J!-ENT’s Dennis A. Amith interviews Andy Quach (Web Version) (J!-ENT Interviews and Articles)

    

He has come a long way since his musical debut, but Andy Quach has matured and has become one of the biggest VPOP stars that is based in the United States.

From his exciting, beat-driven dance tracks “Hua – Promise” and “Em Da Quen – Forgotten” or belting out romantic ballads such as “Nho – Missing You” and “De Em Ra Di – Letting You Go”, the pop star has shown how much he has evolved as a music artist but also a businessman with AQ Entertainment.

And for his upcoming duet album, the singer teams up with AQ Entertainment’s newest star, Ngo Nhu Thuy for “Forever Love”.

J!-ENT recently had the opportunity to interview Andy Quach regarding his musical career and also his upcoming album.

Download the Interactive PDF version of the interview

Before we get into discussions about your music, let’s get to know more about you.  Reading your bio, you were born in Saigon, Vietnam.   You are now living in the US but having visited Vietnam, what do you miss the most each time you come back to the US?       
ANDY:  Well to be honest, I left Vietnam at a very young age. I’ve been back to visit only three times, so I don’t really know much about Vietnam. But, if I have to pick what I miss most, I’d say the food.

What kind of person were you back in high school?  The party guy?  The Musician? Artist?  Athlete?       
ANDY:  Athlete. Because I loved to play soccer & basketball.  I was one of the high school all-stars for soccer.

Who did you listen to a lot when growing up?      
ANDY:  At a young age, I listened to the Four Kings of Hong Kong (Jacky Cheung, Andy Lau, Leon Lai and Aaron Kwok). Once I got older, I focused more on K-Pop artists like Bi-Rain and Seven.

If I was to look into your MP3/CD player right now, which artist or song would you be listening to at this moment?     
ANDY:  Ne-yo.  Because I love his voice and songs.  Most importantly, his song writing skills are really inspiring.

While growing up, at what age did you know that you wanted to pursue music as a career?    
ANDY:  At age 20.  That was when I joined a local band and started to believe that I could make it professionally.  But then again, even with talent and hard work, we still need a lot of blessing, so I thank God for granting me my 21st Birthday’s wish of becoming a professional singer.

Let’s talk about your music.  Back in 2007, you released your debut album “K.O.”.   Every first album is a learning experience.  When you look back on your first album, what memories come to mind?    
ANDY:  Well,  the “K.O.” album was a special and really good learning experience for me. It was my first solo album.  After splitting with Vpop (a boy band that Andy was a member of), I decided to go a different route, which was Hip-hop & R&B.  At that time, Hip-hop and R&B were still very rare in our Vietnamese music. But, I followed my heart and took a chance. It paid off.  After my “K.O.” album, I was established as one of the first Vietnamese Hip-hop & R&B artists.

You had a solid collaboration with Cat Tien on that album, you also worked with Linda Chou.  Musically, what was it like to work with these two talented individuals?   
ANDY:  It was really wonderful working with them. We had great chemistry musically due to our close friendships.  In addition, Cat Tien and I used to be together, so our hit songs were about our break up, and you know fans always love painful break up songs.  A broken heart is something that almost all of us could relate to. As artists, we have to be willing to be transparent with the matter of the heart sometimes.  As for Linda Chou, she’s like my little sister.  I introduced her to Vietnamese Music industry.  She knew very little Vietnamese in the beginning, because it wasn’t her first language. But, she’s always been very talented, hardworking and a fast learner.  Therefore, she picked up the language quite quickly. I really enjoyed working with her.  Seeing her establishing herself as a well known artist makes me very proud.

In 2008, you released your second album “Showtime”.  It featured a good number of Asian pop songs rewritten in Vietnamese. But it was also an album that people criticized because they wanted to see more originality from you as a musical artist.  Was this part of the reason why you made a switch to a new label to achieve creative freedom?
ANDY:  Yes, that was a big reason to why I made that switch.  The first two albums, “K.O.” & “Showtime” , were produced by Van Son Entertainment, one of the big labels that I signed with at the time.  I was still very new to the industry, still learning and especially still being controlled by the label.  And even though those two albums helped establish my name, it also made me realized that I needed to make a transition from being just a performer to being an artist. At this time, I really started to understand the difference between a performer and an artist.  So I stepped up my game by writing my own songs and getting ready to produce original material to build up the artist side of me.  When my contract was fulfilled, it was an easy call for me to make that move—for the sake of complete creative freedom. That was how AQ Entertainment was born.

In 2010, your album “AQ3” was released.  Let’s first discuss the move to AQ Entertainment and you starting your own label.  How difficult was that for you?
ANDY:  It was an easy call for me to go independent and have my own label.  I wanted full creative freedom, and followed my vision, which is raising VPOP to the next level.  But, as to any new and meaningful ventures, it’s extremely hard to be on my own with new label. Nothing is easy especially when we want to make a difference in this business.  I can tell a lot of people don’t believe in my goals and vision, which is okay. It takes time and perseverance to instill belief, of which I am willing to invest. Thankfully, my family, friends and especially my entire AQ Entertainment team always push me, keep me on track, and keep things moving forward. When the glass feels half empty, it’s good to be reminded that it’s actually half full.  “Teamwork makes dream work” .

