Saigon Soul Revival
Das sagt der/die Künstler:in:
Vocals: Minh Anh Nguyễn
Keyboards: Đăng Nguyễn Khoa
Guitar & Đàn Nguyệt Indy Laville
Bass : Gabriel Kaouros
Drums: Hiếu Nguyễn Hương Bảo
Special guest:
Đàn Tranh & Đàn Bầu: Hải Phượng Nguyễn
Based in Ho Chi Minh City, Saigon Soul Revival (SSR) has been bringing alternative pre-1975 music from Saigon back
to the stage since 2016. Through electrifying live performances, the band honors the original composers and singers of
the golden era of Nhạc Vàng, while applying new compositons and interpretations of old Vietnamese songs.
The core lineup consists of five members: Nguyễn Anh Minh (vocals), Indy Jeremy Vinh Laville (guitar & Đàn Nguyệt), Nguyễn Hương Bảo Hiếu (drums), Gabriel Kaouros (bass/percussion), and Đăng Nguyễn Khoa (keys).
With tight grooves, psychedelic textures, and a powerful, distinctive sound, SSR has performed countless shows across Vietnam, including major events such as Quest Festival, Vibe Nation, and Mui Ne Music & Art Festival.
In 2017, the band participated in the nationally renowned TV format Ban Nhạc Việt (known internationally as The Band) and performed live during the release tours for the Saigon Supersound Compilation series in Vietnam.
Since 2023, SSR has expanded internationally, performing in the UK and Australia at WOMAD, in Germany at Sống ở Berlin Festival and Festival der Kulturen, in France at Trans Musicales, in Portugal at Festival Músicas do Mundo, as well as in China and other countries.
Debut Album: Họa Âm Xưa (2019)
With support from the British Council’s FAMLAB Fund initiative, the band began composing original material in the spirit of Saigon’s pre-1975 sound. Their debut album, Họa Âm Xưa, produced by Jan Hagenkötter, was released in 2019 on the Saigon Supersound imprint.
Recorded in Vietnam, the album features notable guest artists including legendary pre-1975 singer Mai Lệ Huyền and popular Saigonese rapper Blacka (finalist of the TV show Rap Việt in 2022), blending the historic sound of Saigon with its contemporary voice.
Traditional instruments such as the Đàn Nguyệt (played by Indy Laville), as well as the Đàn Tranh and Đàn Bầu—performed by the renowned traditionally trained musician Nguyễn Thị Hải Phượng—add depth and authenticity to the recordings and live performances. This fusion of old and new distinguishes SSR’s sound from the original recordings of the 1960s and 1970s.
The album gained international recognition and was nominated for the Songlines Music Awards 2021 in the UK. It received extensive airplay, including rotation on Radio FIP in France, on BBC through Iggy Pop’s radio show, and on Cosmo (WDR) in Germany.
Mối Lương Duyên (2024)
With their second album, Mối Lương Duyên (2024), SSR presents a journey through eight original compositions and three cover versions of Saigonese Nhạc Vàng.
Nguyễn Anh Minh’s seductive vocals glide through a richly layered, multi-stylistic soundscape. Moving beyond universal themes of love and heartbreak, the album explores how destiny is shaped through personal experience.
“Everything and everyone that enters your life, every event—whatever comes and whatever goes—happens as it is meant to be. We cannot choose our physical body, our family, our happiness or unhappiness, or our place in the world. But we do have the power to accept and embrace our destiny.“
The track “ĐÁM CƯỚI NHÀ EM” from the album is featured in the HBO mini-series The Sympathizer, based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Viet Thanh Nguyen and starring/produced by Robert Downey Jr..
The single “Ai Thật Lòng Yêu Ai” entered the annual charts of Radio 1 in Berlin. Its official music video was selected by the Philharmonie de Paris (Cité de la musique) for inclusion in its permanent museum collection, highlighting the use of traditional instruments in contemporary contexts.
In 2025, SSR released “Con Tim Và Nước Mắt,” a tribute to the legendary rock group CBC Band, marking the 50th anniversary of the end of the war (April 30, 1975) and celebrating Vietnam’s reunification and cultural heritage.
The renowned U.S. radio station KEXP recorded a live performance by SSR in 2024 and has been streaming it since March 2025.
