Rather than sing love ballads as others in her country do, Sochetra Varney writes lyrics about domestic violence and poverty.
Lately, she’s softened her sound, but the empowering messages from Cambodia’s leading lady of punk still pack a powerful punch.
Sochetra Vartey (centre) is the lead singer of Vartey Ganiva. Arone Silverman (left) is on guitar, Jesse Ricketson (center) is on drums, and Damani Kelly is on bass.
CatalaSochetra Vartey (centre) is the lead singer of Vartey Ganiva. Arone Silverman (left) is on guitar, Jesse Ricketson (center) is on drums, and Damani Kelly is on bass.
Entertainment
Inspired by Blondie, Cambodia’s punk rock queen uses music to empower women and challenge old-fashioned views.
Rather than sing love ballads as others in her country do, Sochetra Varney writes lyrics about domestic violence and poverty. She’s softened her sound in Italy, but the empowering messages from Cambodia’s leading punk lady still pack a powerful punch.
Topic |
Music
Marissa Carruth
Published: 1:00 am, 20 Mar 2019
Dressed in an elegant wide-legged jumpsuit, Sochetra Vartey takes off her oversized sunglasses and flashes a broad smile. “I’ve changed my style slightly,” Cambodia’s leading lady of punk rock confesses as she runs her perfectly manicured fingers through her glossy hair, revealing a set of gold hooped earrings. She looks like a picture of glamour, a far cry from the stereotypical image of a female punk.
Her gentle nature and soft tone also contrast with the aggressive female portrayed in the video for Pandey Chiangrai (“Evil Husband”). This hit catapulted her to fame in 2017. “I wanted to do something different with my music,” she says. “Something people in Cambodia aren’t used to; something that would make them listen.”
And Varney is no diva. She shuns the bright lights of Phnom Penh for life in the provinces. She lives in the small village of Prek Lvea in Kandal province, about an hour from the capital, where she grew up.
Sochetra Vartey (centre) is the lead singer of Vartey Ganiva. Arone Silverman (left) is on guitar, andr one Silverman (left) is on guitar. Jesse Ricketson (center)is on the drum, and Damani Kelly is on the bass. Photo: Enric Catala
Entertainment
Inspired by Blondie, Cambodia’s punk rock queen uses music to empower women and challenge old-fashioned views.
Rather than sing love ballads as others in her country do, Sochetra Varney writes lyrics about domestic violence and poverty.
Lately, she’s softened her sound, but the empowering messages from Cambodia’s leading lady of punk still pack a powerful punch.
Topic |
Music
Marissa Carruthers
Published: 1:00 am, 20 Mar 2019
Dressed in an elegant wide-legged jumpsuit, Sochetra Vartey takes off her oversized sunglasses and flashes a broad smile. “I’ve changed my style slightly,” Cambodia’s leading lady of punk rock confesses as she runs her perfectly manicured fingers through her glossy hair, revealing a set of gold hooped earrings.
She looks like a picture of glamour, a far cry from the stereotypical image of a female punk. Her gentle nature and soft tone also contrast with the aggressive female portrayed in the video for Pandey Chiangrai (“Evil Husband”), the hit that catapulted her to fame in 2017.
“I wanted to do something different with my music,” she says. “Something people in Cambodia aren’t used to; something that would make them listen.”
And Varney is no diva. She shuns the bright lights of Phnom Penh for life in the provinces. She lives in the small village of Prek Lvea in Kandal province, about an hour from the capital, where she grew up.
“Phnom Penh is too loud. There is too much traffic and pollution. I love my province,” she says. “I have a big garden and animals, so I’m cool. I don’t want to live in the city.”
Varney harbored a passion for music from a young age. Inspired by her mother, who wrote poetry and song lyrics, the 25-year-old recalls a childhood filled with the sounds of upbeat Cambodian rock’ n’ roll from icons of the 1950s and ’60s, such as Sinn Sisamouth and Ros Sereysothea.
Sochetra Vartey (centre) is the lead singer of Vartey Ganiva. Arone Silverman (left) is on guitar, Jesse Ricketson (center) is on drums, and Damani Kelly is on bass. Photo: Enric CatalaSochetra Vartey (centre) is the lead singer of Vartey Ganiva. Arone Silverman (left) is on guitar, Jesse Ricketson (center) is on drums, and Damani Kelly is on bass. Photo: Enric Catala
Entertainment
Inspired by Blondie, Cambodia’s punk rock queen uses music to empower women and challenge old-fashioned views.