Your music for “AQ3” focused on originality, what was the experience of working on this album?
ANDY:  It was a huge challenge. We had to prepare for an entire year, which is quite rare for a Vietnamese album. From writing, instrumental productions, hours and hours of studio time, making music videos, working out seven days a week to get the magnificent physique. (Laughing) The entire team worked really hard on it, because we all believed that when “AQ3” dropped, AQ Entertainment would be represented as a label for new music and  Andy Quach would be re-introduced as an artist, not just a performer. So, it was the making-a-statement album, and thank God our hard work didn’t go unnoticed.

The production quality for the album was very good and the collaboration with Huynh Nhat Tan and rapper Thai Foon was also great.  What was it like working with these two?   
ANDY:  Mr. Huynh Nhat Tan is considered a big brother to me. He took me in and guided me through this arduous musical path ever since I got into the business.  In my heart, I believe he’s the best producer; therefore, all my albums were executive produced by him.  There would be no AQ  (Andy Quach) today if it wasn’t for him.  As for Thai Foon, hands down, he’s a talented rapper. I love the fact that whenever I gave him different tracks to write to, he’d always come back with multiple artistic flavors to compliment them.  Besides Mr. Huynh Nhat Tan and Thai Foon, I have to give credit to my other teammates as well.  My god-brother & co-founder of AQ Entertainment, Vinny Vo.  If it wasn’t for his influence, his vision and his advice, AQ Entertainment wouldn’t even exist.  Mic Vo & Timothy Wynn from FCI (First Class International), Long & Bill from Possessed Beats and Liby V for making me crazy beats. In addition, thanks to two
other rappers who go by the names of Higher and Vanity for their beautiful flows.  Kevin Dinh for his amazing artwork.  Last but not least, my little god-sister, Thao Nguyen, for being there for me from day one and for always lending me her ears whenever I needed to vent.

After “AQ3”, you released the compilation album “Chinese Melodies” and a remix album “Play Me”.   First, let’s discuss “Chinese Melodies”, how did you become interested in Chinese music and what was your concept for this album?  
ANDY:  That’s a great question. I’m both Vietnamese/Chinese, so Chinese music was also a major part of my growing up.  I knew that a lot of our older Vietnamese audience are familiar with and love those classic Chinese love songs.  So, I thought I should show my appreciation and do something for these particular fans, while showing my Chinese side through the half Viet & half Chinese songs in the  “Chinese Melodies” album.  And the other meaningful incentive is that the album covers most of my and my parents’ favorite Chinese love songs.  It was also dedicated to my parents. It still is their most favorite album by me (smile).  So as you can see, I had great and wonderful reasons to do this project, as a performer.

And for “Play Me”, what was it like to make your first remix album and what talent was involved for the remixes?  
ANDY:  As for “Play Me”, that was simple because it’s a remix album of all my top hit songs.  I just wanted to reintroduce them in a new and dancing light. I purposely chose the title “Play Me” to keep it fun.  It’s just a playful project dedicated to the fans who prefer to dance and go crazy a bit before the stress get them crazy, opposite of the “Chinese Melodies” album so to speak.  In terms of talent, I had young producers from Vietnam Trung Hieu, Europe Jay Wang and our own AQ Entertainment producers FCI, Possessed Beats & Liby V to add their own flavor, creativitity and perspective. Also, a great chance for us all to connect internationally through music.

In 2012, you released “Crossroads”.  Two years in the making… What was the biggest difference in the making of this album versus “AQ3”?   
ANDY:  For every album, we always aim to raise the bar or take it to the next level. And because music always evolves with time, we want every album to be better than the last.  The difference between the two albums was the combination of everything from the beats, the songs, the production, and especially the direction.  For the beats, we had more producers for “CrossRoads.”  I believe my song writing skill had improved by then, therefore the material sounded more mainstream. So the challenge was and is always about giving the fans what’s now—the sound of now. Cannot come out with new albums and only have old material on them all the time—sometimes is okay due to the nature of our industry, but not all the time.  As mentioned, at some point, after much soul searching, I have to make a decision to transition from being a performer to being an artist by promoting originality. It’s not an easy decision, matter of fact it’s extremely hard in our industry and I understand it’s not for everyone. Therefore, I feel completely blessed to be able to transition into that artist side of me—becoming that true me.

I have to say that “Hua – Promise” was an exciting, upbeat track and your live performance and music video definitely showcased a good amount of choreography. But I’m curious about the song, how long did it take you to create and also for you and the dancers to get the choreography down?   
ANDY:  Yes I agree, this song was pretty interesting. I heard this song in my sleep, then popped up and finished writing the song within an hour. I knew it would be a hit, so I went ahead and released it before the album was even out.  We also shot a music video for it and it was quite a big production that we put in.  The challenge was the dancing. It’s a cool hip-hop song, so I had to dance.  And as you all know, I’m not a dancer. But thanks to Christopher Cuenza for his awesome choreography and extra sessions, I was able to get all the moves down.  So the whole process took about 2-3 weeks.  I consider this track as one of my top five hit songs. I even got to perform it in Vietnam on a very special big live show. Loving it so much, I even released a remix version of it.  You can find it on my youtube channel www.youtube.com/andyquachmusic.

