“Listen to your heart,” Thanh Bui says when asked what advice he’d give a young artist starting out. “Don’t be afraid to dream, you can do anything. And don’t be afraid to break stereotypes.”
Thanh knows all about that. In 2008, he became the first Australian of Vietnamese background to reach the Top 10 on Australian Idol.
But Idol is just one part of the Thanh Bui story. He’s already spent a lifetime in music.
Thanh found fame in Asia in the Australian group North, who released two albums – 2004’s self-titled set (on Universal) and 2006’s Straight Up (on EMI). They had three number one hits in Thailand and Indonesia, and two chart-toppers in Malaysia. North toured Asia twice, and also did the Commonwealth Games song I Am Strong.
Thanh and his North band mate Alfred Tuohey formed the production company Yin Yang Productions. They have been working with Dean Geyer and Paulini, written songs for chart-topping albums in Japan and Korea – and Thanh recently received his first gold album from Germany after working with teen sensation Jimi Blue.
Meanwhile, Thanh’s song License To Thrill has been picked up by American MTV series The Real World.
Thanh also runs a successful talent school in Melbourne, the International Artist Academy, which has more than 100 students. He says being a singing teacher “is one of the best jobs in the world”.
Thanh, 26, is now working on his debut solo album. His self-titled EP features six original songs – Gravity, Broken, Heart Beat, Happy Birthday, I’m Forbidden, No
“The tracks all signify key moments in my life,” Thanh explains, “mainly about growing through relationships and learning to ‘feel’ emotions, which I wasn’t allowed to feel through my strict Asian upbringing. Throughout my childhood, I was taught to never show emotion, as it was a sign of weakness. At times, I have been so robotic and cold towards the different human emotions. But my relationships have taught me that it is okay to feel, whether it is sadness, pain, hurt, uncertainty …
“These songs are a reflection of me feeling all these emotions.”
Going on Idol was all part of Thanh’s desire to “live life, experience new things”.
“When you push yourself and get out of your comfort-zone, things happen.”
A highlight of his Idol journey was his version of The Winner Takes It All on the ABBA show. Marcia gave Thanh a touchdown, Kyle called the performance “stunningly wonderful”, while Dicko said: “You do this great, emotional balladeering so well, it’s your home-turf.”
Asked for his own idols, Thanh nominates Stevie Wonder – “an amazing vocalist, writer and musician” – and his mum and dad, who came to Australia after the Vietnam War. “To hear their story, when it was literally life and death, puts everything into perspective,” Thanh says.
Thanh was born in Adelaide and moved to Melbourne when he was seven. Three years later, after seeing Michael Jackson perform at the Grammy’s, he decided that music was what he wanted to do with his life. “My parents worked 100-hour weeks to give me the opportunity to do what I love doing.”
And now, after his Idol experience, it’s time for the next chapter in what has already been a fascinating musical life.
As ’80s legend Cyndi Lauper said, “Thanh needs to experience a lot of things, but he’s on his way.”
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Hi anh! I just wanted to say that you made us really proud, because we finally have a vietnamese singer in Ustralian Idol. I've never seen that before..and I hope your career will get biger and more famous in Hollywood?? We'll support you all the way.
Love your music, keep it up :)
Btw Iam so glad you have a website, cuz all this time I thought you didn't :)
HI THANH! I just want to let you know you are one of the most talented artist that exist! I'm sitting here listening to your songs, the more I listen to it, the more I'm loving it and the lyrics are just incredible! I wish you the best! and hopefully I'll get to see you perform live one day : ) take care!
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