Rather than sing love ballads as others in her country do, Sochetra Varney writes lyrics about domestic violence and poverty.
Lately, she’s softened her sound, but the empowering messages from Cambodia’s leading lady of punk still pack a powerful punch.
Topic
Music
Marissa Carruthers
Published: 1:00 am, 20 Mar 2019
Dressed in an elegant wide-legged jumpsuit, Sochetra Vartey takes off her oversized sunglasses and flashes a broad smile. “I’ve changed my style slightly,” Cambodia’s leading lady of punk rock confesses as she runs her perfectly manicured fingers through her glossy hair, revealing a set of gold hooped earrings.
She looks like a picture of glamour, a far cry from the stereotypical image of a female punk. Her gentle nature and soft tone also contrast with the aggressive female portrayed in the video for Pandey Chiangrai (“Evil Husband”), the hit that catapulted her to fame in 2017. “I wanted to do something different with my music,” she says. “Something people in Cambodia aren’t used to; something that would make them listen.”
And Varney is no diva. She shuns the bright lights of Phnom Penh for life in the provinces. She lives in the small village of Prek Lvea in Kandal province, about an hour from the capital, where she grew up.
“Phnom Penh is too loud. There is too much traffic and pollution. I love my province,” she says. “I have a big garden and animals, so I’m cool. I don’t want to live in the city.”
Varney harbored a passion for music from a young age. Inspired by her mother, who wrote poetry and song lyrics, the 25-year-old recalls a childhood filled with the sounds of upbeat Cambodian rock’ n’ roll from icons of the 1950s and ’60s, such as Sinn Sisamouth and Ros Sereysothea.
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Phnom Penh is dancing to its beat
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Beyond Phnom Penh’s Russian Market, the hippest neighborhood in the Cambodian capital is full of cafes, bars, and boutiques.
A hipster’s guide to Phnom Penh’s most excellent neighborhood
Read more
Rallying cry: Cambodia’s all-female rock band of ex-garment workers
Rallying cry: Cambodia’s all-female rock band of ex-garment workers
“I always loved music, but I never thought I’d be a singer,” she says; she studied accounting at university and had plans to work at a bank.
As she grew older, Varney became hooked on the powerful pop anthems of Beyoncé and Nicki Minaj, drawn to their strong stage personas. But it wasn’t until the NGO her mum works for launched a music program a couple of years ago that Vartey started seriously tapping into her talents.
In 2016, when her mother fostered Sok Vichy from the NGO, Vartey was introduced to a new genre of music that left her feeling empowered.
Cambodian rock’ n’ roll stars from the 1950s and ’60s, Sinn Sisamouth and Ros Sereysothea.
Cambodian rock’ n’ roll stars from the 1950s and ’60s, Sinn Sisamouth and Ros Sereysothea.
Share:
As lead guitarist of Doch Chae – a death metal outfit born in the Steung Meanchey dumpsite on the capital’s outskirts, where its members spent their childhood collecting waste – Vichy, now 19, asked Vartey to help write lyrics.
“The first time I listened to their music, I had never heard anything like it,” Vartey recalls, adding she had grown tired of Cambodia’s stagnant music scene. The country’s mainstream music is saturated with copycat sounds and sentimental love songs lamenting over unrequited love.
“I would go with the band to all their events, and I loved it. The music has so much passion and power and is very different to anything Cambodians are used to,” she says.
Sochetra Vartey (centre) is the lead singer of Vartey Ganiva. Arone Silverman (left) is on guitar, Jesse Ricketson (center) is on drums, and Damani Kelly is on bass. Photo: Enric CatalaSochetra Vartey (centre) is the lead singer of Vartey Ganiva. Arone Silverman (left) is on guitar, Jesse Ricketson (center) is on drums, and Damani Kelly is on bass. Photo: Enric Catala
Entertainment
Inspired by Blondie, Cambodia’s punk rock queen uses music to empower women and challenge old-fashioned views.
Rather than sing love ballads as others in her country do, Sochetra Varney writes lyrics about domestic violence and poverty.
Lately, she’s softened her sound, but the empowering messages from Cambodia’s leading lady of punk still pack a powerful punch.