I noticed a big difference in the production quality of your music videos from “Hua – Promise”, “Em Da Quen – Forgotten” and “De Em Ra Di – Letting You Go”.  With many artists, they leave it up to the director to come up with the video but with your music videos, do you have creative input?   
ANDY:  Since it’s important for me to have control over my own artistic image, I got involved from beginning to the end of every project.  For all the songs that I wrote, I always pictured myself in the storylines, so most of the ideas and concepts for the videos always started with me, then the director added on his input and vision.

In the making of “Crossroads”, what was the most challenging song to make in the album and why? 
ANDY:  I have to say “Hua – Promise” because of the big production that we put in.  It was financially and time consuming. But the effort was worth it because we all knew it would be a hit.

Your upcoming album to be released this year is “Forever Love.”  Can you tell us more about this album and what can fans expect?
ANDY:  The “Forever Love” album is a very special album for me and Ngo Nhu Thuy, our newly signed artist with AQ Entertainment.  It will be my very first duet album and it’s the first debut for her as well.  With this album, fans get to hear and see a softer side of me due to a good number of ballads.  It’s a different approach compared to all my solo albums; this will be more fitting and suitable for fans of all ages.

With the creative freedom you have as a music artist, what is your approach to how you deal with music now.  Are you a perfectionist when it comes to the lyrics or sound of your music?
ANDY:  Yes, I’m a perfectionist, and that’s why all of my albums take longer to be released.  I have to pick the right lyrics, the right sound and especially the right flavor for me and the fans.  Sometimes I frustrate people in my team just because of the details in every little thing. Not because I am being difficult, but more along the line of my love and respect for the art.  But thanks to their patience, hard work, and especially their understanding that my goal is to produce the best material for our fans. The fans deserve the best from me, individually, and from our team, collectively.

For the music video “Forever Love”, you introduce Ngo Nhu Thuy.  A stylish music video and a song with cool beats and a pretty solid duet.  I noticed that there are a few songs on the upcoming album in which you are working with Ngo Nhu Thuy.   How was the music collaboration between the two of you?   
ANDY:  As I mentioned, Ngo Nhu Thuy is our new artist, so I took her under my wings and tried to guide her with the best of my ability.  I know if she’s presented in the right light, then she will make the AQ Entertainment family look good and vice versa. Her musical direction is a new challenge for me as well, because in addition to being an artist myself, I have to take on the role of a producer.  So far, everything has gone well and I’m really happy with her progress.

As 2014 is around the corner, with the new album coming out, seeing how
your career has progressed since your first album, what is the biggest difference between Andy Quach now versus the Andy Quach when you released your first album?  And what has been the biggest learning experience you have learned overtime of being a pop star?
ANDY:  The biggest difference between the AQ back then and the AQ now is wisdom and maturity.  Time has taught me to be patient, work hard, keep pushing the bar, never give up, gotta have love and respect, and above all, stay humble.

Let’s get to know more about you outside of the music industry, what are your interests or hobbies?
ANDY:  Outside of the music industry, I’m just like any other regular guy.  I love sports, video games, movies and enjoy having dinner with my friends.

If you have one word to describe yourself, what word would that be and why?
ANDY:  “Fighter” because I don’t quit.

In my interviews we do a fun fill in the blank rapid question, I’m going to give you five sentences and you fill in the blank:

a.  Each time I go to Vietnam, the food that I always have to eat is ________.
ANDY:  Pho

b.  I love to see the audience’s reaction when I perform _________.
ANDY:  My new songs

c.  The last movie I watched in the theater was __________.
ANDY:  “World War Z”

d.  The music video that I really enjoyed filming was ___________.
ANDY:  “Hua – Promise”

e.  If I have to share a guilty pleasure that my fans do not know about, it would be___________.
ANDY:  Playing a video game late at night. That is my relaxing time.

I know you have a few projects lined up to promote your upcoming album.  What projects or events would you like to plug?
ANDY:  Since my new duet album “Forever Love” has just released, we have plans to go on tour to promote the album.  Our first stop will be in Sacramento on Oct. 18th and more will follow.  So I hope that all my fans will come out, support, and get to hear me & Ngo Nhu Thuy perform live all the new songs from the album.

What would you like to say to your fans?
ANDY:  For this, I would like to address my fans directly. I like to thank every one of you from all over the world for your love, support and acceptance through all the past years and the years to come. Out of appreciation, I promise I’ll keep on fighting and improving to give you my absolute best.  AQ & AQ Entertainment will not disappoint you if great and original music is what you’re expecting.

Lastly, I would like to thank J!-ENT for giving me a chance to connect with all my fans, Vietnamese and non Vietnamese alike.  From my heart, I appreciate you!

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Photography by Kevin Dinh