[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_fullwidth_image src=”https:\/\/elpaso2023.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/69\/2023\/09\/Angela_Yunyi-scaled.jpg” alt=”The illustration depicts Prom Queen singing with her parents on stage. Her dad plays the guitar and her mom dances to the music.” title_text=”Angela_Yunyi” admin_label=”Hero Image” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” background_image=”https:\/\/elpaso2023.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/69\/2023\/09\/Hero_FPO.gif” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_fullwidth_image][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”16px||20px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Illustrator Credit” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
YUNYI DAI \/ NEXTGENRADIO<\/small><\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Section: Reporter Standup and Project Description” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Title: Project Theme: DO NOT EDIT” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”||||” text_text_color=”#1a1a1a” text_font_size=”29px” header_font=”Oswald|on||on|” header_text_align=”left” header_text_color=”#E02B20″ header_font_size=”60px” header_2_font_size=”27px” max_width=”450px” custom_margin=”|||” custom_padding=”|||” animation_style=”slide” animation_direction=”top” animation_intensity_slide=”10%” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
What is the meaning of<\/strong><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”Title: Project Theme: DO NOT EDIT” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Oswald|700||on|||||” text_text_color=”#20ace8″ text_font_size=”72px” header_font=”Oswald|on||on|” header_text_align=”left” header_text_color=”#20ace8″ header_font_size=”72px” header_3_line_height=”0em” max_width=”450px” custom_margin=”|||0px|false|false” custom_padding=”|||” animation_style=”slide” animation_direction=”top” animation_intensity_slide=”10%” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n home?<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_divider color=”#20ace8″ divider_position=”center” divider_weight=”3px” disabled_on=”off|off|off%22″ admin_label=”Divider: : DO NOT EDIT” _builder_version=”4.20.2″ _module_preset=”default” max_width=”195px” height=”false” custom_margin=”30px|||” animation_style=”slide” animation_direction=”top” animation_delay=”100ms” animation_intensity_slide=”10%” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text admin_label=”Project description ” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Roboto||||” text_text_color=”#1a1a1a” text_font_size=”24px” text_line_height=”1.4em” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” max_width=”450px” custom_padding=”30px|||” animation_style=”slide” animation_direction=”top” animation_delay=”200ms” animation_intensity_slide=”10%” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_video src=”https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ceGcyiQbl4Q” play_icon_color=”#ffffff” admin_label=”Reporter Standup Video” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” animation_style=”zoom” animation_direction=”bottom” animation_intensity_zoom=”6%” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_video][et_pb_text admin_label=”Standup description” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Roboto||||” text_font_size=”18px” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” max_width=”523px” custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_padding=”||60px|” animation_style=”slide” animation_direction=”top” animation_delay=”400ms” animation_intensity_slide=”4%” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Angela Lim speaks with Promqueen, an artist based in Austin, Texas. Singing in English and Vietnamese, she began the Promqueen project in June 2022 and has since then made her music a time capsule of her personal and familial stories over the years.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Section: Headline Area” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” parallax=”on” custom_padding=”26px||10px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_post_title meta=”off” featured_image=”off” admin_label=”Headline: : DO NOT EDIT HERE” _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” title_font=”|700|||||||” title_text_align=”left” title_font_size=”60px” title_line_height=”1.2em” meta_font=”|600|||||||” meta_text_color=”#E02B20″ meta_font_size=”24px” meta_line_height=”2em” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_post_title][et_pb_post_title title=”off” comments=”off” featured_image=”off” admin_label=”Byline: : DO NOT EDIT HERE” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” title_font=”Oswald|700|||||||” title_text_align=”left” title_font_size=”60px” meta_font=”|600|||||||” meta_text_color=”#20ace8″ meta_font_size=”24px” meta_line_height=”2em” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_post_title][et_pb_audio audio=”https:\/\/elpaso2023.