Topic |
Music
Marissa Carruthers
Published: 1:00 am, 20 Mar 2019
Dressed in an elegant wide-legged jumpsuit, Sochetra Vartey takes off her oversized sunglasses and flashes a broad smile. “I’ve changed my style slightly,” Cambodia’s leading lady of punk rock confesses as she runs her perfectly manicured fingers through her glossy hair, revealing a set of gold hooped earrings.
She looks like a picture of glamour, a far cry from the stereotypical image of a female punk. Her gentle nature and soft tone also contrast with the aggressive female portrayed in the video for Pandey Chiangrai (“Evil Husband”). This hit catapulted her to fame in 2017.
“I wanted to do something different with my music,” she says. “Something people in Cambodia aren’t used to; something that would make them listen.”
And Varney is no diva. She shuns the bright lights of Phnom Penh for life in the provinces. She lives in the small village of Prek Lvea in Kandal province, about an hour from the capital, where she grew up.
“Phnom Penh is too loud. There is too much traffic and pollution. I love my province,” she says. I have a big garden and my animals, so I’m cool. I don’t want to live in the city.”
Varney harbored a passion for music from a young age. Inspired by her mother, who wrote poetry and song lyrics, the 25-year-old recalls a childhood filled with the sounds of upbeat Cambodian rock’ n’ roll from icons of the 1950s and ’60s, such as Sinn Sisamouth and Ros Sereysothea.
Beyond Phnom Penh’s Russian Market, the hippest neighborhood in the Cambodian capital is full of cafes, bars, and boutiques.
A hipster’s guide to Phnom Penh’s most excellent neighborhood.
Rallying cry: Cambodia’s all-female rock band of ex-garment workers.
“I always loved music, but I never thought I’d be a singer,” she says; she studied accounting at university and had plans to work at a bank.
As she grew older, Varney became hooked on the powerful pop anthems of Beyoncé and Nicki Minaj, drawn to their strong stage personas. But it wasn’t until the NGO her mum works for launched a music program a couple of years ago that Vartey started seriously tapping into her talents.
In 2016, when her mother fostered Sok Vichy from the NGO, Vartey was introduced to a new genre of music that left her feeling empowered.
Cambodian rock’ n’ roll stars from the 1950s and ’60s, Sinn Sisamouth and Ros Sereysothea.
Cambodian rock’ n’ roll stars from the 1950s and ’60s, Sinn Sisamouth and Ros Sereysothea.
Share:
As lead guitarist of Doch Chae—a death metal outfit born in the Steung Meanchey dumpsite on the capital’s outskirts, where its members spent their childhood collecting waste—Vichy, now 19, asked Vartey to help write lyrics.
“The first time I listened to their music, I had never heard anything like it,” Vartey recalls, adding she had grown tired of Cambodia’s stagnant music scene. The country’s mainstream music is saturated with copycat sounds and sentimental love songs lamenting over unrequited love.
“I would go with the band to all their events, and I loved it. The music has so much passion and power and is very different to anything Cambodians are used to,” she says.
The band Doch Chkae perform. Sok Vichy is the lead guitarist. Photo: Steve Porte.
The band Doch Chkae perform. Sok Vichy is the lead guitarist. Photo: Steve Porte
Share:
Doch Chkae asked Vartey to sing for them, but with her vocals unable to hit the roar-ripping, screeching heights the musical genre demands, she decided to seek out her own space.
“I loved the fast pace of death metal and the energy on stage,” she says. “I also wanted to behave like that, but my voice couldn’t scream as I needed it to for metal, so I adapted it to similar stuff that was better for my voice. I love Blondie’s style so much, so I chose more punky sounds.”
In late 2016, the Vartey Geneva band was formed, playing songs that challenge societal norms. Today, it comprises Vartey on vocals, Cambodia-based expat Jesse Ricketson on drums, Damani Kelly on bass, and Arone Silverman on guitar.
Sochetra Vartey (centre) is the lead singer of Vartey Ganiva. Arone Silverman (left) is on guitar, Jesse Ricketson (center)is on drums, and Damani Kellyis on bass. Photo: Enric CatalaSochetra Vartey (centre) is the lead singer of Vartey Ganiva. Arone Silverman (left) is on guitar, Jesse Ricketson (center) is on drums, and Damani Kelly is on bass. Photo: Enric Catala
Entertainment
Inspired by Blondie, Cambodia’s punk rock queen uses music to empower women and challenge old-fashioned views.
Rather than sing love ballads as others in her country do, Sochetra Varney writes lyrics about domestic violence and poverty.
