promqueen is a queer Vietnamese American pop artist born near Dallas who now finds herself in Austin. As a musician, promqueen draws inspiration from her experiences growing up within a Vietnamese immigrant family in a predominantly white neighborhood. Through her music, she invites listeners on a journey of self-discovery and reflection. promqueen flows between Vietnamese and English lyrics, transforming stories passed from her family into songs of her own
Her name, promqueen, is a play on traditional prom culture and the pressure to conform to beauty standards. This queen, however, has been using the term as a form of self empowerment and personal expression, both of which are predominant themes in her music. Working with executive producer, collaborator and co-manager, waverly, the duo are on a mission to educate and amplify Southeast Asian voices.
In June 2023, they dropped promqueen’s debut EP ‘szn one,’ which describes her Asian American experience and her pride in herself and her culture. promqueen celebrated ‘szn one’ with an actual prom, featuring a live performance, prom portrait photo booth, and thrift store prom outfits. Now she gears up for ‘szn two’ with another prom on July 13th.
promqueen is more than a musician. She also serves as Community Programs Coordinator for the Austin Asian American Film Festival and produces events for AAPI spaces. And through her music, promqueen hopes fellow Vietnamese Americans feel proud of their heritage and feel a sense of belonging.
May this queen’s reign never end.
promqueen in KUTX Studio 1A
Date: 5.1.24
Set List:
“pov”
“hungry”
“mountain”
Album: szn two (mHart 2024)
Musicians: promqueen – vocals; Menjam Temang, Angelina De Leon – dancers; waverly – producer; Ellena Martinez – set design
Credits: Producer: Deidre Gott; Audio Engineer: Jake Perlman, Rene Chavez; Audio Mix: Rene Chavez; Cameras: Renee Dominguez, Deborah Cannon, Isak Koteki, Patricia Lim; Edit Deborah Cannon
