Transcript: Episode #159: The Harmony of David Lai
Following is the full transcript for the interview with David Lai. This transcript was made possible by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and has not been checked by any human reader. Because of this, many of the words may not be accurate in this text. This is particularly true of speakers who have a stronger accent, as AI will make more mistakes interpreting and transcribing their words. For that reason, this transcript should not be cited in any article or document without checking the timestamp to confirm the exact words that the guest has really said.
00:01
Oh papi No Don't boo suede on my bed saying Lando you and
Host 00:31
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01:13
In a way that I absolutely hate and it is worse
Host 01:47
really pleased to be joined by the chin singer David lie for this episode of insight Myanmar podcast and what will be his first English interview and I'm sure he'll do fine and great conversation that follows. So David, thanks so much for joining us.
David Lai 02:02
Yeah, thank you very much for inviting me to
Host 02:05
write. So before we get into hearing a bit about your story in your background, listeners heard your voice initially on the intro song to this podcast. So can you tell us which song was chosen for the intro leading up to the interview and why you chose that? Well,
David Lai 02:24
for the first intro song, I choose one of my original that I released within this coup. Actually, it was in February 2021. The title is damn era boo. That means like, I can't make it any more, actually is I composed to composed it that where where a brother from Mandalay who was volunteer to the at the ground, that he was shot through his head. And before he passed away, like he I heard from the news and the people that who seen that moment, then he said that he can make it any more he is likely going to pass away something like that. And then that that night, I compose the songs and later on I released this. Yes.
Host 03:31
Right. That's, that's really powerful. And that's a really, really good selection to start us off. And to learn more about your background as a singer, your upbringing and chin, and how you've been engaging and responding since the coup was taken over. Now, not all Myanmar celebrities and singers and actors have chosen to engage some have done so many folds, like pine cone, who have really made the ultimate sacrifice and have put themselves out there others not so much. You have been one artist who was quite well known and had a following before the coup and you have been at the forefront of among many singers in the country who are standing up and you're not staying silent. Can you tell us a bit about your decision to use your platform and yourself to engage at this time, I'm sure you must have thought about the risks of doing so. And also the advantages. So walk walk us through what happened when the coup hits and how you decided to use your standing and platform as a singer to respond and advocate.
David Lai 04:40
Well, Joe, you know, it kind of reminds me of the beginning. Like I think it was in February 1 As soon as the crew started the first thing in mind Mine was, wow. How I'm gonna do you know, it's like we, the people of Myanmar country have lost future is like going back to the old time, which wasn't good. Because my father, and they were like they used to talk about like this kind of event. And then in 2021, it happened again, I like, I have no idea how I'm gonna move on my Korea. Plus, not for me, for my brothers for my young relatives, brothers and sister for their education, it's very hard for me to imagine for their future, if they don't get a proper education, like the future is like not sure. Well, for me, it's fine. But the first thing that I thought about was the education of the young generation. And, and then later on, like, for that whole month, are we including my friends, we, like do protesting stuff. Well, I don't know how to say it, but later on, it get worse, you know, the intense crackdown where it happened, like all over the country. And after two months, like around after three months for me, I had to finally move somewhere to escape. Like for my safety, and then since I was or I am, like public figure since I married is like I have to escape, you know, like until now until today. It's been over a year that I move to Mizoram alone. Back there. My family were there in were there insight Myanmar. But right now, luckily, they could move out to somewhere in Thailand. Well, I guess this is all the answer for now.
Host 07:26
Sure, sure. Thanks for that. And so as the coup hit, and you started to see how other celebrities and social influencers responding, I wonder if you could share something of your feeling of course, you you don't have to name names, I'm not really looking at specific people but more of like a general sense of people that were immediately standing up and then sustained it and actually took risks or people that were were kind of not so courageous, maybe being a bit silent and hoping to not to want to cause any lose any fans from either side. And maybe even those that were were in some kind of support of of the military. What what did you see of the other Burmese social influencers and celebrities in their response after the coup?