Lately, she’s softened her sound, but the empowering messages from Cambodia’s leading lady of punk still pack a powerful punch.
Topic |
Music
Dressed in an elegant wide-legged jumpsuit, Sochetra Vartey takes off her oversized sunglasses and flashes a broad smile. “I’ve changed my style slightly,” Cambodia’s leading lady of punk rock confesses as she runs her perfectly manicured fingers through her glossy hair, revealing a set of gold hooped earrings.
She looks like a picture of glamour, a far cry from the stereotypical image of a female punk. Her gentle nature and soft tone also contrast with the aggressive female portrayed in the video for Pandey Chiangrai (“Evil Husband”), the hit that catapulted her to fame in 2017.
“I wanted to do something different with my music,” she says. “Something people in Cambodia aren’t used to; something that would make them listen.”
And Varney is no diva. She shuns the bright lights of Phnom Penh for life in the provinces. She lives in the small village of Prek Lvea in Kandal province, about an hour from the capital, where she grew up.
“Phnom Penh is too loud. There is too much traffic and pollution. I love my province,” she says. “I have a big garden and animals, so I’m cool. I don’t want to live in the city.”
Varney harbored a passion for music from a young age. Inspired by her mother, who wrote poetry and song lyrics, the 25-year-old recalls a childhood filled with the sounds of upbeat Cambodian rock’ n’ roll from icons of the 1950s and ’60s, such as Sinn Sisamouth and Ros Sereysothea.
SUBSCRIBE TO POST MAGAZINE
Get updates directly to your inbox
your email
SUBMIT: You agree to our T&C and Privacy Policy by registering for these newsletters.
Phnom Penh is dancing to its beat
Read m
Beyond Phnom Penh’s Russian Market, the hippest neighborhood in the Cambodian capital is full of cafes, bars, and boutiques.
A hipster’s guide to Phnom Penh’s most excellent neighborhood
Read more
Rallying cry: Cambodia’s all-female rock band of ex-garment workers
Rallying cry: Cambodia’s all-female rock band of ex-garment workers
“I always loved music, but I never thought I’d be a singer,” she says; she studied accounting at university and had plans to work at a bank.
As she grew older, Varney became hooked on the powerful pop anthems of Beyoncé and Nicki Minaj, drawn to their strong stage personas. But it wasn’t until the NGO her mum works for launched a music program a couple of years ago that Vartey started seriously tapping into her talents.
In 2016, when her mother fostered Sok Vichy from the NGO, Vartey was introduced to a new genre of music that left her feeling empowered.
Cambodian rock’ n’ roll stars from the 1950s and ’60s, Sinn Sisamouth and Ros Sereysothea.
Cambodian rock’ n’ roll stars from the 1950s and ’60s, Sinn Sisamouth and Ros Sereysothea.
Share:
As lead guitarist of Doch Chae – a death metal outfit born in the Steung Meanchey dumpsite on the capital’s outskirts, where its members spent their childhood collecting waste – Vichy, now 19, asked for Vartey to help write lyrics.
“The first time I listened to their music, I had never heard anything like it,” Vartey recalls, adding she had grown tired of Cambodia’s stagnant music scene. The country’s mainstream music is saturated with copycat sounds and sentimental love songs lamenting over unrequited love.
“I would go with the band to all their events, and I loved it. The music has so much passion and power and is very different to anything Cambodians are used to,” she says.
The band Doch Chkae perform. Sok Vichy is the lead guitarist. Photo: Steve Porte
The band Doch Chkae perform. Sok Vichy is the lead guitarist. Photo: Steve Porte
Share:
Doch Chkae asked Vartey to sing for them, but with her vocals unable to hit the roar-ripping, screeching heights the musical genre demands, she decided to seek out her own space.
“I loved the fast pace of death metal and the energy on stage,” she says. “I also wanted to behave like that, but my voice couldn’t scream as I needed it to for metal, so I adapted it to similar stuff that was better for my voice. I love Blondie’s style so much, so I chose more punky sounds.”
In late 2016, the Vartey Geneva band was formed, playing songs that challenge societal norms. Today, it comprises Vartey on vocals, Cambodia-based expat- Jesse Ricketson on drums, Damani Kelly on bass, and Arone Silverman on guitar.
Looking over Kandal province in Cambodia. Photo: Alamy
Looking over Kandal province in Cambodia. Photo: Alamy
Share:
Instead of writing about yearning for love or grieving for a lost lover, she wrote empowering lyrics that tackle issues such as poverty and domestic violence and proclaim feminist messages.
