Cambodian-American singer-songwriter Laura Mam shares her soulful sound with NPR's Tell Me More. (Ryan Coquilla)May 19, 2010
National Public Radio (USA)
You would not tell from her sweet-as-honey voice and gentle lyrics that Laura Mam's family history has been one of pain and struggle.
Her parents managed to escape the brutal regime of Cambodia's Khmer Rouge, but many of their family members were less fortunate. Mam's father lost both of his parents and four of his five brothers. Throughout Mam's life, he refused to talk about the painful memories. Yet, despite the silence she was able to learn bits and pieces about her family's past from a book written by Mormon relief workers who helped Mam's family get to the United States.
"There are a lot of broken chains that people...they don't want to necessarily talk about because it was very painful. I've been very lucky to know just a little bit of history because most Cambodian kids don't know much about their parents at all," Mam explains.
But in addition to the millions of lives, the viciousness of the regime also did not spare the cultural life of the country.
"Cambodian music after the war — the Khmer Rouge, was so intent on destroying everything that existed beforehand; they got rid off everything. They got rid of all the artists, all the intellectuals and they did not want this to be known," says Mam.
Now, the recent UC Berkley graduate, together with her band, The Like Me's, have made it their mission to revive the long lost, thriving Cambodian music scene of the 1960s.
"It inspires me to want to hold onto something and to know who I am because it feels like everything has been forgotten and left in shadow," Mam says. "And I'd like for our generation to bring that back to light because often times we grow up not knowing much about ourselves at all."
As a tribute to Pan Ron, one of Cambodia's first female singer-songwriters who perished during the regime, Mam and her band did a cover of her famous song — "Sva Rom Monkiss."
Mam and The Like Me's have only been able to record a few songs with the help of friends and family in garage studios. However, their powerful music and message of hope has turned them into an inspiration for the Cambodian community all over the United States.
"I really want to kind of show Cambodians that we have so much that we have forgotten and if we were just to remember it through music then we could have a good time while also becoming self-conscious in a way," Mam says.
Her parents managed to escape the brutal regime of Cambodia's Khmer Rouge, but many of their family members were less fortunate. Mam's father lost both of his parents and four of his five brothers. Throughout Mam's life, he refused to talk about the painful memories. Yet, despite the silence she was able to learn bits and pieces about her family's past from a book written by Mormon relief workers who helped Mam's family get to the United States.
"There are a lot of broken chains that people...they don't want to necessarily talk about because it was very painful. I've been very lucky to know just a little bit of history because most Cambodian kids don't know much about their parents at all," Mam explains.
But in addition to the millions of lives, the viciousness of the regime also did not spare the cultural life of the country.
"Cambodian music after the war — the Khmer Rouge, was so intent on destroying everything that existed beforehand; they got rid off everything. They got rid of all the artists, all the intellectuals and they did not want this to be known," says Mam.
Now, the recent UC Berkley graduate, together with her band, The Like Me's, have made it their mission to revive the long lost, thriving Cambodian music scene of the 1960s.
"It inspires me to want to hold onto something and to know who I am because it feels like everything has been forgotten and left in shadow," Mam says. "And I'd like for our generation to bring that back to light because often times we grow up not knowing much about ourselves at all."
As a tribute to Pan Ron, one of Cambodia's first female singer-songwriters who perished during the regime, Mam and her band did a cover of her famous song — "Sva Rom Monkiss."
Mam and The Like Me's have only been able to record a few songs with the help of friends and family in garage studios. However, their powerful music and message of hope has turned them into an inspiration for the Cambodian community all over the United States.
"I really want to kind of show Cambodians that we have so much that we have forgotten and if we were just to remember it through music then we could have a good time while also becoming self-conscious in a way," Mam says.
64 comments:
I hope she doesn't has Vietnamese boyfriends or Husbands.
It doesn `t matter,she has vietnamese boyfriend or vietnamese husband!,as long as she know how to speak and sing CAMBODIAN very well!.Don`t be so racism you`re weird shit!!!!.Congratulation LAURA MAM,you have your own talent.Don`t worry about some dummy shit say something!.You are the next CAMBODIAN generation,i love the way you sing,playing guitar and the most importance things you `re beautiful and wonderful.Love you from CANADA,MONTREAL,QUEBEC.GOD AND GODBUDHHA ALWAYS BLESS YOU AND FAMILY.
Damn I hate vietnamese accented youns trying to speak english. youn lovers remind me of hun sen.
I don't like people who sell out their own race/nationality and try to be another race. they're all messed up in the head.
You didn't write your own song,Monkey dance song thing they were from 50-years ago.Oh...God!
