Vũ Lệ Quyên (born April 2, 1981), known by her stage name Lệ Quyên, is a Vietnamese singer. In 2004, she began her professional singing career with her debut album named Giấc mơ có thật (True Dream). She is known for her series of musical activities, composed of ballad music, old music, pre-war music since the very beginning of her career in the 2000s.
She was born in Hanoi into a family of singing tradition. As her parents were both singers, she was exposed to her interest in singing at an early age. She enrolled at Ha Noi's University of Culture, studying musical theory. In 2004, she began her professional career by releasing her first album Giấc mơ có thật, which gained much success after 6 years singing in Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh City. She is one of the best-selling singers of all times in Vietnam.
In the late 2000s, she released a series of musical projects that were commercially and critically successful, including albums Lời Yêu Còn Mãi (2006), Lệ Quyên Acoustic (2009), Nếu Như Ngày Đó (2009). Since 2010, she has been releasing special editions of albums following a songwriter theme for each album: Vùng Tóc Nhớ (10 nameless songs of Vũ Thành An, 2014), Còn Trong Kỉ Niệm (Thái Thịnh, 2016), Lệ Quyên & Lam Phương (2016), Lệ Quyên & Trịnh Công Sơn (2018). In 2013, she held the liveshow Q Show, with an 11 billion Vietnam dong budget, the biggest liveshow at that time.
She is well known for her serious, professional devotion in music, and for performing many different genres. She has been called the Queen of Music Tea Room or Queen of Old Songs. She was also a judge of Bolero Idol (2017), Vietnam Idol (2012), X-Factor (2014) and The Voice Vietnam (2015), and also starred in TV drama Bản Lĩnh Người Đẹp (2004), directed by Nguyen Anh Tuan.
Biography She was born in Hanoi as the youngest of 4 siblings. She was born in a family with singing tradition as her parents were both singers, therefore since early ages, she knew how to sing Northern opera (also originally known as chèo). In 7th grade, her family faced crisis so she and her mother moved to Thai Nguyen of where she enrolled at secondary and highschool Luong Ngoc Quyen. Therefore, many assumed that she was from Thai Nguyen but actually she was born and raised in Ha Noi. In 1999, she passed two universities Ha Noi Music Institute and Ha Noi's University of Art. She decided to enroll at Ha Noi's University of Art. In first year, she attended culture exchange among classes and won first prize. It was the only prize and competition that she had ever attended.
At the end of 1999, her teacher discovered her talent so he introduced her to many coffee shops for students located on Cau Giay street. During this time, she was noticed and later invited to perform as well as cover hits from Thu Phuong, Phuong Thanh, Cam Ly, My Le, My Tam by owners of many music tea rooms in Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh City. The album Vol. 1- Giấc Mơ Có Thật which was released in 2004 was a collection of hits: Giấc Mơ Có Thật, Hãy Trả Lời Em, Thôi Đừng Chiêm Bao, Phút Giây Hạnh Phúc, Quên Một Cuộc Tình was successful beyond her expectation.
Lệ Quyên was previously married to Lê Đức Huy in 2011 and has a son named Lê Kỳ Anh. However, in 2020, the couple divorced. She is currently dating Lam Bao Chau, an actor and model, since 2019.
Discography Her professional career officially began in 2002 when she was chosen to sing the theme song from one of the sponsors of SEA Games 22 in Vietnam.
2004: Giấc Mơ Có Thật and unexpected turn Early 2004, she was invited by director Đỗ Thanh Hải to host the show Gala Cười along TV host Thảo Vân but she didn't host as much as singing, even got chance to perform Northern opera – her gifted talent. Also in 2004, she was starred as singer Minh Thuy in 8 episode TV drama Bản Lĩnh Người Đẹp (directed by Nguyễn Anh Tuấn). Besides, she also presented the soundtrack of TV drama Giai Điệu Phố directed by Phạm Hoàng Hà. After Bản Lĩnh Người Đẹp, she was invited to portray leading role of 28 episode TV drama but she denied as she would like to focus on music instead.
