A seasoned expat Vietnamese singer, who was at the peak of her career in her home country during the 1960s and 1970s singing songs by revered composer Trinh Cong Son, will perform next Friday in Hanoi for the first time since she left Vietnam 39 years ago.

Khanh Ly will appear in her show at the National Convention Center at 57 Pham Hung Street, Tu Liem District, at 7:30 pm on May 9.

At age 69, Ly’s singing voice remains strong and bewitching. She will be performing the songs which have made her name, including haunting lyrics composed by Son, her long-standing friend.

According to the organizers, the Vietnamese Performing Arts Department licensed Ly’s show some two months ago, but they did not make it known until early last month.

Ly began her singing career in Vietnam in 1962.

Five years later, she met Son, whose songs helped turn her into a legend in the local music area for many years.

Her fame remains intact during her years living abroad. Ly left Vietnam for the U.S. in 1975 when the country was reunified following the fall of the former Saigon regime.

She was also one of the highest-paid and most sought-after overseas Vietnamese singers and has sung in several countries.

Trinh Cong Son was a composer, musician, and songwriter. He, along with Pham Duy and Van Cao, is widely considered one of the three salient figures of modern Vietnamese music.

Son passed away in 2001 at the age of 62.