David Lai 08:14
Well, I can criticize them or however what we, we all know that the coup and this, this thing is not okay. So art is most of them are including me, we know that is a place to talk about which is good or bad. So like, we all know that they're artists and who stand for it or, and their people or artists that who don't keep silent. I can't blame them. Maybe because some people are in still inside the country and for their safety, they have to keep silent. And by by saying that, there are artists who are taking risks and giving up on their career, and their business, and even their loved ones. And there are a lot of young people out there they're like, trying to take risks of event their life. So they're well I don't know, is it proper to mention here but they're young people who are willing to fight back the military, you know, so by seeing that, like artists like singers or actress like we should be I'm on the side of the people. And even like for my, for myself, I don't think about like I should be to the side of who the people are not what the My only concern is that I should tell the right thing to, to the people that who are following my social media. And then if I have like, since I'm a musician, and artist, musician, I do compose music. Saying, my feet are showing my feeling on this on this coup. Yeah.
Host 10:45
Right. So as you chose to start to write and produce songs that were supporting the democracy movement and against the military junta as you started to do that, what fears did you have what concerns or hesitations were in your mind and the risks that you were taking?
David Lai 11:03
Yeah, there's that also remind me one thing there's one song that actually within this cooler I read, we can say revolution song. I actually did like three songs like one of it is called like Journey to Freedom in Burmese religion Seto which I before I released this piece, I it I had a huge concern on my safety. So I have to leave my family back and rank on and move out quickly to the border of India. In Minnesota, Mizoram state. Within this coup, I produce my already more original three songs. One of it was the last battle. Actually, this one we, me and one CTM, support team, chin, collaborate and compose together this piece, before I released this, the last better song was in huge concern on my safety. So I have to leave my family in rank on and move quickly to the border of India. After I get to India, well, I release the songs. It's about like, don't give up, move on. And like it's more about supporting the CDM civil disobedience movement. So during this coup, actually releasing like, revolution songs actually is a remix. And for me, I had a it was very hard to think about my future if I released this kind of songs to the public. And like if the military they want if they wanted, they can, you know, arrest me and put in jail or whatever. And then one other thing that might concern is my family's safety. One is one good thing is that most people doesn't know where I lived in Durango. So my family safety for my family safety is a good thing. However, while I was in Mizoram, until until now, my family safety was the most I concerned about and because of their safety, I couldn't do as much as I can. I couldn't show my support and I couldn't do like like openly most of the stuff is all because like for my family safety Yeah. Well there are like those are all the risks that I was taking.
Host 14:25
Right so let's take a listen to the song that you just described here. Again, the name of the song is the last battle
14:35
soon okay op ed. piece up Obama town de dhoka Giada Zach goo Lana, kid under. No army i leg. Leg calm ya Oh man a young
15:07
girl oh my
15:14
god dress shone on
15:21
but do mama lives you die and many young 20 shoma says show Matt McQuaid on
15:59
he do a seagull she came up to him at the time being able to change our mood and she was not let go oh dash him up here mudita J a salty Raina Jante diner let go many
16:30
go home
16:36
and knock knock on the door
16:50
a man
16:57
says show man wait on
17:05
a man the show the show man is away
Host 17:41
so that was the last battle by my guests David Lai. This was a song a revolutionary song meant to inspire and to encourage those that were resisting the military coup. David can you share what do you feel is the role of singers and musicians rappers heavy metal whatever type of music there is you you your genre among all of them. What do you feel is the role of musicians and singers bands during this time of revolution?
