SO Savoeurn
Being so famous before Pol Pot Regime for her tiny sweet
voice, SO Savoeurn was born on June 1, 1945 in Boeung Ngong Village, Kong Pisey District,
Kompong Speu Province. She was titled as “Mother of Saravan Songs and Thida Samleng Rey Kondeung”. Her father, SO Pok, was the former soldier in
French Colonial and her mother, TAT Vil, was a housewife. She has only 2 siblings.
She
was the first singer to sing Saravan song, “Or! Po Pech Chieb Euy”,
along the King to Thalaboriwat in Steung Treng in Sangkum Reastr Niyum Regime. This song was written by VEN
Son. In fact, she also sang other kinds of songs such as emotional, traditional, Khmer
New Year, etc. However, the loveliest song of her voice to listen is Saravan songs suitable for her voice to sing better than other singers
during her generation. In the interview with RFI, she said she came to Phnom Penh
with her uncle (Ov Puk Thom) who lived with KHUN Tat in the mansion of KHUN
That and she firstly danced and sang the traditional lakhorn. She usually sang
lakhorn songs in the theatre of SI LEB market and one day KEO Em, a famous
lyricist, came to see her performance. Being satisfied with her voice, he
committed to teach her to sing better with his own lyrics. Later, he achieved and
let her be very famous with the song "Kompong Luong Duong Chet" in
1963. Being so famous from year to year, she attended the Dontrey Youthea
Phirum Group singing along King NORODOM Shihanouk's travel as well as
national meeting (Sakmach Cheat). Later, she married KEO Em given birth to three
children, one daughter and two sons. Not only her husband, MA Laopi also wrote
many songs for her to sing and named her “Dara Chomrieng Somleng Rey Kondeung”.
Other lyricists wrote songs for her, too. Besides singing, she
also joined to take two movies directed by KONG Bunchhoeurn like “Sleak Kyol
Dondob Mek” and “Muk Muoy Phnek Buon” in 1974.
She fled from Cambodia to France
in the end 1976. Living in Paris of France, in 1978 she started to record new
songs for Khmer people living there as well as to sing in the restaurants for
Khmer Community in France till today. Passing the time quickly, the black
period of Cambodia was gone, too. She has come to visit Cambodia several times;
in 1986 she came to sing at Olympic Stadium in Phnom Penh sharing her love and
sadness for countrymen. She also sang her old songs to the public on local TV
Channels several years ago; her voice is still good as before 1975. To sing
very well, she advised each singer to put the heart deeply into the song
emotion. Hoping to return to Cambodia, she wish to have home here, but housing in
Cambodia is very expensive now. “Living
throughout the world, sharing the same feeling for our beloved homeland!” “Khmer
community is surely a second home to Khmer overseas conserving the
rich culture of Cambodia!”
By: POK Panhavuth
