Ting Phailavanh in return !
Valentine Music promoted one of their top singers at a Lao Telecom mini-concert and press conference at Taladxao Shopping Mall last Sunday. After a year out of the spotlight, pop star Ting Phailavanh returned to the stage last Sunday to perform her popular songs at the mini-concert and give a press conference.
“I hope every one can remember me, I'm very sorry I haven't had time to make any public appearances,” she told the press...more info>>
Ting said she really missed Lao music whilst absent from the scene but had spent her time studying and improving the quality of her songs and music video performances. The pop star, known for her talent and melodic voice, extended her contract with Valentine Music early last year for another three years. She has just released her second album with the label.
“My second album will show that I'm an adult much more than the first one I did,” said Ting.
She said her voice was a little different from when she was younger – she's now 20 – but she took good care of her voice and trained every morning and evening.
Popular music took a different turn in Laos in the 1990s when rock band Zapphire appeared on the scene. They were followed by Smile Black Dog, who released their first album in 1998. But rock music was still unpopular among local teenagers at the time.
The 2000s have seen many local record companies become established in Vientiane after the government provided greater opportunities for new local artists to produce modern music. Ting Phailavanh is one of the artists to have benefited from the resulting boom amongst local and foreign fans.
Her first album was in the pop-dance style, but her new release is a mixture of pop, Latin and R&B. Ting has always loved music, and started writing her own songs when she was 12 or 13. In 2003, aged 17, she released her debut album ‘Ting Virus'.
“Sometimes I can write two songs in a day if I have enough time,” Ting said.
President of Valentine Music, Mr Phoutthachanh Paphadsalang, said “Ting is one of many singers whose albums we produce. She performs very well on stage, and can also write songs, dance and play musical instruments.”
In 2006, her contract with Valentine Music expired. A rumour surfaced that she had signed up with Indee Records in order to gain experience with another recording studio, and she performed a song at a mini-concert with the label. The rumour turned out to be false – the performance was just to congratulate a friend on a new album.
“The second album will definitely be of better quality. I wrote most of the songs, and the lyrics have a lot of meaning for today's teenagers,” Ting said.
Ting has gained a lot of fans since her first album was released, and since 2003 she has been invited to perform at festivals not only in Laos , but also Vietnam , Thailand and Japan
By Souknilundon Southivongnorath
Vientianetimes