“In Cambodia, it is mostly love-related pop songs. My team and I said we wanted to change something in Cambodia through music,” she says.
As she listened to couples in her neighborhood arguing, Vartey penned the lyrics for Evil Husband. The heady hit tackles the issue of domestic abuse, which is rife across the country. A report by four UN agencies for which 2,000 Cambodian men were interviewed found one in five had attempted or committed violence against women, including rape.
Cambodia’s golden age of rock is revisited. In the song, Varney slams a layabout husband who wastes his days drinking, bingeing on drugs, and sleeping with other women.
“My neighbors and relatives have suffered violence in their family,” says Varney, her passion mounting as she talks about her ultimate aim of empowering other women.
“I see women feeling powerless and apologizing to the man who has punished them when they have done nothing wrong. I want to encourage women to step up and say we can also be leaders, and we are equally important.”
Sochetra Vartey (centre) is the lead singer of Vartey Ganiva. Arone Silverman (left) is on guitar, Jesse Ricketson (center)is on drums, and Damani Kellyis on bass. Photo: Enric CatalaSochetra Vartey (centre) is the lead singer of Vartey Ganiva. Arone Silverman (left) is on guitar, Jesse Ricketson (center)is on drums, and Damani Kellyis on bass. Photo: Enric Catala
Entertainment
Inspired by Blondie, Cambodia’s punk rock queen uses music to empower women and challenge old-fashioned views.
Rather than sing love ballads as others in her country do, Sochetra Varney writes lyrics about domestic violence and poverty.
Lately, she’s softened her sound, but the empowering messages from Cambodia’s leading lady of punk still pack a powerful punch.
Topic |
Music
Marissa Carruthers
Marissa Carruthers
Published: 1:00 am, 20 Mar 2019
Dressed in an elegant wide-legged jumpsuit, Sochetra Vartey takes off her oversized sunglasses and flashes a broad smile. “I’ve changed my style slightly,” Cambodia’s leading lady of punk rock confesses as she runs her perfectly manicured fingers through her glossy hair, revealing a set of gold hooped earrings.
She looks like a picture of glamour, a far cry from the stereotypical image of a female punk. Her gentle nature and soft tone also contrast with the aggressive female portrayed in the video for Pandey Chiangrai (“Evil Husband”). This hit catapulted her to fame in 2017.
“I wanted to do something different with my music,” she says. “Something people in Cambodia aren’t used to; something that would make them listen.”
And Varney is no diva. She shuns the bright lights of Phnom Penh for life in the provinces. She lives in the small village of Prek Lvea in Kandal province, about an hour from the capital, where she grew up.
“Phnom Penh is too loud. Thereise too much traffic and pollution. I love my province,” she says. “I have a big garden and animals, so I’m cool. I don’t want to live in the city.”
Varney harbored a passion for music from a young age. Inspired by her mother, who wrote poetry and song lyrics, the 25-year-old recalls a childhood filled with the sounds of upbeat Cambodian rock’ n’ roll from icons of the 1950s and ’60s, such as Sinn Sisamouth and Sereysothea.
Beyond Phnom Penh’s Russian Market, the hippest neighborhood in the Cambodian capital is full of cafes, bars, and boutiques.
A hipster’s guide to Phnom Penh’s coolest neighborhood
Read more
Rallying cry: Cambodia’s all-female rock band of ex-garment workers
Rallying cry: Cambodia’s all-female rock band of ex-garment workers
“I always loved music, but I never thought I’d be a singer,” she says; she studied accounting at university and had plans to work at a bank.
As she grew older, Varney became hooked on the powerful pop anthems of Beyoncé and Nicki Minaj, drawn to their strong stage personas. But it wasn’t until the NGO her mum works for launched a music program a couple of years ago that Vartey started seriously tapping into her talents.
In 2016, when her mother fostered Sok Vichy from the NGO, Vartey was introduced to a new genre of music that left her feeling empowered.
Cambodian rock’ n’ roll stars from the 1950s and ’60s, Sinn Sisamouth and Ros Sereysothea.
Cambodian rock’ n’ roll stars from the 1950s and ’60s, Sinn Sisamouth and Ros Sereysothea.
Share:
As lead guitarist of Doch Chae – a death metal outfit born in the Steung Meanchey dumpsite on the capital’s outskirts, where its members spent their childhood collecting waste – Vichy, now 19, asked for Vartey to help write lyrics.