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/69\/2023\/09\/nextgen_elpaso2023_angela_masterv2_-24LUFS.mp3″ title=”Listen to the story” artist_name=”ANGELA LIM” album_name=”Next Generation Radio, Texas Newsroom & UTEP | September 2023″ admin_label=”Audio Player” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” background_enable_color=”off” background_image=”https:\/\/elpaso2023.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/69\/2023\/09\/Waveform_2.png” custom_padding=”20px||20px||false|false” border_radii=”on|90px|90px|90px|90px” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_audio][et_pb_toggle title=”Click here for audio transcript” admin_label=”Audio Transcript” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [Sound of Promqueen singing her song \u201cout of my head\u201d and playing the keyboard]<\/span><\/p>\n PROMQUEEN: Ever since I was two, I was singing like karaoke in like Vietnamese and English. And my dad would play guitar. We went to church, so I sang in choir. Music and my family are always hand in hand, and they supported me in that, you know, supported me when I sang in choir, went to my piano recital, lessons. So that’s always been a big part. I think that’s always tied to my family and how they feel and express music.<\/span><\/p>\n My name is Promqueen, she\/her, they\/them. I am a second-generation, queer artist based in Austin, Texas. I’m also a music educator, community organizer. I do a lot of creative workshops, centering around AAPI community here.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n When I reflected more on Promqueen and what it meant, growing up, I had my friends and I just had my bubble. But I was never gonna be prom queen, right? Like I wasn’t in the popular crowd. The name \u201cPromqueen,\u201d it just sort of is a taking back of\u2026 Promqueen can be anybody in anything, and it’s not necessarily what we all think a prom queen should be. And so it’s just kind of taking them back to make it what I want on my own terms.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Throwing in Vietnamese words into my songs, exploring like my childhood through my songs, it just unlocked more of me coming back to what home means.<\/span><\/p>\n For so long I separated myself from it, also from upbringing, like my parents are immigrants from Vietnam. They’re trying to assimilate. They’re like, \u201cTry to have really good English,\u201d right? \u201cTry to have a good English accent.\u201d So I’m not trying to be Vietnamese or, you know, reveal any of my culture to my friends when I’m around them. So whenever I threw it back into my music, it just felt good and it felt like home again. I was like, \u201cOh, I just get to be like myself in my music.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n This is just my story \u2013 and not only my story, but there are songs about my mom, my dad, my great-grandmother, my grandmother. They’re finding their ways in Promqueen\u2019s projects.<\/span><\/p>\n [Sound of Promqueen singing her song \u201cAin\u2019t Perfect\u201d and playing the keyboard]<\/span><\/p>\n It’s been really cool to connect with my mom more so. Growing up, she was just like, \u201cDon’t use Vietnamese, you know, with your white friends in school.\u201d But when does the word<\/span> n\u01b0\u1edbc m\u1eafm<\/span><\/i> \u2014 which just means fish sauce \u2014 when has that ever been played on the radio? And she hears it and she just smiles. She beams. I mean, she’s just like, you know, feeling so seen through all these Vietnamese words that I use.<\/span><\/p>\n My mom has always been very supportive from day one with my music career. I mean, she’s like, \u201cLife is short.\u201d She’s like, \u201cYou need to do things you enjoy and that you have a passion for.\u2019\u201d Every step of the way she’s just been, just ecstatic about my project. And when I told her about the name Promqueen, she was like, \u2018Finally, you’re not using your real name.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n And I was like, \u201cOkay, mom.\u201d [laughs] But she was like, \u2018It needs to be a stage name. I’m like, \u2018Okay, I got you, mom\u2026\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n When times are hard, you know, there’s my mom there. She’ll sit and just hear me gab about my show and she’ll just be like, \u201cTell me more.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n [Recording of a phone call between Promqueen and her mom]<\/span><\/p>\n SUSAN LUONG: Favorite Promqueen song?<\/span><\/p>\n PQ: Yeah.<\/span><\/p>\n SL: All the songs are my favorite.<\/span><\/p>\n PQ: But which one\u2019s like \u2014<\/span><\/p>\n SL: Everything you sing is my favorite. Remember I\u2019m your number one fan?