"I was born in to a musical environment. All my family members were heavily involved with music from my aunts and uncles to my 90-year-old grandfather. I vividly remember seeing my aunt, who was well-known in the Vietnamese community in the US, perform on TV. She was sitting on a chair that was hanging from the ceiling with her fishnets on and she gave her all to the performance. That was when I felt the first spark of passion and I told myself "that's what I want to do". I consider my aunt one of the biggest influences in terms of becoming a singer and performer."
"When I was 4 years old our entire family was living at the backstage of a theater before we moved to Finland. I took part in singing competitions from a very young age and applied for the music lines in schools. My entire life revolved around music."
"I loved singing to Lady Gaga and Christina Aguilera songs as a teenager but once I hit puberty and my voice changed I thought I would completely give up singing. As I had always been a creative person I found other sources to creatively express myself instead. However, as I was afraid of how people would see me I never would have done the type of projects I have taken part in recently as an adult."
"It is a shame that back then there was not as much information available as nowadays because I did not know how important it is to keep up practicing singing through puberty in order to maintain your vocal range. As I had thought about giving up singing back then it backfired by having to work harder in order to get the range I used to have back which has also affected my identity as a singer."
"I am going through a creative block right now but what has changed is that I am much more gracious towards myself and more calm about everything. Singing and music will never disappear from my life but right now I want to focus more on other things. I am exploring my identity as a whole which is also affecting my self-image as an artist. While I have been figuring that out I have not been looking to take part in different kinds of activities. I am not forcing myself to make music and perform as I do not want to take the joy out of it. I have faith that I will get my groove back eventually as singing and music are my superpowers."
"A highlight of my artist career has been performing in the musical Titanic. I had always dreamed of having a part in a Broadway musical, even though this one was done in Järvenpää. My friends tipped me about the casting. Recently before that I had been in the casting event of the musical Grease and I fell in love with the process. As I was practising the songs and choreographies, and performing them to the casting team I had a strong feeling of something great coming. I was casted to the Titanic musical in a role that had challenging singing parts but the producers and directors were pushing me and had faith that I was the perfect person for the role."
"The musical was performed right after the worst wave of Covid-19. People had been staying home for the past couple of years, and now we finally had the opportunity to experience something together as an audience and performers which felt very empowering. I love making a connection with the audience - it is what I live for. When I perform all I wish is that others will feel inspired and take something from it."
"I might be my worst critic but at the same time I also am my biggest source of power. I stand behind everything I do and support myself through everything - good and bad - and celebrate all my wins. But I would not have such a strong faith in myself without my friends, family and idols. My mother has been there for me all my life, and my friends have given me strength. I closely follow my idols' lives, processes and art. Especially Lady Gaga's who was the catapult of my own artistic and personal expression. Their stories inspire me to do what I love to do."