David Lai 18:16
Well, music is like a universal language. Like you don't need to understand literally understand the lyrics just feel the music and it can bring us together. During this time we have a group band group like we just found it within this time called guys, the guys from guys from Chien where me and two artists called Benjamin zoom and tomboy. We both three of us are from change in artists were during this time in Chin State. There are a lot of groups and other other groups like different different groups came up and for us to unite. We need artists like chin artists for chain state we need chain artists to bring all the ethnic groups and tribe try out the tribes from the chain stay together so that we don't fight each other. What we are focusing is to fight the military on John John Toronto back here so what our main purpose of the guys from Chien was like since we are artists from Qin state from a different ethnic groups. By combining three of us and with music, we can share our music we it doesn't need to be a revolution music. It Just have to be the music and a group that bring us together to show the Qin people that no matter what, in music, we are together. So in the ground, or any group or any, any tribes from Chico State, we just have to be together to make us strong. That was our like focus. So like the add that also one of the artists role that by music, we can bring peace and unity. And we can eliminate or reduce hatred within this this time, even in Chin State. Like that a lot of conflict in Chin State, between, as I mentioned, between ethnic groups. So by combining three of us from a different group, it's like we want is just showing that we're together no matter what.
Host 21:20
Right? You mentioned, there are a lot of conflicts going on within Qin communities. That's not even looking at like the democracy movement. And yes, the military. And this is something that many listeners might not know of chin, of course, is extremely diverse. There's a very diverse range of chin, communities with different languages, dialects, or customs, etc. And so can you tell us a bit about the some of the challenges that have been going on and chin and some of the conflicts between these groups and how it's played out?
David Lai 21:54
Well, I'm not sure that it is appropriate to mention, like in detail. But as far as I can understand, there are a lot of, like, diverse, yeah, very diverse in status. And since like, conflicts is very complicated, but it's not a huge problem. Because it's already fixed. And there have, like, mutual understanding between between, between us, between every one of us. So, one thing that the military coup, make us united. So the answer was to fight back the military coup, with all the things that we get, not to divide us. You know, actually, diversity is a beauty and differences of tribe and culture, differences of culture and tribe are just the beauty. We don't have to mess around with it. That's what I know. Like, being united, like we can fight better, we can do better, in every way. So everything started from the military coup, to fight the military, to fight back or to get back our freedom. So, of course, there are a lot of conflicts between, like, that can be small or big, we can forget about our main purpose, which is to fight to get back our freedom, you know, Oh, wow. It's so hard.
Host 23:58
Yeah, I understand that. How have you noticed your music has changed since when the coup broke? Have you noticed like a change in the kind of music you're producing? Whether that's the style or the lyrics or, or whatever else? So if someone were to come and listen to all of your music portfolio before February 2021, what would they notice is difference between then and now?
David Lai 24:23
Well, before before this happened, like I never released even like motivation. So just one motivation. So on all the songs that I released was left songs and yeah, apart, like, from from the left side, or left side and gospel songs after these people can see like I do a lot linked to the revolution. From my music part, yeah, there's a huge difference here.
Host 24:55
Right. So a difference in kind of the revolutionary feel is in terms of like The style of the songs like if one were to not know any of the words, but just hear the music. Do you feel like there's a difference between how you were making music before? And now?
David Lai 25:12
Yes, one thing that I notice these days, like my feeling changes. Before this, I don't even know how to feel in the song like, even while singing because, you know, professionals were always busy with technique and music ideas, we barely care about the feeling to put the feeling on the sound that even cover songs. But these days, it maybe it's because of the environment that I'm living in, or the situation that I'm living in. Whenever I seen, like, we do fundraising, like, like, at least twice a month, while we're doing fundraising that I seen what I seen it really, if it is successful, it's really hurts me more. And if it's motivation is on, I feel like, I need motivation. I myself need motivation. While I sing is not that I give, too. I give motivation to the audience by singing motivation. So, but the way I sing like, became like, I need motivational and while I sing it is just for me, you know? So I think it is that also the changes, like even my friends can feel it like the way up perform, what they say the way you perform, and the way you put a feeling into song is changed a lot. Maybe it's improvement. I don't know.
Host 26:59
That's really interesting. So you're, I totally understand what you mean by like, being an artist, you're so much more concerned about the technical elements all being correctly, and sometimes you you don't even really feel the impact of what you're doing because you're so attuned to, to wanting the technical part to be at a high level. And so you're saying that since the coup, you're actually emotionally impacted yourself by the songs that you're producing? That's that's quite interesting.
