Date of birth: September 14, 1987
“Aok Sokunkanha is a singer, but a singer is not Aok Sokunkanha because Aok Sokunkanha can do more than a singer does” is a statement raised firstly by one of her biggest fans and then used by others. Why does such statement come to existence? The answer is simply because there are various adjectives needed to describe her. Being smart, flexible, initiative, hard-working, honest, persevered , talented, generous, reasonable, optimistic, strong, young, pretty, lovely, friendly, self-developed, and a lot more are all about Aok Sokunkanha. A common question often appears asking why this girl is that talented and the answer should be because of her merit and being born in a family which is deep-rooted in art.
Aok Sokunanha, a first-line singer in Hang Meas production, was born in Chamka Mon commune in Phnom Penh city on September 14, 1986 (1987 based on other sources) in Phnom Penh. She is the eldest child in the family among another sister and youngest brother. Aok Sokunkanha is a Fine Art University graduate, her major is Khmer Traditional Dance. Her father whose name is Aok Bony, now lives in Australia, is a musician and her mother, In Sokun is now divorced still lives with her and her sister in Phnom Penh and is a female choreographer and teacher at the Royal Fine Art School. Her family used to be in poor condition, but better from day-to-day because of her best effort and career advancement. Part of the introduction for the interview with Yuk Chinda for CTN Channel 21, Aok Sokunkanha performed a beautiful solo Robam Chuen Por (Blessing Dance). Aok Sokunkanha now lives with her mother and her siblings in Phnom Penh, managing her beauty salon with her mother when she is free.
Aok Sokunkanha started her career since 1998, and she started to be the most famous female singer of Cambodia in 2010 until now. Young, talented, bright, hard working, pretty, gentle, well-educated – not to mention her ability to rock and roll, Aok Sokunkanha (Kanha) is all that! Then, you may wonder why this little girl is so right on track with what she is doing at a very young age and what made what she is today. In short, it is her determination and hard working. Of course she was born in a family deep-rooted in music but she is the one who made what she is today herself. Aok Sokunkanha started her career exploration in entertaining people since she was about 10 years old. While some girls still play dirt in Cambodia at her age, Aok Sokunkanha would go with her father who was a musician and sang along. She took any opportunity she could to show off her God-given talent on stage and not let go the microphone until she is now a professional singer. When it comes to her career path, it is very interesting to know that Aok Sokunkanha always likes music since she was young. Initially, her father didn’t know that she had the talent and he was surprised when he heard her singing behind the wall when he was teaching his students to sing. Then, he always took her with him when he and his music band performed. Sokunkanha’s father also wrote Rock music and song, so he wrote songs for her to sing. One day, when the singer of the band was absent, Aok Sokunkanha ruled the stage! In the documentary video clip, Aok Sokunkanha was just a little girl – 10 years old but she rocked the stage like a star. Her mother also liked to sing. Beside within with her father, sokunkanha and her mother always went to Ear Vathana’s house to sing Karaoke. Knowing there was a great potential for marketing opportunity, Ear Vathana who was later the producer of Reaksmey Stung Songke (RSK) production decided to create CD albums for her together with Kum Buna Deth, Yourk Thit Ratha, Sem Sang Vath and Bou Vichet in 1998. The name of the production at the time was EV Production – short for Ear Vathana – the producer’s name. Aok Sokunkanha worked for EV Production while studying Khmer Traditional Dance at Pumen Fine Art University. Sokunkanha participated in a signing contest sponsored by TVK with Yourk Thit Ratha. She did not receive any award from the contest. She said she was only 12 at the time and the age requirement was 15 and above. Later, Aok Sokunkanha participated in another singing contest called Pon Lok Dara (Emerging Stars) sponsored by TV5. Again, she did not get any award either. She said it was because she sang a Rock song written by her father while the Program required a slow song. After a few years, EV Production was disbanded. After she finished High School, she then sang for U2 Club at night and worked for Reaskmey Stung Songke (RSK) Production and going to school during day time. Aok Sokunkanha was more and more recognized for her style and unique voice by both young and middle-age generations.