In 2004, her agency offered two options: first was to release an album, second was to compete in Sao Mai Điểm Hẹn contest. For being a new face as her, to appear on TV was a big deal of her career, especially Sao Mai Điểm Hẹn 2004 was a hit show at that time. The organization invited her straight to the liveshow night without having to join several elimination rounds. However, she chose to release an album instead in order to prove her name. The album was recorded at Studio Viet Tan, the post-production was proceeded in Ho Chi Minh City.
In middle of 2004, she officially released first studio album – Giấc Mơ Có Thật. The song Hãy Trả Lời Em written by Tuấn Nghĩa won Favorite Song award in Green Wave Awards 2005. All songs of the album were played everywhere since the release date until 2008, as they were continuously played at coffee shops, shopping malls, supermarkets to small restaurants and shops. Despite first album, she already produced many hits: Giấc Mơ Có Thật, Hãy Trả Lời Em, Thôi Đừng Chiêm Bao, Quên Một Cuộc Tình, Phút Giây Hạnh Phúc,...Especially, she was the last singer that enabled to sing foreign songs without having to ask for copyright permission. Sharing about the success beyond expectation, she said: "After listening to all songs in the album, I wonder why did I sing with such a totally unprofessional technique while I could do better. However maybe it's why the audience loved it from me and openly supported me from the very first album".
2005–2007: Mắt Biếc Double and Lời Yêu Còn Mãi In 2005, she collaborated in many albums like Phố Cũ Của Tôi (Tình Khúc Phú Quang) and the song Lãng Đãng Chiều Thu Hà Nội, in Lê Hiếu's Vol. 3 album for the song Con Đường Màu Xanh. On June 16, 2005, she released a duet album featuring Hoàng Thiên Long named Lời Ăn Năn Muộn Màng - Trái Tim Buồn. On September 12, 2006, she invited Tùng Dưong and Tuấn Hiệp for the collaboration of album Mắt Biếc which included plenty of famous love song from Ngô Thụy Miên, Đoàn Chuẩn, Nguyễn Văn Thưởng, Phạm Đình Chương,...This album obtained the highest sale of DIHAVINA.
On January 7, 2007, the second studio album was released as Vol. 2-Lời Yêu Còn Mãi, which included sweet ballad songs however comparing to Giấc Mơ Có Thật, Lời Yêu Còn Mãi was considered to be more diversity as it was written by many songwriters like Tường Vân, Duy Linh, Trương Lê Sơn, Thái Hùng. The album was nicely presented by her unique voice. The album also contained a hit song like the previous album. The song Quay Lại Từ Đầu was also a hit with the slogan of women: " Dung vi chut nhan sac ma den ben em, vi hoa kia roi cung se phai tan" (Don't be with me for my beauty because like flowers, it will eventually die). "Ten songs of the album was from different genres as I hoped that this will be the next chapter of Giấc Mơ Có Thật for those who love my voice from the beginning". Lời Yêu Còn Mãi was the first ever CD to have only Vietnamese songs listed according to copyright law.
On June 6, 2007, she finished the album Mắt Biếc featuring Nguyên Thảo and Xuân Phú as they refreshed the old songs. Besides, she was also featured in some albums of her colleagues such as: Chia Tay Người Ơi (Hoàng Thiên Long), Con Đường Màu Xanh (Lê Hiếu), Vì Anh Đánh Mất (Hồ Ngọc Hà), Tình Yêu Thần Thoại (Đan Trường), Như Mùa Thu Qua (Lam Trường).