David Lai 27:28
Yes, yes. Wow. Emotionally impact. And like, exactly, exactly.
Host 27:34
Right, right. Well, let's take a listen to another post revolutionary song that you did. Tell us what song we're going to hear next and a bit of background in meaning about that song.
David Lai 27:45
Okay. Well, let's talk about journey to freedom. Journey to Freedom is also one of the songs that I produce during this time, actually, Joy is, is about moving straight forward. Not looking back, maybe we have that lyrically now, I'm just telling the lyric of the songs, which is like, we are on the part away to a freedom. Like, maybe we have some heart feeling or hardship, that bad memories maybe that we had, but it's okay. Just don't forget about it. But don't look back, because it might stop. It might be Yeah, it might be a barrier, on a way, but just don't forget it. It's also a potential. You know, there might be differences between me a chin people, a chin chin person, between a Burmese person, but it can divide us if we have the same part if we have the same future. So our future is to reach to that goal. Where where the freedom is. So that's all about like, just let's unite it and go straight forward. Don't look back. It's like that. Oh, I want to show that song. Yeah. In Burmese legend, Seto.
Host 29:39
Lulu Chen Seto. Yes. Okay, so with that, let's take a listen to journey to freedom.
29:45
Da da Gama Duda Jandal Bama some boo yah, sin Josie. A booted dou Shi See
30:08
ya Oh shoot and yeah
30:20
God who made all the kids god oh man
30:54
do you judge jeeto Bama shooting
31:13
down in the garage
31:37
god oh man
32:04
let's go do it young girl with a blue Shamima Uzi she got oh the man on gender Do you need me labor
32:46
god oh man
Host 33:01
oh that was journey to freedom and another great post revolutionary song. Let's back up in time a bit so we've been looking at what happened after the coup let's talk about before the coup. David you're from Chin State you're part of the chin ethnicity. Can you share a bit about the community and where you grew up and what led to your interest in music?
David Lai 33:37
Right? Well Well, yes, I'm a chain. I'm from my tepee is meant to be. Township is a township name and from Mara tripe Mira, I'm from we can say that Mira, yes. And in around 2000 My family moved to random since then, we stay until today in Rankin My father was a school teacher back then, and then he stopped working it and start in a mission mission work. We our family is a Christian. So my father and mother when they get to Yangon, they start the mission mission work. And my father is also a good musician, and I don't hear about much about it but his friends after like I became a singer, his old friend and the they used to come and tell me like whoa, you look like your father like Your father is way better than you. He's really good at guitar. And his singing is a lot better than you. They used to tell me that actually, I was so proud that my father is one of me. I mean, he also he was also a musician that all I know was, is a school teacher, and later in a mission mission missionary. And well, I know that he played guitar. He used to sing it for me, but later the I really don't know that he also was a good musician, you know? And then maybe because of him or my mother, I have, like, huge interest in music and music. Well, while I was great four to five, I used to give Harmonix power part to give part like sing tenor, or altro Well, my brother and sister are singing. Well, this is also because they, they taught me how to sing maybe. And later in 2008 or nine that I became like, teenage. I also sing on church churches, and school event. That's how I maybe grew up in my music career. But until that time, I don't have any interest to become a musician or a singer, you know. And then later on, around 2012 I 2013 and 14 I I continue my college in Shillong, India. And after I come back from Shillong to rank on then only I, my friends, they forced me to go to a competition. You know, it was a very famous back then the competition name is name was a must Sonia, a misophonia. Yet the in that company is the whole the national wide competition. And then I compete there and well, by the grace of God. I want to I want to then that how I started my career.
Host 37:37
Yeah, that's great. Thanks for sharing that. Um, what were some of your musical influences growing up? What inspired you? What did you listen to?