YOU PEOPLES,ALWAYS PAINT IN YOUR HEADS,WHY DON`T YOU FLASH IT OUT IN YOUR FRONT YARD TOILETTES STINCKY SHITS!.RACISM SCUM PEOPLES NEVER EVER PROGRESSIVE OR DEVELOPING ANYTHING!.IF YOU SEE BEAUTIFUL GIRLS OR WOMEN AND A GOOD LOOKING GUY OR HANDSOME MEN,YOU PEOPLES ALWAYS SAY THEY ARE CHINESE OR VIETNAMESE!!!!.YOU ARE FUCKING BLIND MAN!!!.A LOT OF BEAUTIFUL CAMBODIAN WOMEN AND HANDSOME CAMBODIAN MEN AROUND THE GLOBE,PRICK!!!!!.WATCH OUT RACISM BOYS!!!!,WAKE UP AND SMELL COFFEE,YO..YO..!!!.
you are only true khmer if that is your immediate race and if you follow its tradition before any others such as youn, chinese, american etc. If you are pure Khmer you would know it, feel confident about it, and wouldn't have to dye your skin or get a tan like the brain washed sell outs.
Thanks Laura you make khmer people proud and got into National markets love your VDO better than the shitty VDO made in Cambodia with the shitty productions I dump them thousand in the trashes because they worth of shit but yours it worth like diamond which always sparkling shine with the clarities and meaningful you did for khmer you are khmerspreseving our rich cultures keep up and thanks.
aye thats my girlfriend....I LOVE YOU BABE.......fuck all the haters....=)
They say the blacker the berry, the sweeter the juice; I say darker the flesh and the deeper the roots.
-PAC MAN
AH!4:39AM,Don`t you leave her alone!eh..eh!.You think you better than her??,why don`t you show up your ass inside your own YOUTUBE!,let me see how good you are!!!??.50 years ago,it meant she remind all CAMBODIAN peoples to remember their own identities and everything!,you got it rotten brain!!!.I think you are not CAMBODIAN peoples!!!!.you sound so jealous and lowest class!!.AH PREASS PARA MOOK!!!!!.
She sounds too white. even the ladies in the video try to sound white. face it you betrayed your country okay. have a seat and write your own songs and concepts.
This girl looks like ah yuon.
I bet you they pluck her from one of those yuon whore houses in Phnom Penh.
"It doesn`t matter if she has a vietnamese boyfriend or vietnamese husband"
It does if you are a true Khmer.
You are speaking like a true yuon lover.
Maybe your mama was fucked by a yuon bodoi during the occupation.
Good Works Laura !
We're so proud of you,congratulations !
From Pou & Ming
Sydney,Down Under
she sangs and sound like a 5 years old. Even my little daughter can sound clearer than Laura Mann.
to 5:10 AM, what the heck you mean you dumped thousand of VDO in the trash because they are shitty?? and You keep only Laura Mann, Do Laura Maan produced any CD or DVD? I aren't see shit yet. only cheesy youtube video and sound like a 5 years old. I know why you like here, because you speak like a 5 years old like her too. LOL. Who gonna buy her Video if they do come out? not the Khmer people? but people like you will?? LOL Laughing my ass off.
4:31 AM
Maybe 4:31 AM used to pass the tongue over vietnamese ass!
Cambodia has people like 4:31 AM, that's why Cambodia has fallen as nowaday! yuon servant!
She could not be even 1/100 of Meng Pich Chanda. why so excited?
I'd rather listen to real khmer, but not vietnamese accented shit!
6:40am, let me add to your statement: Those that lives in Canada, most of them are Kampuchia Krom/ Half Youn and Half Khmer away. They like the way Laura sings because that's how Kampucha Krom sound like don't you notice that?? LOL. Doo Maa Di Doi dum dong!
Eh mee luk trakoun6:15AM this clips is the modern and international standard you got my point? Keep your six years old training her to be one of karaoke girl when she grow up and keep this pro ducting people alone ,you prove to everyone here that you are dumb ass and jealousy people comparing the precious diamond to your low class pieces broken glasses home made sound track you made me laugh and beyond believe .Come on post your shitty daughter on the youtube and start to brag is your daughter get better vote than LAURA? I am not Laura fan,neighbor or relatives but I am the quality person I love talent quality and real person like LAURA you got it?
GO LAURA YOU HAVE EVERYTHING talent and gifts! .
Hand off mee louk trakoun!
6:52 you like to listen to khmer kanhjeasyoun? You like what you get, keep off Laura deal she is international this clip for the high class and whole wold wide not for puk louk kachhette and trakoun like you be fashion and do not dumb.
International clip my ass. anyone can put their shit on youtube sucker! and get to be view by millions. Laura sound like Kampuchia Krom. Making the true spirit of Khmer look so stupid. Anybody can do that!!
