80s music phenomenon

DivaBao YenBorn into a family with a musical tradition in Hue, she was trained and guided by her father, artist Thuy Trieu, since she was a child. In 1981, Bao Yen was invited by Ho Chi Minh City Television to collaborate in recording and filming the station's music programs.

Bao Yen is affectionately called by the audience - Queen of Bolero.

In 1982, at the age of 24, Bao Yen first appeared on the professional stage at the Hoa Binh Theater, Ho Chi Minh City in a program edited by musician Duong Thu. Sisters Nha Phuong - Bao Yen in the nightmusicThat surprised the audience with her unique performance style and voice. A series of songs such as: Thanh pho tre (Tran Tien), Ngon lua trai tim (Nguyen Ngoc Thien)... helped Bao Yen become a famous singer of the Vietnamese music scene in the 80s.

In the following years of her career, singer Bao Yen appeared everywhere from television, stage, to radio. By the age of 27, singer Bao Yen became a phenomenon, causing a stir everywhere when her album "Chieu ha vang" was released. The Bolero Queen - the name that fans gave Bao Yen from that album.

Over the years, the songs that have become Bao Yen's "trademark" include: At the two ends of nostalgia, Last Autumn Love Letter, The story of reunion and separation, Rain on Hue Street, Plumeria in her house... However, the famous female singer once confided that the song she likes the most is "Tears for you" by musician Tu Cong Phung. The melody of this song seems to express the feelings of an artist who has traveled all over the world. "Your eyes are very sad, our couple is very sad, thousands of old love stories, please send them to life..."

Stormy marriage

Successful in her career, having achieved many things, but God seemed to want to test Bao Yen's courage and patience, so he forced her to face the complexities of the stage career.

Tired of the scandals surrounding the colorful lights and the storms of marriage with a playboy husband 7 years older, Bao Yen wants to retreat to hide in the family space with her 2 children Khai Ca and Bao Chau.

Bao Yen occasionally sings and is a judge on shows that she feels are suitable.

At the age of over 30, Bao Yen decided to become a monk at home. Talking about the decision that caused regret for many people, Bao Yen once shared: “When I was young, I had many dreams, but after 9 years of working and singing, I felt frustrated with the scandals that were happening, so I chose to return to Buddhism. I think this life is like a dance hall for me to show off my talent and beauty, nothing is real!”

Later, in the program "Listen to Me Sing" broadcast in April 2019, Bao Yen surprised everyone when she revealed details about her husband's flirtatiousness. She said that her husband's lover had come to her house many times to confide in her.

“About 2-3 years after we got married, Dung’s first girlfriend came to confide in me. She said: “Oh my God, Dung made me so miserable. I thought Dung loved me, but in the end, Dung left me halfway. I was so miserable that I cried all day and all night, and in the end, I shaved my head.” Dung also admitted to me that he was a bit biased towards her, but it was because she was too demanding,” Bao Yen said.

Even more ironic was when someone offered to make Bao Yen her husband's concubine. Resolutely refusing, Bao Yen bluntly replied: "No, one is me, two is you, in one family there cannot be two wives."

According to singer Bao Yen, although Quoc Dung is a playboy, she always patiently waits for her husband to "change his mind" and return to his family because she always has a "guiding principle" as a fortune teller once said.

“A famous fortune teller in Hue told me that whoever marries me, even if he wasn’t a playboy before, will be a playboy and have an affair. So he betrayed me many times, I was very sad, but thinking back to the fortune teller’s words, I endured because that was my fate,” Bao Yen confided.

Bao Yen and her husband - musician Quoc Dung.

Enduring, Bao Yen and her child moved out to live separately but did not divorce. Every day she chanted sutras and recited Buddha's name, living a peaceful life, without the bright lights. In 2013, when musician Quoc Dung had a traffic accident and had to be hospitalized for a long time, with no one by his side, Bao Yen still tolerantly returned to take care of him day and night.

After going through a near-death experience, musician Quoc Dung had time to reflect and “repair the broken mirror” with Bao Yen. At the age of 57, musician Quoc Dung wrote the song Trai tim toi loi as if to say something to the famous female singer.

“He told me he wrote this for himself. He made many people sad, including his lover and his wife. His lover did not love him enough, his wife was not complete. At 57 years old, he wrote this as a pause, his heart froze and his emotions were locked away. He returned and devoted himself to his family,” Bao Yen confided.

According to famous singer Bao Yen, her life now consists only of prayers, without any worries or concerns. However, there is one thing she cannot let go of: music. She still sings because of invitations from acquaintances, but not because of the money or high remuneration, but because of the attraction of the stage lights and music.

For Bao Yen, everyday life is now very simple. At the age of 62, she looks forward to many joys and if any sadness suddenly comes, she calmly faces it and it is best to hide it inside.

And until today, every time Bao Yen is mentioned, the audience still remembers a unique voice with very unique tones that contain hidden feelings.