A significant increase in her popularity occurred after she sang a song for a CTN movie called Snam Sne Samoth Rream (The Love of Ream Ocean). The movie was aired in the Country and overseas. Sokunkanha came to United States with Preap Sovath and You Disco early 2007. It was a great success for her in the US. More people began to know her. There was her performing in Milpitas, California. Many audiences were very impressed seeing a little girl like her rocking the stage – jumping up and down with her hair flying all over the place, captivating her audiences with style which was made many of young people had a great time.
Coming back from the US, she left U2 production due to the fact that it nearly went bankrupt and then she stepped in Sunday production in the name of a “Guest Singer”. According to the news article released by Everyday.com on June the 23, 2007, Aok Sokunkanha joined Sunday Production and worked with Mr. Rethy Dona who used to be her song composer when she was in U2. In Sunday production, she released two dance songs plus a solo album full of various kinds of singles making her fame more renowned. Leaving Sunday Production, she then became a guest singer again in Rock Center as well as Rock Production. She appeared in the first Khmer-made album by Rock Production with two songs, Motanakpheap Jiet Khmer and Besdong Rorng Krous. The last was a theme song of one Khmer movie – Besdong Rorng Krous – aired on CTN, which helped put more weight on her reputation.
In late 2007, Aok Sokunkanha decided to sign a five-year contract to be a dependent singer in Reaksmey Hangmeas production (HM) seeing she can show off all her talent there, especially when big concerts are set up. Of course, there she can do what she has always wished to though not really a hundred percent possible. Moving from one production to another does not really affect her popularity because her songs, styles, and attitude play vital roles. Being in HM, where she has produced lots of songs both traditional and modern, is all the same. Her popularity keeps going upward from day-to-day just like climbing stair. In mid July 2010, she had a chance to perform with Mr. Preap Sovath and Mr. Rethy Dona’s band once again at Australia, which was for the sake of Cambodian orphans via the Save Cambodian Children Fund Australia. First, she was not confident enough to gain support from Australian audiences, but things just contradicted to what she had thought. She was back to Cambodia with triumph. Having been at the above-mentioned entertainment productions, Aok Sokunkanha does not only have chances to present herself abroad but also throughout her home country, especially provinces via different sponsors.
Entering HM is not a chance just to show off her talent but to involve in things for the sake of the society as well. The talented singer started to know Somaly Mam Foundation and AFESHIP organization where those who are victims of human trafficking are saved and given vocational education. Often times, Aok Sokunkanha has joined activities to give hope and motivation to those people by visiting the foundation and organization, being a spokeswoman at HMFM, and attending annual social event held to fight against the illegal act. Not only does she take part alone, but she has also introduced the places and activities to HM, its stars, and others. What is more appreciable is that she has made the hook-up between HM and the organizations to have concerts so as to raise people’s awareness regarding human trafficking. By ways of all these activities, Aok Sokunkanha has been appointed a goodwill ambassador honored by the organizations at the Ministry of Women Affaires on the 7th of December 2010. Apart from this, she has also used her free time to be a guest in radios’ programs talking about HIV education among young people as well.
Aok Sokunkanha has never turned her back to her graceful fans. She has always told in advance about her activities and schedule as well as joining fans’ meetings. She did not only join, but also played, gave meaningful speech, prepared gifts, especially showed laughs and intimate attitude towards the fans. Furthermore, she has been to a pagoda with some of the fans on the third of Pchum Ben’s Days so as to share merit altogether. The act of sharing merit together did not take part at only the pagoda but also at one old couple’s house. Aok Sokunkanha and her fans brought money and other goods to the house of the couple who used to be actor and actress owing to the fact that the couple was facing hardship in their daily living. Having spent time with fans on meeting, sharing merit, taking photos at the back of stages, and a lot more, the singer came up with a quote that “Love Aok Sokunkanha, must love study” because she wants her fans to be outstanding students and have gorgeous future.
