Vietnamese New Wave documentary movie
Vietnamese new wave documentary movie
Question from Wendy Nguyen
Good morning Shere, I’m also Vietnamese. I’m writing you because I have a popular friend who is a Vietnamese singer from the 80s. And early this year she was approached to do a New Wave movie documentary along with a few other Vietnamese new wave singers, although you are not listed. My Friend said, there are rumors that you rejected their invitation to join them. Can you please explain why?
Answer one. Hello Wendy. Yes! You are right! I rejected their invitation for two reasons.
Number one: I understood the Diaspora of Vietnamese in America and how the new wave became their salvation in the 80s. Instead, the filmmaker inadvertently is promoting more segregation between the Americans and Vietnamese. And I’m totally against that. And even though I took part in singing the same covered songs back in the early 80s. I was the only one who represented the Vietnamese to the Americans with my original new wave sound and no one else. Therefore, to be a part of this project would fall in the category of segregation, and I refused to continue to enable that behavior, so that’s one reason why I turned them down.
Number two:
Initially, the filmmaker wanted to gather all the Vietnamese singers who performed new wave songs in the 80s. So, even if you sang only one song, you were accepted in her new wave film. But, even more, disturbing was the fact that all the singers were going to be supporting their featured singer, Lynda Tran Dai. And, I strongly disagree with that issue, because Lynda was never known as a New Wave performer in the early 80s. All the Vietnamese knew her as a Madonna want to be, not new wave. I understand the filmmaker needs Lynda regardless of the truth, because Lynda is the most popular performer in the Vietnamese Community, and the filmmaker needs Lynda to draw attention to her movie documentary. And that is the second reason why I turned them down. In closing, I will continue to represent the Vietnamese to the Americans with my new-wave original music, until the day I die, because, none of my people have the balls to do so. BTW! I am proud to be an American because they helped my country in war, and they opened their doors to help us. And I am also proud to be Vietnamese and I love my culture. So for those haters out there who disagree with me. All I can say is...where is your gratitude?
