The leading Vietnamese singer of the late 20th century, Ai Van, returned to HCM City from the US on Friday to announce the release of her 300-page autobiography.     

The 62-year-old artist, who left her home country 30 years ago, cried when describing the reason why she had to leave Vietnam.

She said that her father had encouraged her to write the 8,808-word book Để gió cuốn đi.

"Finally, I have completed a very hard job. It is writing a book. This is an opportunity for me to tell everyone about my life story. My story is also a story for people of my generation and friends,” she said.

With the aspiration to write a book about her story and career, the plan was realised in 2010 with journalist Dinh Thu Hien.

In 2013, the book was named Hồi ức một đóa hồng (Memory of a Rose). She decided to terminate the project since she does not want to recall the sad memories.

Later, she was sleepless with past memories. She decided to resume the project as a remedy for her disease.

“It’s ideal for me to say nothing and bring all to the grave. The book is the last debt I have to pay in life,” Ai Van said.

The book published by Tri Viet Book Company has 17 chapters.

Ai Van, who is the elder sister of singer Ai Xuan, who is popular in Vietnam, won Grand Prix at Dresden International Music Festival in Germany in 1981 with Bài ca xây dựng.

She was born to an artist family. Her mother is artist Ai Lien. Her father is Ha Quang Dinh, owner of Vietfilm, the first private film company in Vietnam.

She once worked for Voice of Vietnam.  

In April 1975, when she was a second-year student at Hanoi Conservatory, she was invited to be a broadcaster at television studio in Saigon. She came to Saigon on April 29 in 1975.

Besides working as a singer, Ai Van was an actress in Chị Nhung, Chú rể đi đâu, Bản danh sách mật.

VNS