From the Outback to the Kingdom, meet the latest cross-cultural collaboration on the musical landscape of Phnom Penh. Words by Kate Liana. The karaoke bars of Phnom Penh may seem a long way from war-torn East Timor, but while Australian singer Julien Poulson was unsuccessfully trying to record protest songs in East Timor, Srey Thy was singing in karaoke bars in Phnom Penh. Fortunately for the capital’s music lovers Julien paid heed to a friend’s advice – that the Cambodian capital was a cosmopolitan, enticing city with a lively art scene – and decided to move to the Kingdom. If he had not then the pair would never have met and there would be no Cambodian Space Project – the band that has taken the Kingdom by storm since the end of 2009.
However, it was not Srey Thy’s mellifluous voice, but Chapei singer Kung Nai who initially got Julien hooked on Cambodian music.
"I was captivated, I had never heard anything like it,” he says of the first time he heard Kung Nai's voice. “When I was told what the lyrics meant – basically he had made up a song about my turning up at his house unexpectedly – it helped me understand the humour and playfulness in Cambodian culture." Julien went on to follow Kung on a tour through Australia and New Zealand, filming the documentary Mekong Delta Blues.
It was on his third trip to Cambodia in early 2009 that he met Srey Thy.
Srey Thy had sung in local restaurants in her province since a child. Initially aspiring to be an Apsara dancer, she grew up working on the family's farm listening to her mother’s singing, as the family had no money for lessons.
"My mother would sing in school during breaks,” she says. “One of her teachers heard her and asked her to sing for the whole school – he thought her voice was amazing."
In an effort to make a living as a singer, Srey Thy moved to Phnom Penh four years ago and began working in karaoke parlours. The going was tough in the beginning, until her chance meeting with Julien last year. "My mother is so excited that I'm singing, and so happy for me," she says. "The first time she saw me perform live, she was crying."
Unlike other young singers, Srey Thy had always loved the Khmer songs from the 60s and 70s. "They feel more passionate and deep to me,” she explains. “They remind me of my life – growing up poor, working hard, taking care of my family."
Older people would often say her singing reminded them of that period. Indeed, listening to an original recording of Ros Sereysothea, you are struck by the similarities in their voices. The band performs covers of Srey Thy's favourite rock songs from the pre-war era, but with their own spin.
Since forming The Cambodian Space Project late last year, Srey Thy and Julien have been very busy. In December, they were joined by local musicians Scott Bywater and Ken White, and Saigon-based Davis Zunk. The group recorded songs in Kampot and hope to record more in the near future. Last month they played Meta House's fourth anniversary party and the FCC. The group also made a trip to Srey Thy’s village in Prey Veng, bringing with them a generator for the community and putting on a musical spectacle the likes of which had never been seen in the small border town.
Many exciting things are on the horizon for the group. The Australian ambassador has asked them to perform at an upcoming event, and there's a possibility they could play at an upcoming festival in Australia. For Srey Thy who has never travelled outside of Cambodia, this is a particularly exciting thought. They also have plans to record an album and shoot a video here. A previous video shot over Christmas that was placed on Youtube has already become popular with Khmers living abroad, and has generated much attention.
"The reaction we've had is amazing," says Julien. "I feel like I've stumbled upon this gem, and I'm looking forward to developing our sound and creating something otherworldly." Stay tuned for liftoff.
For more information about the band call Julien on 077 622 839, or visit: http://www.myspace.com/thecambodianspaceproject
