Cameroon-French singer-songwriter to make Vietnam debut

The talented Cameroon-French singer-songwriter Irma Pany will debut in Viet Nam for her 2015 Asia tour, the French Institute in HCM City has announced. Irma will perform on May 23 in Ha Noi, May 24 in Hue, and May 26 in HCM City.

"Universally praised for her compositions, hailed as a true artist of the digital age, Irma is definitely a treat for music lovers," said a press release from the Institute.

Born in Bangangte, Cameroon, in 1988 to a musical and well-off family, she grew up in Douala where she started playing the piano at seven, composed her first song I Know at 13, and drew early influences from the likes of Ben Harper, Jeff Buckley and Michael Jackson.

Her rise to fame took off when she signed with the My Major Company label of Michael Goldman, son of the legendary Jean-Jacques Goldman.

Irma reached universal recognition for her first album Letter to the Lord. She toured Europe, signed record contracts with Universal Public Records, and was featured in an advertisement of Europe Google Chrome. She was also nominated for Best French singer at 2012 MTV Europe Music Awards.

She wrote and finished her second album Faces after an 18-month stay in New York City's East Village neighbourhood, filming and listening to stories that inspired her.

Beginning as a YouTube phenomenon, Irma said that "an album should be performed. You have to feel its vitality; you have to breathe life into the songs".