It is a fresh New Year!
All I gotta say is that it started off with a crazy bang.
Thank You to Angie for taking me to the most random, fun-filled NYE I've had in years.

So back in early November, I took a quick trip back to Cali to film a promo trailer for the beautiful indie movie, "Owl & The Sparrow." I saw it last April and well, pretty much everybody cries watching it. The good kind of crying. Stephane, the director of the film, asked me and a bunch of other Vietnamese American celebrities (Dat Phan, Kristine Sa, Tila Tequila, Nhu Loan) to do short segments to help promote the film, which debuts in a bunch of small theaters around the states this month!

I have to say, when this promo trailer came out yesterday, I was pretty nervous. Put me behind a mic, I'll throw down baby. Behind a camera? Dude, I was dreading how I would look and act. And um, ACT. Add to it that I watched it with my parents. ARGHHH NERVES!!! Hahahaha.


So there it is! And there's Nhu Loan, very famous (and super damn gorgeous) singer in the Vietnamese community. It's not hard to act like an over-anxious teenage boy when you're working 2 inches away from such a hottie. Come out to support the movie when it debuts next Friday the 16th!

Coming to theaters

January 16, 2009

Los Angeles - Laemmle Sunset 5

Orange County - Regal Garden Grove 16

Orange County - Irvine Westpark 8

January 23, 2009

San Jose, CA - Camera 12

February 6, 2009

Houston, TX - TBD

Dallas, TX - TBD

February 13, 2009

San Francisco - Sundance Kabuki Theater

Yo yo people!
So my manager has got a couple other artists he works with, one of which is named Aquia (A-kwee-yah!) Just wanted to give a quick shoutout to y'all to check her out, she's a young, up and coming R&B Singer with some major vocal chops and a real magnetic personality. I love being in the studio with her, it's crazy!!

Her site:
http://www.myspace.com/akuamusic

[if you're reading this from facebook, click on "view original post", so you can more easily read this! it's awesome!]

Tonight, my brother laughed at my battle with the forces of nature and airport systems this past weekend, in my effort to reach Madison, WI for my final show of 2007 through horrendous snowstorms.



I'll take that as a compliment, despite implying my stupidity. Muahaha.

The following outrageous chain of events is best described in timestamps & bullets, via stream of consciousness.

---

Saturday, 12/1/07

- 4.00am -
too tired to pack, flight at 9:55am
no worries, wake up at 7am
[set 3 alarms, i usually just need one]
cool

penguin: hey mami, you know i love it when you call me papi
vudoo: (wtf??)
penguin: what?
vudoo: you're a talking penguin.
penguin: you're a talking human.
vudoo: what are you doing here?
penguin: hey mami, what about you? don't you have a flight to catch?

- 8.38am -
OH SHITTTTTTT
haven't packed yet, haven't packed yet
keyboard, cds, old spice, more clothes, it's cold in WI
call taxi, stay calm, shower later
go go go go

- 9.15am -
[arrive at Boston Logan Airport]
wow that's the fastest i've ever packed and gotten here
nice.
i'm the man.
[flight leaves on-time towards connecting flight in LGA, NYC]
yeahhh. gimme some tomato juice

- 11.00am -
Flight to Madison, WI... "Cancelled."
CANCELLED??

"Sir, there's a snowstorm in the Midwest. The best I can do is put you on a flight to Chicago that might leave at 5.45pm, getting you to Madison, WI by 11.00pm or tomorrow morning."

"Uh, no, that can't happen, I have to be there for a show that starts at 7.00pm."
"I'm sorry to hear that, sir, that's the best I can do."

[runs to check the arrival/departure monitors and back]

"Well, what about that 1.35pm flight to Chicago?"
"It's full."
"Standby??"
"I'm busy, sir. Could you please just take this up with the ticketing counter?"

Could she have acted anymore unhelpful...?!

- 12.00pm -
[at the ticketing counter]
the regular line is so long
nobody's in the first class line
let's... pretend i'm in first class

"Are you first-class, sir?"
"Well, no, but liste--"
"Other line, sir."

stupid line nazi.
let's... just sneak around the line nazi.
go ahead, watch the kids over there...
go go go go

"Hi sir, how may I help you?"

SUCCESS!
[at this point, I tell Leila, the ticketing lady about my show in WI and how i MUST get there between 7-9pm to perform. I give her a CD and sweet-talk as much as possible.]