In 2007 Aok Sokunkanha, together with her mother, opened a beauty salon which her house at Phnom Penh Thmey was used as the shop. As it goes well, they both have decided to have it enlarged by adding more services related to wedding, which is known as Aok Sokunkanha’s Embellishment and Beauty Salon. As they want the shop to be more recognized and convenient for customers living in the centre of Phnom Penh city, they have came to a decision to change the shop which has more than something to do with wedding and that is Aok Sokunkanha’s Embellishment and Beauty Salon to the near Depo market.
Along with her music career and business, Aok Sokunkanha has been asked to be an advertiser of some products such as Suzuki Viva motorbike, magazines, kitchen supply, jewelry, and so on.
Aok SokunKanha told how she has struggled throughout her music career thus far till she has got enormous fame and recognition from people both in and out the country. Yearning to be an eminent singer is not a trouble-free stuff because she had crossed things just like storms, especially rumors and feeling of envy from others. However, those problems do not stop her from going on walking on the road of life as she has determined and said “Diamond is still Diamond”. When asked how she feels when she becomes a very successful and famous singer, Aok Sokunkanha responded in a delighted way that being very famous or not is not so important. What she really wants is to entertain the audience, especially dedicate her voice and performance through songs so as to accompany them when they are either happy or unhappy. As you expected, Aok Sokunkanha’s success story does not tell the whole story about her life. She does have up and down times just like we all do. Though it seems wonderful to have a life like her – making money doing what you like and be famous, Aok Sokunkanha mentioned in the interview that her freedom was held hostage by being not able to go any where she likes as a young girl. Being a celebrity or public icon like her, you are watched every step you move and have to live up to public’s views and opinions. She said in her own word that she has no happiness – “Kmean Sach Key Sok” (in Khmer). Living in a conservative society, a young girl like her can’t get away from tabloids and rumors about this and that, especially for a rising Khmer female Rock star. Her mother was almost in tears when she said about how difficult it was to deal with what people said about her daughter. Perhaps the most difficult time for her was when her father went away to live in Australia, leaving her mother, her sister and her in Cambodia.
In Sokun – Aok Sokunkanha’s Mother In spite of these rumors and issues, Aok Sokunkanha seems to handle and manage her life every well. She said when she sees her fans entertained with a smile on their face, she would forget all about her hardships and sorrows and want to do more to entertain her fans. Aok Sokunkanha cleared up the rumor about loving relationship with Rithy Dona that she had no loving relationship with him – it was just a friendship between her and Rithy Dona. In an article released by Everyday on 11/23/2004, Aok Sokunkanha had also cleared up the rumor about her plan to live in Australia because someone had proposed to her. She said though it was her father’s choice to live there, it was not her plan. She did not want to live overseas. She said someone did propose to her but she denied as she did not want to live overseas. She talked a lot about how good it was to live in Cambodia though her father and one of her aunts live in Australia. Her life in Cambodia with her mother is very fruitful and peaceful. Her beauty salon in Psar Depo in Phnom Doun Penh District seems to be doing very well.
Talking about her marriage, Aok Sokunkanha said she would wait for a few more years and she wouldn’t mind as to what her Mr. Right is as long as her parent are happy. However, she already rejected someone once before because he lived in Australia. So for those who live overseas and want to take a chance when the window of opportunity is opened, you may want to be prepared to answer the touch question if you want to go back and live with her in Cambodia. However, she may change her mind then if you are the man who can make her heart jumping up and down like her Hard Rock performance on stage. On the serious note, Angkorthom.US has a lot of respects and admirations for Aok Sokunkanha. She is an ideal Khmer girl who works every hard since she was young. She is a type of girl who knows exactly what she wants to do in life and she was able to make her dream come true for herself. She has great respects for her parents. Aok Sokunkanha has the least negative rumors so far among other Khmer female Rock stars in Khmer communities throughout the world. Angkorthom. US is more than happy to add her profile to their website. In conclusion, they would like to wish her the best of luck for her future.
Source: http://aok-sokunkanha.com/2015/youtube/
EmoticonEmoticon