Singer Da Huong: A tragic life with no escape, sending all emotions into each song

Da Huong was a golden singer before 1975. Although not as famous as her contemporaries, her singing still left a very special impression on those who enjoyed it, even just once. .

Da Huong's real name is Nguyen Thi Ven, born on November 4, 1951 in Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City). She grew up in a family of 8 siblings and is the 5th child. As a child, the singer studied at Santa Anna Catholic school in Vinh Hoi family, then transferred to study at Nguyen Van Khue school (later changed to Bo De school's name).

Because she is the eldest sister in the family, Da Huong has to take care of the housework to help her mother, perhaps because of that, her education is inferior to everyone else's. However, the Saigon-born singer has shown his artistic talent with a very special voice.

Since childhood, Da Huong has had art in her blood. Whenever she and her friends in the neighborhood carry water, she sings while walking. When growing up, next door to the singer's house, there was an acquaintance who was a close friend of Duy Ngoc - a very famous show host at that time.

One day, around 1968-1969, Duy Ngoc went to his house to play with this friend. He heard the sound of Da Huong singing from the other side of the window, so the show manager insisted on asking his friend to arrange an appointment to ask for permission. The family allowed her to invite her to sing at Quoc Thanh theater - a place he held regularly every week.

At first, Da Huong's biological mother refused because at that time society still had prejudices about the phrase "singing without species" (especially her family being Catholic), but because later she knew her child was too passionate. With singing, she had to accept.

While limping to sing at the Quoc Thanh theater, Da Huong later recalled that her voice was similar to Hoang Oanh's, so she gave herself the singing name Hoang Anh. After singing for a few weeks and gaining popularity, the female singer was invited to work at the Quang Trung Arts Department, Capital Area Special (Chinh Huan Department) on Le Van Duyet Street (Saigon).

At first, Da Huong only sang backup at Quoc Thanh theater between famous singers' performances. The female singer felt that her voice was similar to Hoang Oanh, so she gave herself the stage name Hoang Anh. After a few weeks of singing here, she began to be known by many people and was invited to sing at the Quang Trung Arts Department, Capital Region (Chinh Huan Department).

In 1970, it can be said that this was the starting year for Da Huong when she was invited to sing by 3-4 tea rooms and dance halls in Saigon, including Travaco, Pink Night, Mini Club, Olympia,... Also in the year Hey, the female singer has an unforgettable memory.

Accordingly, during a concert at the Quoc Thanh theater, that day many musicians attended and sat below, after listening to Da Huong finish singing the song "For Your Heart" by Phan Tran (common stage name). by two musicians Mac The Nhan and Nhat Ngan), musician Le Van Thien wanted to accept the female singer as a student, from then on her singing path began to develop and at the end of the year she was invited to sing at the Queen tea room. Bee with the group Shotguns Ngoc Chanh (but still named Hoang Anh without changing).

In 1971, Ngoc Chanh chose to sing Da Huong to participate in his band Shotguns, along with the most famous stars in Saigon at that time such as: Thai Thanh, Khanh Ly, Le Thu, Elvis Phuong,... and from then on she changed her stage name. By mid-year, the female singer's name began to appear in a number of newspapers in the area.

Also during this time, singer Da Huong experienced a sad love affair. Although not many people know about this love affair, but through information in an old article by journalist Xuan Vu, it can be guessed that her lover unfortunately passed away.

Specifically, a passage that journalist Xuan Vu wrote: "Da Huong sings as if her own heart is sobbing and cherishing, unfinished love affairs, quickly forgotten dates, missed dreams, encounters... It's too late. Da Huong seems to be immersed in a pool with no way out, increasingly lost, traces of her old love are still there, not forgotten, the scent is still in the space she breathes, but her lover Far away, lost forever, a barrier has sealed her soul."

After 1975, although no longer officially engaged in artistic activities, Da Huong still occasionally sang with Duy Khanh, Nhat Truong, Anh Khoa... in small provinces far from Saigon. In 1977 and 1978, the female singer agreed to sing for Chien Thang Fishing State-owned Enterprise with Bao Yen, Dinh Van,... but because of her treatment and salary, she suddenly didn't get anywhere, so she quit her job.

After stopping her artistic activities, Da Huong accepted the invitation to help Mai (Phuong Hong Que's close friend) at the water shop. This shop is located on Nguyen Tieu La street opposite Cong Hoa football field. In the afternoon, many players gather in and out, so Ms. Mai also needs the singer's help. Around the end of the year, the owner of the restaurant crossed the border, the restaurant closed, she returned home again and lost her daily job.

From then on, Da Huong went to sing at church and spent the rest of her time doing any number of extra jobs including washing dishes, helping at the restaurant, making cakes, peeling onions and garlic to make money to make ends meet. During 16 years of suffering (1975-1991), the female singer discovered that she had menorrhagia, so she went to Tu Du hospital for examination and was diagnosed by a doctor that she needed a hysterectomy. This is the most painful thing for a woman and more painful is that after a hysterectomy, the doctor discovers the cancer layer.

Da Huong's cancer lasted until 2008, then metastasized to her liver. The last time of her life was probably her most painful days. Although the singer's relatives devotedly took care of her, on November 14, 2009, she breathed her last in the pain of illness and the family's financial situation.