Burmese singers to attend Grammy Awards Ceremony

by Mizzima News
Tuesday, 17 November 2009 20:47

New Delhi (Mizzima) - Three popular Burmese singers are to attend the 52nd Grammy Award ceremony to be held in Los Angeles on January 31, 2010. Noted pop singers Sone Thin Par, Kabya Bwe Hmu and Htoo L. Linn, are preparing to leave for the United States in January to attend the ceremony.

Mee Mee Khel, wife of singer Htoo L. Linn, told Mizzima on Monday, “My husband and sister, Kabya Bwe Hmu along with Sone Thin Par shall be attending the Grammy Award ceremony.”

The singers are to be sponsored by a Non-governmental Organisations (NGO) ‘I Love Myanmar’, according to a report in The Voice Weekly, a Burmese-language journal published in Rangoon.

Maung Thit Minn, Joint General Secretary of the “Myanmar Naingngan Gitah Asiayone” (Burma Music Association) said he welcomed the three singers’ planned trip for he believes they could gain international exposure. He also said that the singers could bring in a new dimension to the Burmese music industry.

He said, “So far there have been no nominations for Burmese music and singers, as Burma’s music industry standards are yet to reach the level for Grammy nominations.”

In itself the visit may not have deep significance, but Maung Thit Minn said he was optimistic and hoped the trip will help them gain international exposure and get new ideas as artistes.

He said Burma’s music industry lacks international distributors, which is a reason for the lack of recognition by international audience. Besides, language is also a barrier. Most artistes sing in the Burmese vernacular.

“It is still very much a dream for Burmese songs to be nominated at the Grammy,” he added.

He said, as far as he knew these artistes would be the first Burmese to attend the Grammy award.

The ceremony will be held at the Staple Centres in downtown Los Angeles.

The Grammy Awards are presented annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States for outstanding achievements in the record industry. The awards ceremony features performances by prominent artists. Some of the more prominent Grammy Awards are presented in a ceremony televised all over the world.

The Grammys are considered the highest honor in music, the U.S. record industry’s equivalent to the Academy Awards "Oscars" for motion pictures. The awards were established in 1958.


Reporting by Salai Han Thar San, writing by Mungpi