David Lai 37:45
Yes. Until today, since my childhood, my favorite artists is MUJI from from Myanmar is is a very good rock singer. And because of him, I love singing. And sometimes, if I say that, like the way I sing, also a little influenced by him. Well, I like it because it's he is also my idol. That the one I look above or I don't look into. Yeah. So what some of my technique and the way I seen maybe a little inferior, in influenced by him. And there are others singers like gospel singers like Saul winwin, and CR sampi. They're also my favorite singers. As I mentioned, like, the way I sing also really, really, sometimes very few times identical to them, is because they're, I learned how to sing are some of the permis were articulating words is I learned by them. And this is my local, Myanmar favorite artists. And there's one particular artists that I really, really love. Like John Mayer, he's from he's from United States. Right? Yeah. John Mayer is one of my English singers. One of my favorite and yeah, I love the way he play. He is a good guitarist, very, very good. And also because of him is eager eagerness to learn. Get her more than before. You know, though, the way that we're his play is so unique and While I pick up guitar, I like most of the sound, I think I like his songs.
Host 40:08
That's great. That's great. So you, you've taken us to right at the moment where you first got interested in music and your career was just beginning. Now you're on your path to celebrity and you're, you're refining your music and becoming more popular. Take us on that journey. And tell us what that was, like, as you started to realize you could actually make it as a livelihood as a as a singer, and you could aspire to become one of the popular singers of Myanmar. What was that journey? Like? What happened?
David Lai 40:39
Well, Host I cannot say that it really took off. Well, but I have some amazing records, like, which really hits to the audience. But until today, I don't see myself that I'm, I'm famous, you know, I don't see myself that my career really took off. I still see myself I need to work hard. I need to focus on on my career, to develop myself each and every day. I still need very, very hard to try more. I'm not going to compare with any one any artists. Yeah, it's not nothing to compare about each other. One thing is that I just don't see myself that I'm famous, you know. So well, let me begin with the time that I, after I won, won the competition. It's I used to I one time, I have a really, really, really bad experience about stage since after that, competition, like I won the first prize. And then one event that invited me to, to sing with the added dinner is wedding dinner. And they're very, very famous artists were there to like, at least 10 of them. Those were famous, like the famous artists that I used to listen to their songs. Like, it's crazy that to sing with them. And I was really, really nervous that time. I said it is a bad experience. Because when it's time for me to sing, I bring the note should we note note that I hand it to the the musicians to play the songs for me. The the songs are a new for them. So it's very hard for them to, you know, run through and play right away is of course, it's very, it's also hard for them. But when I singing the tempo is not right. So in the middle, I stopped them and tell them the tempo is not right. I want to say at a slower tempo like that. And then one of the guitars was so frustrated at me and why didn't you tell it like in the beginning and actually the vote the tone, his tone was really harsh. I was really because I was really nervous and I was scared. And it's also the the first time that I say I perform with the famous artists, famous singers. So I feel like he scolded me so I even couldn't sing more. Like I I don't know how I was feeling on the stage, I just sing the sound to finished it and come back back to the table. I don't know how I sing I don't even remember how what verses and lyric actually I think so. I mean it's it's really a bad experience. Maybe it's because of my lack knowledge in the music theory or the note stuff notation. Is it gives me a potter is also give even though it's a bad experience for me. It also gave me a huge impact or potential to study music, more theory I need to know this. I need to know that so that I won't be like like that again, you know? Actually I'm not mad at the musicians, the caterer is actually I thank Him like He gives me he lighted me enlighten me.
Host 45:21
That's great. Well, let's take a listen to one of your early songs when you were first on your way as a musician, let us know what we're going to listen to now.
David Lai 45:30
Well, I choose one song. Actually, this is pre re released a song by sound will shine. He is a great artist or is a great composer too. And he this song I'm gonna I want to show is mocha Yi. Actually, this I put this song in my first album. And this is a motivational song. Well, a lot of people from Burma like Mukai
Host 46:10
Great. Mulcahy. Let's listen to that song now.
