Born on January 16, 1987, singer Pham Quynh Anh was a student at the Saint Stanislas School in Mons of Belgium, where the family has lived for a number of years. She finished her secondary studies in June 2005, and though bright enough to attend university, she decided to pursue a music career instead of becoming a doctor like her father.

Beginning at a young age, Quynh Anh received lessons in musical notation and lyrical singing at the Academy of Mons, as well as guitar lessons. In addition, she went out of her way to participate in many different types of cultural performances in her small city of Mons. Her parents noticed very early her aptitude for music and with her family, she took part in the charity Espoir (Hope), which organised performances of folk tales to raise awareness of cultural issues and humanitarian needs.

"Someday I will go there, one day, I’ll say hello to your soul. Someday I will go there (to) say hello to you, Viet Nam." For many people first hearing this song, it is difficult to keep emotions under wraps. The sweet voice of the Vietnamese-Belgian singer and the heart-felt lyrics have attracted a lot of attention, attention other Vietnamese singers would die for. All this and the song has not yet even been officially launched. "Bonjour Viet Nam" by Marc Lavoine, a famous French composer and singer, has been making waves in Vietnamese communities all over the world since it was posted on the Internet in January. The song likely owes a lot of its success to Pham Quynh Anh, the singer, a young Belgian woman who knows Viet Nam only through her parents’ stories.

 
 
 

Paroles: 

Raconte-moi ce mot étrange et difficile à prononcer
Que je porte depuis que je suis née.

Raconte-moi le vieil empire et le trait de mes yeux bridés,
Qui disent mieux que moi ce que tu n’oses dire.

Je ne sais de toi que des images de la guerre,
Un film de Coppola et des hélicoptères en colère.

Un jour, j’irai là-bas, un jour dire bonjour à ton âme
Un jour, j’irai là-bas te dire bonjour, Vietnam.

Raconte-moi ma couleur, mes cheveux, et mes petits pieds,
Qui me portent depuis que je suis née.

Raconte-moi ta maison, ta rue, raconte-moi cet inconnu,
Les marchés flottants et les sampans de bois.

Je ne connais de mon pays que des photos de la guerre,
Un film de Coppola et des hélicoptères en colère.

Un jour, j’irai là-bas, un jour dire bonjour à mon âme.
Un jour, j’irai là-bas te dire bonjour, Vietnam.

Les temples et les Bouddhas de pierre pour mes pères,
Les femmes courbées dans les rizières pour mes mères,

Dans la prière, dans la lumière, revoir mes frères,
Toucher mon âme, mes racines, ma terre.

Un jour, j’irai là-bas, un jour dire bonjour à mon âme.
Un jour, j’irai là-bas te dire bonjour, Vietnam.
Te dire bonjour, Viêt-Nam.

 

 English translation:

Please tell me about this difficult name hard to pronounce
That i carry since i was born
Please tell me about this old empire and trait of my wrinkle eyes
That tell me better the things that you dare to say
I only know the images of war
Like in (Apocalypse Now) film of Copola of angry helicopter

One day I'll go there
One day to say 'hello' to my soul
One day I'll go there
To say "hello" to you Vietnam

Tell me about my skin, my eyes and my tiny feet
That carry me since my birth
Tell me about your home your road
Tell me what you know
About the floating market and the floating

I only know my country thru the photos of war
Like in (Apocalypse Now) film of Copola of angry helicopter

One day I'll go there
One day to say 'hello' to my soul
One day I'll go there
To say "hello" to you Vietnam

The falling buddhas of stones where my fathers
The women bending in the paddies like mothers
In the lights where I see my brothers
I want to touch my roots my lands

One day I'll go there
One day to say 'hello' to my soul
One day I'll go there
To say "hello" to you Vietnam