2008: Như Giấc Chiêm Bao On November 2, 2008, Lệ Quyên and Tuấn Hưng released a duet album named Như Giấc Chiêm Bao. The album blended of "new" and "old" which presented by both. This was a CD with 10 songs, including 4 duet songs and 6 songs that used to be presented by both and well liked by many to the point it was remixed in slower flow. This album was to prove their collaboration and also friendship as in the past Tuấn Hưng used to announce "I love Lệ Quyên" 1 year previously. Tuấn Hưng shared that his love toward Lệ Quyên was more like an admiration between humans, toward her voice and working ethnic. The album helped them become well liked in Vietnam and overseas. Also during this time, it was rumored that they were in love. After months since the release, the album was sold more than 15,000 copies.
2009: Le Quyen Acoustic, Neu Nhu Ngay Do and moving to the South On December 5, 2009, she released the album Lệ Quyên Acoustic produced by Tuan Trinh Production. This was the next product in the series of acoustic CD under Audiophile format produced by Tuan Trinh Production. The album was released at the same time as album Vol. 3-Nếu Như Ngày Đó however the audience had chance to listen to another side of hers in Lệ Quyên Acoustic. Being wide known as "Queen of Love songs", her voice links with variety of songs about love. A new feature of this album was firstly started with fresh songs like Một Ngày Tinh Khôi, Mưa Ngâu. The main song was Mãi Mãi Bên Em written by Jimmi Nguyễn which used to be nominated at 16th Grammy Awards. This album again showed her powerful yet soft, sophisticated and colorful voice. She had been wishing to release this album in the vinyl format as a desire to recover vinyl. In the liveshow of Bài Hát Tôi Yêu, her performance of Giấc Mơ Mùa Thu was highly complimented as to be the most excellent performance of the liveshow.
Nếu Như Ngày Đó as the third album was released on December 5, 2009, it was also an official introduction to the audience of Ho Chi Minh City, after she had decided to move to Ho Chi Minh City. She was in charge of editing and producing ten songs from various songwriters such as: Hoàng Nhã, Lê Anh Dũng, Hạ Quang Minh, Trương Lê Sơn, Tuấn Nghĩa, Từ Huy, Minh Nhiên, Tường Vân and Quang Mẫn. The remix was done by Tấn Phong, Huỳnh Nhật Tân and Thanh Phương. The album again stated her choice of concept for the album herself: pop ballad songs are well blended with experiences in love, happiness and life. Alongside her powerful voice is her great decision in choosing songs, she was excited and confident to introduce her first album. Nếu Như Ngày Đó, Lầm Lỡ, Tha Thứ Cho Em, Tình Không Như Là Mơ were four of ten songs which later became hits, it's why she put much hope in these four songs as she had gone through emotional time recording them previously. She shared "it's like seeing myself in each song, the most personal feeling that I have been keeping for myself is now widely shared in my own musical space of the album". She said "I love using the term "The lady who sings love songs". If people say we all have 60 years to live in this life, I must say that I have passed half of them already. When I was younger, I tended to think a lot about the past. I have been going through lots of stages of emotion to see myself as a woman. Everyone is free to assume what I'm saying about being a woman". The album Nếu Như Ngày Đó marked her big turn in life as well as her music which was challenging but also contained lots of new hopes. She was trying to overcome first difficulties to stabilize and adapt the flow of the city. Nếu Như Ngày Đó was the opening for the same titled project later. Right after the release of the album, she and her crew continued to generate the project as a series of introducing and releasing the albums professionally across Vietnam and oversea even. Meanwhile, the song Lầm Lỡ was chosen to be the soundtrack of TV drama Nữ Tù Nhân on VTV3 channel.
2010: Khuc Tinh Xua and excessive success with Bolero On August 27, 2010, she held a press conference to introduce her special album Khúc Tình Xưa as a collection of famous songs of the past. The album included 12 songs such as Mưa Nửa Đêm, Tình Lỡ, Hàn Mạc Tử, Sầu Lẻ Bóng,...which was edited by herself. She shared that she had been thinking about a collection of old songs since the beginning of career but at that time, she wasn't experienced as well as sophisticated enough to present this genre.