Chế Linh

Chế Linh
Chế Linh in 2019
Born	Lưu Văn Liên (1942-04-03) 3 April 1942 (age 82) Ninh Phước, Ninh Thuan, Vietnam
Other names	Tú Nhi Lưu Trần Lê
Years active	1960–present
Spouse	Nga Vuong ​ (m. 1975)​
Musical career
Genres	Pop bolero
Occupations	Singer songwriter musician businessman
Instruments	Vocals guitar keyboards
Labels	Lang Van Thuy Nga Asia
Website	chelinh.com
Musical artist

Chế Linh (Eastern Cham: Jamlen; b. 1942) is a Vietnamese popular singer, songwriter. An ethnic Cham, his stage name Chế Linh is a Vietnamese transcription of his Cham name. However, like many Cham people, he also has an official Vietnamese legal name, Lưu Văn Liên.^[1]

In 1958, when Che Linh was 16 years old, President Ngo Dinh Diem forbade the teaching of the Cham language in the Cham villages. The Cham language was a prestige language considered a second language since the Bảo Đại’s era.

This discrimination toward the minority group created conflict between the Chams and the Kinh inhabitants. When the Chams came to town, they were stopped and being persecuted. Che Linh was injured on several incidents. The government ignored these incidents.

Che Linh moved to Saigon where he found a small job with a respected employer. After nine months, Che Linh decided to go back to school. He attended Bo De and later Nguyen Cong Tru.

Biet Chinh Biên Hòa Musical Group was selecting new singers to entertain a far-away village in the Biên Hòa Province.

Che Linh participated and won first prize. Not considering singing as a career at the time, but only because the pay is considerably high.  Two years later, the group faded and dissolved and Che Linh became a driver for heavy construction organization in Bien Hoa.  The love for music and as a hobby, Che Linh continues to learn the music, train his voice and composed several songs. Che Linh's musical career strongly excelled, and his first two songs were born: "Dem buon tinh le” and “Dem buoc co don”

Recognizing that music is the shortest way to bring understanding between the Kinh and the Chams and all the other ethnic groups, Che Linh promised to continue and excel in the musical industry. With his effort and talents, Che Linh became a famous star and had sung together with many artists such as Anh Ngọc, Duy Khánh, Thái Thanh, Thanh Thúy, Minh Hiếu, Tùng Lâm. Continental Productions produced his first record, "Vùng Biển Trời Và Màu Áo Em”. Che Linh then signed with several Viet Nam Record Companies.

He produced and wrote many songs.

Awarded by Kim Khánh for Best Male Artist/Vocal which was organized by the Daily Newspaper Trang Den. The Government of South Vietnam then forbade Che Linh's voice and songs during the summer war period.

Che Linh was hoping to have his music released from the forbidden list, however he was jailed as a revolutionary at Song Mao, then My Duc.

He was released from prison 28 months later.

Escaped to Malaysia and later settled in Canada where he now resides in Toronto, and where he is presently performing, singing, writing and producing music.

21st century

His songs stay popular both domestically and among Viet diasporas. In 2007 he performed in Vietnam again after decades abroad, during an event hosted by UNESCO. From 2011 onward he returned to Vietnam for several tours.

All of Che Linh's songs which he wrote goes under the name of Tu Nhi.

• Official website
• Chế Linh on Facebook
• Chế Linh's channel on YouTube