“The first time I listened to their music, I had never heard anything like it,” Vartey recalls, adding she had grown tired of Cambodia’s stagnant music scene. The country’s mainstream music is saturated with copycat sounds and sentimental love songs lamenting over unrequited love.
“I would go with the band to all their events, and I loved it. The music has so much passion and power and is very different to anything Cambodians are used to,” she says.
The band Doch Chkae perform. Sok Vichy is the lead guitarist. Photo: Steve Porte
The band Doch Chkae perform. Sok Vichy is the lead guitarist. Photo: Steve Porte
Share:
Doch Chkae asked Vartey to sing for them, but with her vocals unable to hit the roar-ripping, screeching heights the musical genre demands, she decided to seek out her own space.
“I loved the fast pace of death metal and the energy on stage,” she says. “I also wanted to behave like that, but my voice couldn’t scream as I needed it to for metal, so I adapted it to similar stuff that was better for my voice. I love Blondie’s style so much, so I chose more punky sounds.”
In late 2016, the Vartey Geneva band was formed, playing songs that challenge societal norms. Today, it comprises Vartey on vocals, Cambodia-based expat Jesse Ricketson on drums, Damani Kelly on bass, and Arone Silverman on guitar.
Looking over Kandal province in Cambodia. Photo: Alamy
Looking over Kandal province in Cambodia. Photo: Alamy
Share:
Instead of writing about yearning for love or grieving for a lost lover, she wrote empowering lyrics that tackle issues such as poverty and domestic violence and proclaim feminist messages.
“In Cambodia, it is mostly love-related pop songs. My team and I said we wanted to change something in Cambodia through music,” she says.
As she listened to couples in her neighborhood arguing, Vartey penned the lyrics for Evil Husband. The heady hit tackles the issue of domestic abuse, which is rife across the country. A report by four UN agencies for which 2,000 Cambodian men were interviewed found one in five had attempted or committed violence against women, including rape.
Cambodia’s golden age of rock revisited. Varney slams a layabout husband who wastes his days drinking, bingeing on drugs, and sleeping with other women in the song.
“My neighbors and relatives have suffered violence in their family,” says Varney, her passion mounting as she talks about her ultimate aim of empowering other women.
“I see women feeling powerless and apologizing to the man who has punished them when they have done nothing wrong. I want to encourage women to step up and say we can also be leaders, and we are equally important.”
Varney grew up loving music but never thought she would be a singer. Photo: Enric Catala
Varney grew up loving music but never thought she would be a singer. Photo: Enric Catala
Share:
Varney faced criticism for daring to challenge the norms of what is still a conservative society.
“When I first started, many locals hated my music. Cambodian people are used to popping and love songs or old-style rock’ n’ roll. When they hear my lyrics, they aren’t used to it. I curse men. They ask me, ‘How can you curse the man?’ In Khmer culture, a woman should be gentle and soft, not strong. I want to use my music to educate women and me in Cambodia.”
For all the criticism, Vartey found a fan base and received the feedback she wanted.
I want to work with the next generation of teenagers to start their music and try to change the music industry.
Sochetra Vartey
“Many women said they felt inspired. Some messaged me to say they would play my song to their husbands when they came home late at night,” she says with a cheeky grin. “My lyrics are based on what I see around me, what happens daily in Cambodia, and issues that need to be addressed.”
After embracing the punk scene, Vartey has decided to soften her style. While sticking to her feminist punk roots, her new material is gentler and more accessible to a mainstream audience – where she says her message will have the most impact. She is penning her debut album and hopes to embark on a tour of Cambodia next year.
“We want more people listening to our message,” she says. She has injected more funky beats into her sound while using her lyrics to address controversial topics. “We’re more punk-pop or funk-rock now,” she says.
The Cambodian singer who kept the ’60s rocking around the world.
As part of her mission to shake up attitudes in Cambodia, Varney is also part of a collective of musicians who run Yab Moung Records – the country’s first alternative music record label– nurturing Cambodia’s burgeoning punk and metal scene.
Located in Prek Lvea, the studio also welcomes poor local children who want to master music. Varney has teamed up with the NGO Moms Against Poverty in Cambodia to teach youngsters to sing, play instruments, and form bands.
“I want to work with the next generation of teenagers to start their music. I want to try and change the music industry and encourage people to find their style,” she says.
