KEO Setha became the
first female singer in early 1950s with her singing partner, SIN Sisamut. Being
very beautiful, she had the sweet voice to entertain Khmer people for the whole
decade of 1950s. She was titled “Nak Chomrieng Somneang Sarika”. Based on the information
from the comment on Yout(ube, she was the original singer of the song “Anusavry
Prek Chhlong” which the song remained with second version sung by SIENG Dy.
When she sang that song in Kratie just a moment, the audience could sing this
song very well since this song described the scenery of the nature along Prek
Chhlong. In early 1960s, she got married and did not often show up for public singing.
Until late 1960s, she moved to live in Kratie Province. Being disturbed by bombs
from US military on Viet Cong troops in Kratie, she decided to come back to
Phnom Penh in 1972. Seeing a chance to alert the old memory, SIN Sisamut went
to ask her to sing the second version song, “Reatrey Chuob Pheak”, had been sung
together in 1950s. They sang again in that year, her voice was still good and
this song remained until today. No information for her life in Pol Pot Regime
was released, but she was known to be one of the lucky famous singers being
alive after this black regime. She fled to live in France and came back to
Cambodia sometimes; in 2004 she showed up one time singing the song “Reatrey
Chuob Pheak” with a new singer, PHAN Sophat, during the Birthday Ceremony of
King NORODOM Shihanouk. “Conserving the golden age of singing, let’s learn
and establish the new creation base on the rule of lyric and music in the
past!”
(Source from Comment on Youtube Video by Cambodian People)
By: POK Panhavuth