46:13
Gnarly man dime as a god. So uh buting and alone on the ying yang show Dylan I'm countdown tsunami them young Hema del puta nee we go God God damn y'all in the llama Pierre Amira Schoen been eating Johnny be hot don't know can you use you? Do I guess so you love
47:05
Dr. Jeff Jeff the bell
47:32
rego God's love to god damn dawn in the lower PIP Amira show
47:48
you that
47:55
love otter. Amana yeah you will never she's in the bed bad job again niqua Google guy you know show like to ya see ya
48:30
so you do wrong. Amana your new mill machine
48:44
Nick wants to go blue Moga Sanaz go Moga
49:03
Nico Umaga you
Host 49:24
okay and that was the song mo kaii by David Lai. And you grew up in a chin Christian community. This is a minority in Myanmar not only due to the ethnicity but also the religion so share a bit about what it was like growing up being an ethnic and religious minority in Myanmar and also just a little bit of information about the community you grew up in to educate our listeners about about that. That group?
David Lai 49:53
Yes. Well, as I said like I grew up in Rangan web Add in Rankin a place where their chin community of course, I lived in my family lived in Michigan compound for many years, like four or five years. We move a lot in Rangoon, we move a lot, I also had to change switch schools, like, like to every mostly every two years. So I barely have like close friends from school because of that is because that my family, my parents are missionary. So that job because of the job I we have to move to another place. And also I have to change my school. And well, yeah, Ching community is also a minority in Ranko. Yeah. And also a Christian community. We can also there is an alchemy, I'm not sure it's a community. But being a Christian also, is a minority, even in my school. And like, in our school, since most of students are Buddhists, Buddhists and the teachers are bhootish. Like there's a practice as before the schools before the class start at the beginning, the there's worshipping, like, is a worshiping like for five to 10 minutes saying, like, praying, and that is, I don't know how to say it in English. Well, at that time, like since I'm a Christian, I have to stay still by myself, maybe I, I worship for myself, but all of the other the rest of the students are like, harmonically singing together. There's also wonderful pain. Because I was little, and I feel a little bit shy, you know, don't blame me, I was a kid. And it's, and since I move a lot, change the schools a lot. Sometimes I experienced like, teachers, like being what is that? What they don't like it, you know, seeing me not doing anything while the rest of the students are praying in like, Buddhism practice, there's the first time that we moved to rank on the place was Goncharenko. That Coco It was a beautiful place in Rankin is very, it's in the countryside, far from the Metro City. Is is also very weird that the only Chien or like 100% of Burmese except our family, you know? Oh, yeah, that tongue Town is a very small town. So my tea my, my father was a teacher. So it's also his duty to move there and school there. And teach there. I was like, great. One between one and two. And as cool like, it's like me, I'm like, a an alien, like a different person from them. I don't know the language. I don't know. I don't speak Burmese at that time. And the students were like, wow, he's like, from other countries. Yeah, I don't know the culture. I don't know. It's very hard for me to adapt the environment. Because I don't know the language. And some, like senior students used to come and joke about me, you know, sometimes, but that time. I'm amazed that I could handle like pretty well. Because a new place a very, I don't know, is well, it's also being growing up in a place that being alone sometimes Yeah.
Host 54:34
Right. I can imagine. Let's take a listen to one more of your songs that was maybe from the middle of your career or anytime before the revolution started. Something else you want to have our listeners take a take a peek at today.
David Lai 54:51
Yeah, let me show you one song, which is also from my first album, its naming loop and do well it sounds Though my fans really loved it, so I want to show this especially for my beloved fans we love David lie. Yeah, we I have a fan base like we like to call we love David. Yeah this is a love song composed by countdown and I include this sounds in my first album
55:26
alright let's take a listen. Log Ah cool now you need an alone on here so stay with me now where's only yeah Jimena Bernie Llosa alone in pain de kz man Music Good gotta get oh ma Gabby. So Damien and Joe Looney is in Donegal please evil to senior
56:11
now dude on the board Jim and get off she Samiha to kidding me on that alone yo dude got to Gago to three team up hello again Yangon G
57:09
music cool gotta get all my Gabby. Sonia blood audio Jamie Anna Joe. Looney isn't Donegal kiss evil yah yah. Yah Samia
57:32
now just above zoom you could do it on the board Jamie made off shape Samiha to
57:50
yo TV got to get go to three Jima
58:09
Yangon
58:17
Needleman you're gonna
58:30
go to 3g
58:37
again
58:43
Jeep
58:54
Jeep
Host 59:01
Okay, and we're back after hearing that love song selection from David Lai, that was before the revolution as you're deciding what the songs that you're going to produce, do you what language do you sing in between chin language Burmese and English? Do you how do you decide what language you want your songs to be in?