Sochetra Vartey (centre) is the lead singer of Vartey Ganiva. Arone Silverman (left) is on guitar, Jesse Ricketson (center) is on drums, and Damani Kelly is on bass. Photo: Enric CatalaSochetra Vartey (centre) is the lead singer of Vartey Ganiva. Arone Silverman (left) is on guitar, Jesse Ricketson (center) is on drums, and Damani Kelly is on bass. Photo: Enric Catala
Entertainment
Inspired by Blondie, Cambodia’s punk rock queen uses music to empower women and challenge old-fashioned views.
Rather than sing love ballads as others in her country do, Sochetra Varney writes lyrics about domestic violence and poverty.
Lately, she’s softened her sound, but the empowering messages from Cambodia’s leading lady of punk still pack a powerful punch.
Topic |
Music
Marissa Carruthers
Marissa Carruthers
Published: 1:00 am, 20 Mar 2019
Dressed in an elegant wide-legged jumpsuit, Sochetra Vartey takes off her oversized sunglasses and flashes a broad smile. “I’ve changed my style slightly,” Cambodia’s leading lady of punk rock confesses as she runs her perfectly manicured fingers through her glossy hair, revealing a set of gold hooped earrings.
She looks like a picture of glamour, a far cry from the stereotypical image of a female punk. Her gentle nature and soft tone also contrast with the aggressive female portrayed in the video for Pandey Chiangrai (“Evil Husband”). This hit catapulted her to fame in 2017.
“I wanted to do something different with my music,” she says. “Something people in Cambodia aren’t used to; something that would make them listen.”
And Varney is no diva. She shuns the bright lights of Phnom Penh for life in the provinces. She lives in the small village of Prek Lvea in Kandal province, about an hour from the capital, where she grew up.
“Phnom Penh is too loud. There is too much traffic and pollution. I love my province,” she says. “I have a big garden and animals, so I’m cool. I don’t want to live in the city.”
Varney harbored a passion for music from a young age. Inspired by her mother, who wrote poetry and song lyrics, the 25-year-old recalls a childhood filled with the sounds of upbeat Cambodian rock’ n’ roll from icons of the 1950s and ’60s, such as Sinn Sisamouth and Ros Sereysothea.
SUBSCRIBE TO POST MAGAZINE
Get updates directly to your inbox
your email
SUBMIT: You agree to our T&C and Privacy Policy by registering for these newsletters.
Phnom Penh is dancing to its beat
Read more
Beyond Phnom Penh’s Russian Market, the hippest neighborhood in the Cambodian capital is full of cafes, bars, and boutiques.
A hipster’s guide to Phnom Penh’s most excellent neighborhood
Read more
Rallying cry: Cambodia’s all-female rock band of ex-garment workers
Rallying cry: Cambodia’s all-female rock band of ex-garment workers
“I always loved music, but I never thought I’d be a singer,” she says; she studied accounting at university and had plans to work at a bank.
As she grew older, Varney became hooked on the powerful pop anthems of Beyoncé and Nicki Minaj, drawn to their strong stage personas. But it wasn’t until the NGO her mum works for launched a music program a couple of years ago that Vartey started seriously tapping into her talents.
In 2016, when her mother fostered Sok Vichy from the NGO, Vartey was introduced to a new genre of music that left her feeling empowered.
Cambodian rock’ n’ roll stars from the 1950s and ’60s, Sinn Sisamouth and Ros Sereysothea.
Cambodian rock’ n’ roll stars from the 1950s and ’60s, Sinn Sisamouth and Ros Sereysothea.
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As lead guitarist of Doch Chae – a death metal outfit born in the Steung Meanchey dumpsite on the capital’s outskirts, where its members spent their childhood collecting waste – Vichy, now 19, asked for Vartey to help write lyrics.
“The first time I listened to their music, I had never heard anything like it,” Vartey recalls, adding she had grown tired of Cambodia’s stagnant music scene. The country’s mainstream music is saturated with copycat sounds and sentimental love songs lamenting over unrequited love.
“I would go with the band to all their events, and I loved it. The music has so much passion and power and is very different to anything Cambodians are used to,” she says.
The band Doch Chkae perform. Sok Vichy is the lead guitarist. Photo: Steve Porte
The band Doch Chkae perform. Sok Vichy is the lead guitarist. Photo: Steve Porte
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Doch Chkae asked Vartey to sing for them, but with her vocals unable to hit the roar-ripping, screeching heights the musical genre demands, she decided to seek out her own space.
