Unpacking the Highly Contentious Term, in Vietnam and Abroad
“Expat is a racist as hell term” — this is the take of Misan Harriman on the popular internet show SubwayTakes. The ...
Adrien Jean in Travel
The Enigmatic Neon-Lit World in the Mist of Sapa
Is there a more atmospheric place in Vietnam than Sapa on a misty night?
Khôi Phạm in Music & Arts
Review: Pieces of Me | Nao Yoshioka (feat. Mỹ Anh)
Mỹ Anh has come a long way since becoming the runner-up of The Heroes in 2021. Five years later, now with a full-length album and a spectrum of singles and extended plays under her belt, the Hanoi-based artist has proven to be one of the most dynamic singer-songwriter-producer of her generation.
Art Exhibition ‘Limerence’ Explores Where Romantic Desire Distorts Into Obsession
Thom Nguyen utilizes portraiture and depictions of mushrooms and organic objects to explore the concept of limerence in a solo exhibition at Permanently Closed Gallery in Thảo Điền, beginning Friday, August 28.
How Vinahouse Fosters Sonic Belonging in Modern Saigon's Queer Collectives
If you spend a night wandering along Bùi Viện Walking Street and its dense concentration of bars and clubs, you will almost certainly hear the same sound spilling from multiple directions: fast, pounding basslines layered with Vietnamese pop melodies, punctuated by dramatic buildups and explosive drops. If you fall into the right algorithm on TikTok, you might encounter these same sounds circulating as background audio. This music is Vinahouse. Its ever-presence in both physical and digital spaces makes it one of the most recognizable yet least critically examined musical forms in contemporary Vietnam.
Xuân Phương in Culture
Inside Tế Tiêu, Home to Vietnam's Rare 'Land Puppet' Performances
Bidding goodbye to central Hanoi, I took the National Road 21B to reach Tế Tiêu Neighborhood, a small community in Đại Nghĩa Township of Hanoi’s Mỹ Đức District. This fertile patch of land by the Đáy River is the cradle of a unique form of traditional folk art: Tế Tiêu puppetry.
Short Story: 'Left-Eared' by Trần Thị NgH
'Left-Eared' (Người Thuận Tai Trái) is a short work of fiction originally written in Vietnamese by author Trần Thị NgH and translated with her assistance for Saigoneer.
In Debut Album 'Gió Thổi Mạnh,' Bluemato Yanks Us Along Their Escapist Journey
With youthful ennui turned energetic wanderlust, Bluemato’s "Gió Thổi Mạnh" album is a much-needed breeze for the underground indie scene of a suffocating Hanoi.
For a Tết Full of Rich Traditions, Head to Saigon's Hoa Community
Up until 2011, I thought that everybody in Saigon had the same Tet every year, with apricot flowers in the living room and bánh chưng or bánh tét on the altar, and family trips to the Nguyen Hue flowe...
Wander Around a Holiday-Ready Hanoi Amid the Shadows of the Pandemic
Tết has come and gone, but the memories remain.
Elise Luong in Music & Arts
Noise as Material: Hanoi's Soundscapes Revisited
In a study conducted in Hanoi in 2018 by the Institute of Occupational Health and Environment, the average noise on 12 main roads and junctions ranged from a deafening 77.8–78.1 decibels (dBA) in the ...
Her Schedule on Saturday
Imagine that on the weekend a splinter flies into your eye and you have to see the doctor.
[Photos] The Alluring Life and Art of Lê Phổ
The art of Lê Phổ, one of Vietnam's most celebrated painters, evolved significantly during his career.
[Illustrations] Tet's Timeless Dishes Turned into a Colorful Cookbook
Tteokbokki, sushi, dim sum, pizza, croissants, burritos: during an average year, many people in Saigon eat dishes from a great variety of global cuisines.
[Video] Full Trailer for 'Tale of Kiều' Adaptation Arrives
Simply titled Kiều, the adaptation will hit theaters on March 5.
Adorable Stop-Motion Video Shows How to Prepare for Tết With Art and Craft
Rarely does preparing a traditional Tết meal put you at risk of papercuts.
Paul Christiansen in Literature
How DiaCritics Creates a Platform for Diverse Vietnamese Voices From Abroad
“Vietnamese communities can sometimes/often demand conformity and tradition of people in order to feel a part of things; I have always seen diaCRITICS as an opportunity to trouble the definitions, pus...
Paul Christiansen in Postcards
Saigon Postcard No. 28: Embrace a New Fashion
What if cải lương tuồng cổ costumes became a new trend?
Elise Luong in Music & Arts
Q&A: Gallery Director Suzanne Lecht on the 'Gang of Five' and Building a House of Arts
Tucked in an alley south of Hai Ba Trung stands Suzanne Lecht’s glorious home, a magical abode crowned with an ancient nhà sàn from Mai Chau. After having lived there for more than 25 years,...
Lệ Thu, the 'Golden Voice' of Nhạc Vàng, Passes Away Due to Covid-19
Yet another icon of nhạc vàng has left us.
[Photos] For a Day, Winter Convention Brings Kick-Ass Cosplay Back to Saigon
In which universe do Captain America and Cardcaptor Sakura rub shoulders with anthropomorphized, anime-fied white blood cells?
[Video] A Dynamic Visual Ode to Hanoi, a City of Paradoxes
Cái Gốc (The Origin) is the latest release from music producer and video director Robin Marty and his collaborator Jakub Zajac.
[Video] How Has Vietnamese Fashion Changed in a Millennium of History?
The most fascinating factoid about the video project is that black teeth had such enduring appeal across centuries and dynasties.
[Photos] A Royal Tea Set, as Envisioned by a Vietnamese Graphic Designer
Poets ponder flowers, aristocrats paint ceremonial masks, and courtesans gather lotus flowers in wooden boats, all while fragile threads of steam uncoil from ceramic pots of tea.
Khôi Phạm in Music & Arts
Year in Review: Saigoneer's 20 Picks for Best Vietnamese Music of 2020
Despite the uncertainties and upheavals of 2020, Vietnamese artists have continued to produce excellent music that defies genres, merges past influences, and exceeds expectations.
Government Lifts Ban on Lip-Syncing in Live Music Performances
A new decree removes the ban on singers using pre-recorded audio tracks during live performances.