7:27am mee meh prahok sott okay
Hun Sen mentality not supporting khmer krom,I said fuck off her name start from khmer and finish with krom that what your fuckin assumption? Look at her whole family mee youn slave and worse than khmer krom.
Wow, I can't believe you all made a disrespecting comments toward this young girl.
Instead of encourage her, you're all are putting her down!
Wow, no wonder Cambodian/Khmer has no place to go in this world. No wonder we don't have intelligent people.
Please don't do that!
I really proud of her and admire her that she has the guts to stand up for Khmer.
Laura, you're doing the best. Please keep up the good work girl.
From me,
Charlie
Lowell, MA
Laura Mam has insulted the spirit of truth Khmer Classic songs. She turned this stupid Monkey songs to some bullshit with the stupid gangsters dannce with gangter feet and hand gesture that has no true value in that song. What have Khmer become. 1st Khmer killing Khmer. Then Youn took over Khmer land and Now Khmer-American has destroy Khmer Music culture???? I"m SAD!! what else is left for Khmer.
3:56, 4:34, 4:37, 5:08, 5:20, 5:42, 5:47, 6:40, 6:52, 7:42, 8:48
These are the people that preventing Cambodia from moving forward. They all feel insecure inside themseleve and jealous for seeing other succeed. There are no places for racist & ignorant people like you all on this earth. We should be supporting each others, that the Khmer way. I hope you all stop being so racist. I am proud of you Laura Mam.
KonKhmer
to all common on laura who are saying bad about her i think you all jealous and you all stupid:
first she told your about her history she is born in USA so her sound might not like combodia 100% or 99% once she work on it she will be fine with khmer voice. she is not yourn. kumpuchea krom also khmer because khmer like you, that is how khmer hate khmer like now a day.
second i think her sound very good and much much better than all of those singer in srok khmer i never listen to all new khmer singer song at all because their sound so teriblle. Laura is much much better than them 50 times once she pracing khmer more and learn how to sing word by word i think she will be a suppurp singer.
to who divided clase between khmer and khmer i think your great great parent also from see prohok, and trokoun also, because at the first to 18 century even the khmer king they all eat prohok, prohok represent for khmer if you are not eat prohok you arn't khmer.
third to those who try to put Laura down you are very dump than her 100% even you 5 years old kids look at her she have it all. she is pretty, finished her college education, she got herself a job and she is tallen with music, how a bout your 5 year old kid? what did she do have she stop peeing on her bad yet? so please stop to comparing. if you comparing i think you are getting lower and lower so please chose your words before spile it out from your mouth.
come on it's the truth. it is disturbing to hear a white washed Cambodian girl trying to speak or sing in Khmer!! and these are the kind of white washed girls who are ignorant towards FOBs immigrants from Cambodia. stop trying to dress like white trash punks beating the bucket drims on broadway.
sometime i fell like we should racist because a lot of dump and ignorant also low class khmer people in srok khmer also here in United States who are have a light skin and who are own small business, eventhought their skin are dark when they talk they alway said they have chines blood in them that is why they smart. to me i give them a shit, i view them as because they are dump, ignorant, live in will, low class people they know nothing about themself or because they such an idiot and them that is how they try to present themself as chiness or have blood of chiness and viet.
Laura Prahok, Laura Mam, Laura Pa-ork. It all smells bad, yet it taste good but will kill your vocals before singing.
The bleaching of the skin in Cambodia is bun rany and her youn women associate's campaign to manipulate and make true khmer feel uncomfortable for being dark. Most of that product comes from vietnam. They are the one's whom really are really inconfident and are descendents of the youns.
eh!10:12 AM, don't white trash bought up their music into the worlds? see how many country that did not steal the music from the white trash? including you dead brain cell still admire them. see how many country do not dress up like white trash when they get themself on stage? did you blind. at lease she does not wearing her jean to show her ass off like me srey trash srok khmer they show her ass off and ride the motobicyle,some guy put their cigarette in to their ass latter on these trash girld in srok khmer get an accident and die because you dead brain cell like you can't bring any musick in to the world and not up to date. come on now is the computer time. so people need to have fund. not stay home and waitting to die.
khmer words say: sor la or pi chomngay, sondeakbay la or jeat, kamoa ngor ngit la or pel yob.
10:40am go back to vietnam!!
It's time to influence other nations with true Khmer trends instead of mimmicking others.
For all of those criticizing her Laura Mam Khmer accent. Let me tell you this it is not easy to raise your kids to speak Khmer outside Cambodia. I think she is doing a good job speaking Khmer, it is alright to have accent. So stop being so negative.