David Lai 59:23
Well as my most of my audience only understand, I mean not only most of my audience are based in, in Myanmar. So my focus languages of course the Burmese songs, and I do sing like chain sounds, but as you know, like there are over 50 Different chin language so called Yeah, and I there, then I sing ly song, which is haka song, and I can sing Amara song since I'm Amara. Well, one thing is that a lie, they don't understand Mara language, Mira. The language is pretty different. And most of Mara people won't understand language. And but I do sing live live songs. I do sing chin songs. I mean, Mara songs. And now I'm in Mizoram, so I started to sing miso songs. Yes. And English songs. Yeah, I love to sing English songs that when I'm do music production, like composing new melody, new Lyric, it's always, most of the time is started with humming in English way, you know? Like, it doesn't need to be clear. I like lyric idea. It doesn't have to be like, the idea should be this out that, but I just hum. Humming in English. Sometimes I I seem like, like, you know? Lyrics? Like any words, any any English words that that doesn't sound? You know, right? It's not right. I mean, it's not correct. But I don't care I just have in English and do melodies like that. And later on, I put some lyrics on that, which the, the vowels and the, you know, the melodies, we can just put any lyric on that, along with the melody, it should follow the Lyric, you know. So I can't like it doesn't have I don't do it that way. But I do the Lehrer robbing Peter Zack and something like that, you know? So that when I put lyric Yeah, it's easier for me to find the right lyric for that particular melody. Yeah.
Host 1:02:12
That's wonderful. That's wonderful. I'm also wondering about the entertainment industry during the transition period of the 2000 10s, and particularly 2015 to 20. Before that transition period, there was many controls on art and creativity. And there is a state sensor who approved everything from painting, to music, to literature, poetry, everything. And then in, in this transition period, there was this greater openness and commercial, artistic, etc. endeavors were pursued and allowed in ways that had never been so in many, many years in the country many decades. And then, of course, that's changed since the coup, but can you describe what the entertainment industry was like, during that transition period, as things started to open up and relax?
David Lai 1:03:09
Well, one thing is that I, only after 2016 And until now, I started it was my period of being a singer. Before that, I barely know about the music industry. So the changes are what I know like after 2015 on at the music industry is like the changes that I notice is like, free free is like freedom of speech, you know, as a musician, we don't do like public speech. We just put our emotion and what we want to say at the song. So before that, if you like talk bad things about the leaders is a is is not good for you. Because you might get the mean you might go to jail, you know, for what you said. If if the leaders or if the authorities don't like it. When I say the freedom of speech as a singer as a musician music it has, if we talk about it, music is a huge impact at a community. It could bring peace, it could bring like improvement environment also, like so. Ever since there's a there's more open up in music industry, like we can say whatever we want, we can sing whatever we want. Like there are a lot of good things came up like I can compose, like, if I don't like the government, I can compose that I don't like them. If I, if I want to sing like unity with, like, different religions, Christian Muslim Buddhism, there's a majority in our country. So if I want to write about it, I can write and sing about it, you know, back then, well, is not possible. It is possible, but it's a rig. So it's also a Rick's, you know, and what we can see after the coup is that everything became to the old day, like, since I am doing my music. I mean, I produced like, revolutionary music, revolution music. If I stayed in Yangon, if I stay in within inside the country is not safe for me. Because I don't have that freedom to sing to to make music. So I lost my freedom after the coup. And yeah, I think is it sounds? I mean, sorry. Yeah. I mean, I think you can understand what I want to say, the differences between after the coup and before the coup, as a music as a musician.