"Young man, you're an R&B singer?"
"Yes ma'am, I am."
"Alright, well if people know about you in Madison, WI, you must be very good. Let's see what I can do here..."

- 12.45pm -
[Four airport ticketing staff, now holding 6 phones, are discussing how to get me anywhere closer to WI]

"How about we get him to St. Louis? or MN?"
"St. Louis, no way, he'll never make it."
"Flights in MN to WI cancelled..."
"Drive?"
"No no, that's too damn dangerous, look at the storm warnings. He's not gonna make it."
"So he's a singer? Wow."
"Access Denied?? I'm overriding this shit, where's the manager."
"This is just my opinion, but there's no way he's gonna make it."

Vudoo: "What about Jetblue??"
"The only airline not on our system... call'em?"

[I call Jetblue's hotline.]

Flight at 1.45pm to Chicago!!!!
Wait, where? JFK Airport in NYC?
That's like a half hour from here.
I'll take it.

[Provided my credit card info.]

"NO MR. VU, we've got something here!! Cancel it, CANCEL IT!"
"OKAY OKAY!"

[Jetblue hotline lady says card has already been charged.]

"Sir, are you serious?? Tell them American Airlines said CANCEL!"
"Those vultures, they'll just take ya."
"Cancel, Mr. Vu. Cancel it!!!"

[I plead with the Jetblue hotline sales manager to cancel, which he finally does after 15 minutes.]

"Mr. Vu, we've got it."
"Oh NO, Leila, that flight JUST got cancelled."
"Jesus Christ, are you serious??"
"Mr. Vu... okay, this is the best we can do. We've got your baggage transferred to that 1.35pm stand-by flight to Chicago. But there's no guarantee you'll get on yourself."

- 1.15pm -
[Willing to pay someone up to $300 cash out my pocket to bribe someone out of their stand-by seat, I go through airport security for the second time. When I get there, there's 9 people ahead of me. I tell my story as fast as possible to the gate staff.]

"Kid. I don't care how much money you have, that's not how it works."
"I'm not asking you take someone off the flight who's already on, just if these people would let me get in front of them for stand-by!"
"Look behind you, kid. Everybody wants to get to Chicago just as badly as you."

[I turn around. No one looks me in the eye. Bribery plan go kaput.]

"But lady, my bag is already on there."
"So it's going to Chicago. You'll have to meet up with it there, k kid?"

[I call Jetblue again in panic. Just... maybe.]

"Wait a minute, the 1.45 JFK flight to Chicago is delayed??"
"Kid, you better TAKE THAT. Get in a cab, there's zero chance you'll get in stand-by here."
"Right, I see that."
"Get outta here, you might make it. Good luck, kid!"

- 1.40pm -
lines lines lines, i don't do lines!
[cut in front of a dozen people, hop into a taxi]
JFK, AS FAST AS YOU CAN. UHM, PLEASE.

[Booked my JFK Jetblue flight as the taxi driver zoomed from LGA. Once I arrived, I sweet-talked another ticketing lady and convinced her to let me past the gates for the 1.45pm flight, now taking off at 2.15pm.]

I'm here.
2.10.
Thank GOD.
I need to relax somehow.

"You made it huh?"
"Wow, yeah. Got a show in Madison, WI."
"Ah, well, I'm doing some photography at a conference."
"So, I've had like, the wildest morning..."

[I begin chatting with Amy Fletcher, a freelance photographer about my crazy morning. Normally, I don't talk much to on-flight strangers. But we hit it off. One bloody mary after another. Funny to think that I'm chasing my baggage on AA through the air with JetBlue. Buzzed, amused, and, most of all, relieved, we were set to land in Chicago by 4.15pm.]

- 4.30pm -
What's going on
Why does my little Jetblue Flight trajectory thingy show us flying in circles???

Flight Captain: "Everybody just stay calm... but there's a small chance we may not be able to land. The snowstorm seems to have gotten ahead of us..."

- 5.00pm -
I've got people waiting in Chicago to pick me up
Possibly drive to WI
If not, it's cool... at least I tried...

Flight Captain: "I'm sorry to report, the Chicago landing runways are frozen. The plane is almost out of fuel. We'll be headed towards Columbus, OH until further notice."

