The following article was written by Dr Kaonou Hang-Vue, who helps coordinate AAPI events in Manitowoc.
What better way to celebrate May as AAPI (Asian American Pacific Islander) month and Hmong American Day on May 14th than to dive into the Hmong culture. Let me share with you a little bit about a local Hmong artist/singer/songwriter named Va Moua. I had the opportunity to sit down with him and find out who he is, what inspires his music and what’s to come for this talented Hmong rockstar.
Have you ever heard a song that made you want to listen to it on repeat for days on end? Well, many many people, including me found that song to be “Hey Hmong Girl” by Va Moua. This song was recently released by Moua and was so well received by his fans and the community that he went back to the studio and released a music video and karaoke version of the song in spring of 2023, just months after it was originally released. With blended lyrics in both Hmong and English, it’s quite the catchy song!
Music artist Va Moua with the Hey Hmong Girl models L-R Hope Thao, Anastasia Vue, Va Moua, Ely Her, Lilly Vang (missing from photo Luag Ntxhi Xyooj)
Let me start at the beginning. I met Moua on the set of his music video and was amazed by his humble and soft-spoken demeanor. After the video wrapped, I felt the world needed to know a little more about this rising star from Green Bay and how better to do it than by sharing his talent with you during AAPI month. By day, Va Moua is a utility construction worker but when he’s not working, he’s in his home studio writing new lyrics and creating some more of his unique music. Ever since he was a child, Moua has been singing and listening to the Backstreet Boys, dreaming about being in his own boy band some day. In high school, he was part of the show choir and eventually started his singing career in 2012 after graduation. When he hit a singing plateau, he challenged himself to work through it. Moua is pretty musically talented, he plays the guitar, piano, drums and the qeej for 4 years (but had to drop playing the qeej to focus on the guitar). What a culturally well-rounded guy!
If you’ve never listened to a song by Moua, it’s difficult to describe them. In his own words, Moua expresses his singing style as happy beach-side music with some jazzy slow smooth grooves and lyrics that paint a picture. Makes you want to pull up one of his songs on YouTube right now and listen, huh? To me, it’s like nothing we’ve heard from a Hmong artist. His latest hit and 5th song, “Hey Hmong Girl” is sung in a blend of English and Hmong, but don’t worry, you’ll still be able to understand the song and the vibe. With such a unique sound, I asked Moua who the biggest musical influence was on him. His reply: Sam Cooke to John Mayer, Jack Johnson and Bruno Mars and you can definitely hear it in his ballads. His favorite song is “(Somebody) Ease My Troublin’ Mind” by Sam Cooke…beautiful, smooth and rich, very reminiscent of Moua’s songs.
What does success look like to Moua? His dream is to sing/entertain full-time; he wants to go big! If you’re gonna dream, dream big, right? His most notable highlight to date is the Dang Thao concert last month in Michigan where he was able to reach thousands of Hmong fans. Moua envisions musical success as being written down in history books for his songs. If his career continues in the same direction it has, Moua is sure to get there. Listen to some of the comments from YouTube: “This was what we never knew we needed.”, “Never heard such soulful Hmong singer!”, “Wow!!! Just WOW!”, “Your voice is phenomenal!”, ‘Pure talent? On Repeat!”, “One of a kind.” And when asked who his dream artist to collaborate with would be, it’s Chris Stapleton all the way.
In his free time, Moua enjoys music, outdoor activities and hanging out with family and friends. His advice to aspiring artists: “Just do it!” The best advice he’s received as an artist is stick with it and see where it goes. The journey of an artist is never an easy one but definitely worth it. Be on the lookout for his album which will be released soon. And to save you some time, here’s the link to his song “Hey Hmong Girl” https://youtu.be/mbThfAGcKnU You can thank me later.