“I loved the fast pace of death metal and the energy on stage,” she says. “I also wanted to behave like that, but my voice couldn’t scream as I needed it to for metal, so I adapted it to similar stuff that was better for my voice. I love Blondie’s style so much, so I chose more punky sounds.”
In late 2016, the Vartey Geneva band was formed, playing songs that challenge societal norms. Today, it comprises Vartey on vocals, Cambodia-based expat Jesse Ricketson on drums, Damani Kelly on bass, and Arone Silverman on guitar.
Looking over Kandal province in Cambodia. Photo: Alamy
Looking over Kandal province in Cambodia. Photo: Alamy
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Instead of writing about yearning for love or grieving for a lost lover, she wrote empowering lyrics that tackle issues such as poverty and domestic violence and proclaim feminist messages.
“In Cambodia, it is mostly love-related pop songs. My team and I said we wanted to change something in Cambodia through music,” she says.
As she listened to couples in her neighborhood arguing, Vartey penned the lyrics for Evil Husband. The heady hit tackles the issue of domestic abuse, which is rife across the country. A report by four UN agencies for which 2,000 Cambodian men were interviewed found one in five had attempted or committed violence against women, including rape.
Cambodia’s golden age of rock is revisited. In the song, Varney slams a layabout husband who wastes his days drinking, bingeing on drugs, and sleeping with other women.
“My neighbors and relatives have suffered violence in their family,” says Varney, her passion mounting as she talks about her ultimate aim of empowering other women.
“I see women feeling powerless and apologizing to the man who has punished them when they have done nothing wrong. I want to encourage women to step up and say we can also be leaders, and we are equally important.”
Varney grew up loving music but never thought she would be a singer. Photo: Enric Catala
Varney grew up loving music but never thought she would be a singer. Photo: Enric Catala
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Varney faced criticism for daring to challenge the norms of what is still a conservative society.
“When I first started, many locals hated my music. Cambodian people are used to popping and love songs or old-style rock’ n’ roll. When they hear my lyrics, they aren’t used to it. I curse men. They ask me, ‘How can you curse the man?’ In Khmer culture, a woman should be gentle and soft, not powerful. I want to use my music to educate women and men in Cambodia.”
For all the criticism, Vartey found a fan base and received the feedback she wanted.
I want to work with the next generation of teenagers to start their music and try to change the music industry.
Sochetra Vartey
“Many women said they felt inspired. Some messaged me to say they would play my song to their husbands when they came home late at night,” she says with a cheeky grin. “My lyrics are based on what I see around me, what happens daily in Cambodia, and issues that need to be addressed.”
After embracing the punk scene, Vartey has decided to soften her style. While sticking to her feminist punk roots, her new material is gentler and more accessible to a mainstream audience – where she says her message will have the most impact. She is penning her debut album and hopes to embark on a tour of Cambodia next year.
“We want more people listening to our message,” she says. She has injected more funky beats into her sound while using her lyrics to address controversial topics. “We’re more punk-pop or funk-rock now,” she says.
The Cambodian singer who kept the ’60s rocking around the world
As part of her mission to shake up attitudes in Cambodia, Varney is also part of a collective of musicians who run Yab Moung Records – the country’s first alternative music record label- nurturing Cambodia’s burgeoning punk and metal scene.
Located in Prek Lvea, the studio also welcomes poor local children who want to master music. Varney has teamed up with the NGO Moms Against Poverty in Cambodia to teach youngsters to sing, play instruments, and form bands.
“I want to work with the next generation of teenagers to start their music. I want to try and change the music industry and encourage people to find their style,” she says.
Varney hopes to empower women in her home country. Photo: Enric Catala
Varney hopes to empower women in her home country. Photo: Enric Catala
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“I’m proud to be doing this. It was hard to find a good team because resources are limited, and it’s hard to earn money in the music industry here. We need better venues, venues that understand music and don’t keep playing the same styles.”
However, she sees attitudes evolving quickly as more young artists emerge to push boundaries and use their art to challenge norms.
Fresh from a show-stopping performance at the country’s inaugural three-day Phnom Fem Fest and a concert to mark International Women’s Day in the capital, Vartey remains confident that change is teetering on the horizon.
“There are a lot more talented people coming along who are trying new things and experimenting,” she says. “This is all positive, and I’m confident that in a few years, there will be more variety, more venues, and more receptive audiences throughout Cambodia.”