NOOoooOOOoOOOoooOOooOooooooooooooOOOOOOOoooooOOOOoooooo000oooOOooo

[Our plane is now flying the opposite direction. My chances of making the show are shrinking like the family jewels in California beach waves.]

"Well Vu, at least you tried. I've got family in Ohio. You're welcome to join us."
"No way, Amy. It's not over til it's over."

- 5.45pm -
[Landing in Columbus, OH, I am now hundreds of miles away from Chicago, and hundreds more from Madison, WI. We're given two options: fly back to JFK immediately or find 'alternative travel means' to Chicago.]

there's a lot of angry people here
it's snowing/raining ice
driving will get me to Chicago by 11pm... at best
wow this is really amazing
maybe... i can try to buy another plane ticket somewhere

[I run to every ticketing counter in the airport. Cancellations. Delays. "No purchases at this hour." Denied. Denied. Denied.]

Wait there's a staff person at AA!!

"HI! I'm trying to get anywhere closer than here to Madison, WI!"
"Do you have a flight booked with American?"
"Sort of??? My bag's flying there!"
"Wait, you *are* booked on AA, how did you get here?"
"LONG STORY! I just need to get to Chicago!!"
"Here's the boarding passes, there's a flight leaving in 10 minutes!!"

Through airport security for the THIRD time.
GAHHHH
GO go go GO go GO
Oh No, please don't let that moving plane be mine...

"ARE YOU MR. VU!!!"
"YESSSSSSS!!!"
"Your flight JUST took off!"

"NOOOOoooooooooo....!!!!"

[In my hysteria, I wanted to laugh, cry, and throw up all at the same time. I told Sharon, the bringer of obvious bad news, about how badly I needed to get to WI. At every point, my story just gets longer and more tragic. Sharon felt for me. She then called every other airline staff at the airport to see if there was anything. Meanwhile, I called Vinh Tran, my Chicago homeboi, the news.]

"VINH."
"VU! Where are you?"
"Columbus, Ohio, bro."
"WHAT. Wow. That is seriously not good."
"I just went to get there man, even just show my face at the afterparty! It's about the principle!!!"
"Vu, maybe I can broker this deal. Would you mind performing at the afterparty?"
"Dude, if I even get there, then WHY NOT."

[Airport staff are suddenly jumping up and down over by their computers. Quoi??]

"MR. VU! There's a flight leaving NOW on UNITED AIRLINES."
"PRAISE THE LORD!!!!!!!!!!!"
"RUN, MR. VU!"

- 6.30pm -
there it is, there it is
don't stop running
there it IS!!!

"ARE YOU MR.VU???"
"YEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!"
"Right this way!"

[I dashed inside the United Airlines miracle from heaven. Upon sitting down and waiting for the airplane to take-off, I was eventually greeted by a very hot Flight attendant named Rhonda.]

"I've heard you've had quite a day. Tell me about it!"
"(gulps.) Yes."

[Rhonda asked me to sing to her and the other flight attendants. Then they put me on that intercom thingy and had me tell my story to the whole airplane. Sing something joyful, they said. I sang, "Oh Happy Day" from Sister Act II. I got to sit in First Class with Rhonda. My first time EVER sitting in first class.]

- 7.30pm -
the plane is descending...
and... this looks like Chicago...!!!



LANDED. YEAHH!!!!!!!!
Huh???
Wait, where's our plane driving?
The airport is THAT WAY.

Flight Captain: "A little bad news. We are currently stuck outside the airport and cannot load into the gates, because the airplanes there are frozen stuck. It'll be an hour or so, sorry about that."

Are. YOU. JOKING?!?!?!?!?!?!



But of course, everything that can go wrong, will.

- 8.15pm -
Finally, the gate!!!
Goodbye Rhonda, I'll miss you dearly.
Goodbye airplanes, hello baggage claim!

- 8.30pm -
Goodbye baggage claim.
THANKS FOR LOSING MY KEYBOARDS AND LUGGAGE.
No worries.
I have an instrumental CD.
Almost there, almost there...

[Vinh & Thuc, in their BMW rolled up to pick me up. So began the 3 hour drive at 45 mph to Madison, WI. In the gas stations on the way, I bought a razor to shave, did my hair, and ate a sandwich.]

- 11.15pm -
[In the last 50 feet we came within reaching our destination at the afterparty club venue, our car got stuck in the snow.]

"GO ON WITHOUT US!"
"I'LL NEVER FORGET YOU!!!"