Host 1:06:55
Yeah, absolutely. An entire country lost its freedom, not just the artistic voice, which is so valuable and so important. But everyone from all walks of life lost their safety, their rights, and their freedom of expression. We're now over a year and a half since the military coup was launched. How are you feeling about where we're at now? What has surprised you with the last year and a half? And what are your thoughts and going forward?
David Lai 1:07:23
Yeah, what I can say is that the people will win, eventually. Like, right now, it's like 5050. But we're sure that, like the truth will always win, we will win. As I said, we will win. And there is also I want to say that people will win the truth will win. Yes, eventually, it might take a little bit longer than we expected. Because at the first time, I thought that it will disappear within within within like five to six months. And it's been over a year. Many people like their spirits are getting down. Well, it's normal, that to feel down. But we have to focus on our journey that never forget that we will win. So there's the spirits that we're taking.
Host 1:08:30
Right, right. And what looking at this past year and a half of the resistance movement, what has happened that has been unexpected to you that you would not have thought when does on February 1 2021, you would not have expected to see what developed what what is what is stood out as being something that has been unexpected or surprising.
David Lai 1:08:51
Surprisingly, there are differences among group were found that after for after three months of the coup, it's also impact to the Chin State, new newly people armed forces, like cdf, and PDF is like we have to protect ourselves. And we have to be ready. If for for any circumstance that we're going to meet afterward. Well, thank you very much for inviting me. Yeah. And what I want to say is like since is revolution time. If for for the audience. Not to give up, because we will win. Eventually. It might take longer than we expected. But we have to keep in mind that if we don't, if we don't fight till the end today, it will bring us the time that we lost our freedom, we, we already experience the taste of freedoms about four or five years. And we know that we don't want to lose it again. So like those people, everyone have our own role as a musician, like, as an artist, like me, I have my own drone, I can help or I can support, I can push this revolution by fundraising, by singing. That's what I have been doing. And by helping humanitarian assistance, like refugee IDPs, because if we don't help them, for me, it's hard for them even to have a meal. So it's my role. And they're young people whose rows are like staying at the ground. And there are people that what you can do is, while we raise fund, you can donate on that fan. There are a lot of foundations there that you can reach out. And the main important thing that even if we, like, if even if we don't have to do financially, like is all is that mentally, we have to stay strong. We have to stay still, that the trust that we have had, we must keep it and move forward. With that spirit of heading it has.
Host 1:12:01
Thank you for that. Thank you. You've gotten through your first interview in English. And you did.
David Lai 1:12:08
No way I will never do that again.
Host 1:12:12
Well, I think you'll you'll disappoint your fans by saying that. We really appreciate the time that you spent with us.
David Lai 1:12:18
Thank you. Yeah, I do appreciate it too well for so patient with me.
Host 1:12:25
Yeah, so we have one more song to listen to that is going to play on the outro to this episode. Walk us through the song that you've chosen for the outro
David Lai 1:12:34
Yes, actually, I chose one Murrah song when we can say change song is a fight for freedom. All the Maryland artists and David Lammy, we collaborate together and release this sounds that actually this mirror artists are not from our country, not from my country, Myanmar. They're from India, Mizoram state, and they just want to show how they feel bad about a country that the crisis and how they support to the revolution. The songs prove that those artists from outside the country from another country, they are brothers and sisters. For us, they have a huge concern on us and they really support us actually with this song is a song that is this is a song that with me, David LA and the Maryland urges collaborate together.
Host 1:13:45
Okay, great. Let's listen to that and the outro and thanks again for taking the time.
1:13:52
No, Sue baby. Aymara Amer PA, a matzah Sasa a metabolite que Charlotte, Charlotte, Charlotte
1:14:17
aim aim aim.
1:14:53
Last page again began the week bye bye
1:15:21
is
1:15:30
Rafa de sanka
1:15:43
basic
1:15:58
changed last
1:16:08
weekend bye bye
1:16:54
last
1:17:01
weekend
1:17:08
to gather we can fly for free
Host 1:17:25
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1:20:41
alright guys, don't get me wrong a lot longer
1:20:55
Yeah,