10:40AM your skin might be white but I cannot see your sleepy eyes from far away!
All I can say is that my 5 years old girl can sing way way better and sound better than that. who ever like or listen to Laura Man, you're just a bunch of idiots you have not tast in music at all mother fuckers!
Only dumb, gullible, abnoxious yuppies who don't know real music would like this kind of music.
I'm not too amused nor enthusiastic about this dumb abnoxious broad who's asking for her monkey to get spanked!
12:07 PM now that's funny. I like that comment LOL. she need to be spanked and poke!!
To 12:02PM, 12:03PM, 12:07PM
You used to be her best friend and now not anymore? ahahhahhahha
Remember…. hate will not help you make money and it is the music that will help you make money. Why can you be like Laura Mam and make some music! ahahhahhahaha
Show me the money then I believe you!
12:19PM, Thx. and I'll be the one to stab that monkey lovely!
12:07PM, Thx. -I'll do the honors of stabbing her monkey lovely!
i have nothing against Laura Man, but when she sings in Khmer she sound retarded. Now I believe if you can speak or sing do it the right way. but if you know it don't sound good. don't do it.
like i said I like Laura Mam. but her voice in Khmer is not for me. Sound kinda retarded and youn trying to talk Khmer.
12:32PM Exactly
Laura Man-Looks Like Me Swa Rom Monkiss?
10:47AM, okay I am going now. How far should I go to, saigon? or Hanoi? or all the way back to China? hahahhah
1:09PM only true patriotic Khmer would join the Khmer army and contstantly. Only true pure Khmer are constantly aware and concerned about the border with youn and thai.
wow so many haters!
if your 5 yr old daughter can sing better please do a recording and put her on yutube and share with the rest of us.
Leave this poor Mam singer alone.
All you haters accuse anyone with lighter skin complexion as Yuon. You must be ignorant decendents of Khmer Rouges.
FYI - not all Khmer have dark skin.
3:18PM That's because some in your family tree slept with a youn!!
So, 4:26PM! What do you think about people in America? They have all kind of colors.
I'm Cambodia and I'm American. Haha, what are you going to say?
USA,
Yeah, stupid!
Put your 5 years old on youtube if she/he can sing.
Damn clown can only insult and disrespect!!
She could not be even 1/100 of Meng Pich Chanda. why so excited?
I'd rather listen to real khmer, but not vietnamese accented shit!
fuck all of your common on laura, all khmer woman start with the light skin look at the history in Angkor museum. the dark skin khmer when those original khmer white skin woman mariage with dark skin india man that is how we have to mix skin. not all khmer have a dark skin.the original khmer is white skin women. dark came from man side of india people. original khmer are women with white skin damp ass.
oh me damp meng pichenda, her sound stupid, every song she sang always go to the khmer surin sound.
Regardless of what color that individual is if they love and proud of your nationality, you should be proud. That's count!
I like her at least she admire some former of Khmer artists.
Keep up the good job Laura and disregard that negative comments from those low life and ignorant. No wonder Khmer doesn't have any good intellectuals.
Khmer PP,
11:07Pm! and you are intellectuals shit?????to Khmer present by those shit heads or your kind???????
Yeah, Laura Man's monkey definitely get spanked overnight!
3:56, 4:34, 4:37, 5:08, 5:20, 5:42, 5:47, 6:40, 6:52, 7:42, 8:48
The above are the same (single) poster. One imbecile pretend to be another.
We classified the above person as..bipolar and or schizophrenia.
Khmer, WA
2:17AM, tell Laura Mambo that I'll do the honors of spanking her monkey and leave her with a delicious creampie dessert!!
if you like nasally and "manhek maouiy" sound, buy the "lmob luy" meng chenda's cds, if you appreciate a young cambodian girl who was born and has been raised as an american kid but tried to have connection with her root, then support laura mam. plus she went to Cal Berkeley...go Bears!!!
i would not call copycat karaoke artist "original" in any way. i wonder how meng pichchenda sings in enlish? can these harsh critics tell?
How the hell is this dumb abnoxious broad laura man gonna even be a role model if she's singing a song about smoking weed(marijuana) and having someone blowing cigarette smoke in the backround? Is this her way of promoting drug use to our next Khmer generations? I don't know why there's all these comments condoning this "butthead" and "pothead culture".
PEOPLE, PLEASE STOP TALKING ABOUT LAURA MAM, OK!... I KNOW SHE IS SUCKY SUCKY LONG TIME. SO FINAL VERDICT IS THAT SHE IS SUCK AND THAT SHOULD BE FINAL. NOW GO LAY DOWN!
THERE WON'T BE ANY CD OR RECORD RELEASE ALRIGHT!!!
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