[HAHA. I jumped out the car, ran inside to the crowd that awaited.]

Mic, check.
CD player, check.
Red Bull Vodka, check.<br />

[After rounds of astounded hugs, congratulatory card games, and several shots of Patron, I grabbed the mic and did what I came to do after all.]

When things look ugly, I look a little closer.
When things look unlikely, I keep looking.
When things look near impossible, I try anyway.

And when there isn't a way possible?
I MAKE ONE.

Thanks SO MUCH to University of Madison, WI for having me out and being such fun, warm people in such desolate, cold weather. That was the most horrible, awesome airplane adventure I've ever had, and I'm so glad y'all were at the finish line to party alll night with!

---

In Conclusion...

Vudoo Vs. Everything that Goes Wrong...
TKO!

Vudoo is VICTORIOUS.

And that, my friends, was how I completed my final performance of 2007. Too Legit to Quit, baby. CHEERS!!!

How quickly the year is coming to a close! Besides stuffing myself to my heart's content, Thanksgiving is also nice because it means Christmas is right around the corner. I can't believe I haven't seen my mama in a year. It'll be wonderful to return to her love, kisses & cooking.

Two more shows left.
It's been a very difficult, but essential year in my development as an artist and as a person.
More on this later... I need to really reflect on it.

This Wednesday in NYC marks my return to The Blackberry Soul, a series that got me my underground start in the scene. Mental Supreme, the MC who has maintained his weekly Hip-Hop/R&B Open Mic for an unheard-of five years, has invited me back to showcase & compete against 12 of New York's latest up and coming R&B/Soul Singers. Even after hittin' big and touring with Snoop Dogg this year, we still stay in great contact. Real street fam, right there.


At these kind of showcases, there's always some fantastic surprises. I can always count on at least one or two singers to complete light the stage on fire... it keeps me on my toes! I am pretty excited to see who else is really killin' it on the R&B scene. (This just in... an R&B group from GERMANY is coming to perform too. WeRD?!?!!)

Really refreshing talent in this genre has been dwindling lately... except, of course, my future wife Alicia Keys. Been listening to "Like You'll Never See Me Again" on repeat. I'm comin' for you, darling.

---

Secondly, I'm hitting up Madison, WISCONSIN, of all places.


Flying out there Saturday morning. If it's 30-40 degrees here, I can only imagine how much more frigid it'll be up there. I wonder if mittens are better than gloves?

---

After that, the remainder of the year will be spent writing & recording for my next album. Translating all my hard times into good music.

Speaking of which, I recently forgot to bring a borrowed acoustic guitar (that I spent two hours asking around for) to a gig I had with Louis. I thought he grabbed it (& he thought I grabbed it.) There we were, 2 hours away from home, me with my keyboard, and Louis?


We ended up googling a music store nearby and bought a brand new one. Louis helped me purchase my first, very own acoustic guitar. An Ibanez Acoustic Electric. Sounds pretty nice for $250 (cheap, for a good acoustic.)



Now I can be like every other singer-songwriter and actually walk around while singing and playing my instrument. No one appreciates this mobility more than me, having carried my godzilla keyboards all over the contiguous United States.

So I'll be gettin' my guitar on like whoa in the bedroom. Just going to enjoy the process of learning and playing to the whim of my heart. Becoming proficient shall definitely increase my Vudoo Sexy Quotient. Watch out yo...

Things have seemed quiet coming from my camp lately huh? HAHA, it's the CALM before the STORM! I shall be embarking on a great journey, 6 days of touring through 6 cities with some of THE most killin' musicians I've come to know as love like family.

It's the FIRST official tour that I've had since beginning of my professional career about 3 years ago. Granted, I've done many performances around the country in quick succession, but this time is something much more special. My band and I have been spending weeks preparing and fine-tuning the entertainment experience that I've always desired to give to y'all. Those of you on the East Coast that can come out to support??? You're going to have a KICKASS TIME!

SPREAD THE WORD!!!

If you're not on the East Coast, well, don't worry. After this tour is over, 2008 is gonna get even crazier.

And if all this ain't enough to make me jubilant, I have one additional piece of news that I shall reveal very soon... Stay tuned folks! =D

FREE SHOW in SOCAL
Yessir. I worked out a pretty sweet deal with the organizers of the event. Tickets that were up to $100 to the general public (really ballin' professionals and old folks, really haha.)

Talked it down to $20.
Then somehow it became...
"If you submit a guestlist to us, anyone on it gets in free."

FREE. FREE. FREE.

magazine cover english copy flyer back ENGLISH copy

Friday, June 29th, 2007

Charity Cirque
Masquerade Ball & Chinese Acrobat Show

Featuring Live Performances by:
Almost Home . Vudoo Soul . Thomas' Apartment . Thao Nguyen
Robot Dream Machine . Ming & Ping . Magnetic North

The Westminster Rose Center
14140 All American Way
Westminster, CA 92683

What else is FREE? All the FOOD and ALKIE there. (Sweet.)
It does mean you have to be 21+ though. (Sorry.)


"VuUUu. Tell me what I need to do."


Certainly.
All you need to do is email me at vudootickets@gmail.com, and provide a first & last name, plus number of guests. You can then pick up your free tickets from Vudoo Soul's Guestlist at will-call the day of the show at the venue.


At the show, you can make any donation of you desire towards the charity.
The money goes towards...

Project Vietnam
&
The Boys & Girls Club of Westminster


I have some pretty dope band buddies joining me this time around too. Angie J-Swan, my crazy red- mohawked, black lesbian guitarist. She's playing at the BET awards on Tuesday, so proud! Peter Hong, asian man with hella style on keyboard/synths, he tours nationally with a band called Pigeon John. Then there's Vashon Johnson & Stanley Randolph, who tour worldwide with Jessica Simpson.


I'm pretty sure that anything else
you have planned for Friday night mightttt be as cool...

But it's probably not as FREE, is it.


Tell all your friends, there's entertainment, food and drinks for every people.
Roll out folks!!!!

I love Jetblue man. Big, comfy leather seats. Direct TV. XM Radio. And most of the time, a painless direct flight. All Jetblue aircraft have names; ours was "All Because of Blue."

I had a three performances over 3.5 days, all solo, all good! La Quinta H.S. was pretty chill, I performed with a viet dude named Chosen One. Miss Kaila Yu also came to make an appearance, great catching up with her. We also managed to catch Far East Movement do their thang at the Roxy friday night... my first time seeing them perform, Finally! The problem with performers being friends with performers is that we always miss each other cuz we have our own shows. Their energy is just simply incredible. I was so inspired to see them work the stage, knowing how hard they've been on the grind, yet how joyful they make their every moment. Kev, James, Spliff & Carl, I am so thrilled to see y'all doin' it up.

Saturday's performance was very special. Rose put together her personal faves to fundraise for her Cambodian missions trip this summer. I did three songs, of which her favorite was "Ready for Love", because of how beautifully she thought it could be interpreted in a Christian sense. I had never thought of it that way. Singing it from that perspective was a very powerful moment for me. As I sat in the spotlight of a church with an old grand piano, I expressed my heart in an unusually emotional way. Felt great.

Following the event was some utensil-free chowdown. Nothing says *fam* like Crawfish. I always eat too much. I gotta stop that unless I wanna become Vudoo Fatass.

Back in Boston now, and no performances until June 29th in Cali. Perhaps only one or two in July. Finally, a truly open time-period to be completely immersed in the creative process. This month and the next, I will be studious & disciplined in my efforts to:

* Write, Produce & Record like a Madman for my official debut release
* Write & Produce Songs for Other Artists (both signed & unsigned)
* Work out & achieve Body-By-Vudoo
* Become Confident Enough on the Guitar for my Next Shows


Almost sounds like New Year's Resolutions, huh? Well, it feels like a New Year for me in some ways. My mentality and work ethic have shifted, changed for the better. I've been reminded in the past month how important it is for me to be successful in this endeavor. Gotta be strong, gotta focus harder than ever.

For me, there is no greater motivation than making the ones I love & respect proud. I'm lucky to have real love from real people in my life... I have to honor that by realizing this dream.

Ok, Mr. Vudoo...
Ready, Set, GO!!

Wassup people! I deeply deeply apologize for taking so long to add people, I really do make it a point to view everyone's pages, to see who's coming by, where you're from, what you're about...

I've been trapped inside the studio for weeks!!! They don't let me use myspace for long in there, haha NooOoOO. Good news is that my new album is coming along very nicely... you'll be able to get your hands on it soon!!! =D

I'll get back to ya'll ASAP! I appreciate the Love and Support so much, thanks fam!