<\/span><\/p>\n PQ: I know, mom, but like, which one do you like the most \u2014<\/span><\/p>\n [Phone call recording fades out]<\/span><\/p>\n It’s been awesome to write something where Vietnamese American folks like me can be in on the joke. And allies who listen and don’t understand, that’s fine. Music is music. It’s universal. They can feel it even if they don’t understand it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n [Sound of Promqueen singing her song \u201cbts girl\u201d over an instrumental track]<\/span><\/p>\n What I want most is what I feel when I’m on stage, and that is feeling like I’m 2 years old again.<\/span><\/p>\n Feeling safe and expressive in my living room, dancing and singing at the top of my lungs\u2026 I would just want people to feel childlike again, to be able to express who they are and not be afraid to do that.<\/span><\/p>\n [Sound of Promqueen performing \u201cbts girl\u201d fades out]<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_toggle][et_pb_divider color=”#20ace8″ divider_position=”center” divider_weight=”3px” disabled_on=”off|off|off%22″ admin_label=”Divider: : DO NOT EDIT” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” max_width=”150px” module_alignment=”center” height=”false” custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_padding=”50px||||false|false” animation_style=”slide” animation_direction=”top” animation_delay=”100ms” animation_intensity_slide=”10%” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Section: Story Area” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”10px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Story Text” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Arial||||||||” text_text_color=”#353535″ text_font_size=”18px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Growing up, Casie Luong considered herself a misfit. In school, she dabbled in classical piano, choir and theater. And as her love for music grew, she noticed that her peers never asked her about her Vietnamese upbringing. At home, she says she didn\u2019t emulate the typical Vietnamese woman from movies and pop culture.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_3,2_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”17px|0px|3px|0px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Story Text” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Arial||||||||” text_text_color=”#353535″ text_font_size=”18px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n \u201cThat wasn’t me. I did not like wearing dresses growing up,\u201d she says. \u201cAs a baby, I ripped the bows out of my hair\u2026 I was just loud and weird and didn’t fit that stereotype. [I] didn’t fit the submissive, quiet, graceful, effeminate kind of Vietnamese woman.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n She was never part of the popular crowd, and she was never the prom queen \u2014 until she claimed this as her stage name in June 2022.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201c[I want] everybody to feel like they can be their own prom queen, be their own unique self and be celebrated,\u201d she says. \u201cThat’s really what I’ve reflected on what it means for me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/elpaso2023.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/69\/2023\/09\/Promqueen-4-scaled.jpg” alt=”Promqueen smiles and sings into a microphone in front of a colorful backdrop. She wears a pink choker, black and white checkered pants and a black leather puff-sleeved jacket over a white top with green vine wrapped around her body.” title_text=”Promqueen-4″ _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text admin_label=”CAPTION TEXT” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Promqueen performs \u201cbts girl,\u201d the last song on her debut EP \u201c<\/span>szn one<\/span><\/i>,\u201d in her living room in Central Austin, Texas on Sept. 4. The artist released her album in June 2023. Angela Lim\/Next Gen Radio<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_divider color=”#20ace8″ admin_label=”Divider: NOTHING TO EDIT HERE” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]\u00a0 [\/et_pb_divider][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Story Text” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Arial||||||||” text_text_color=”#353535″ text_font_size=”18px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Promqueen, a second-generation Vietnamese American, queer musician in Austin, Texas infuses her songs with her family\u2019s language and anecdotes. Born and raised in Wichita Falls, Texas, she says her parents emphasized assimilating in the majority-white town in fear of getting scrutinized for being different. She says her artist name represents her \u201ccultural coming out\u201d on her own terms. Previous generations, personal experiences and bilingual verses blend into her discography.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_testimonial author=”Promqueen” job_title=”Vietnamese American, queer musician” quote_icon_color=”#0C71C3″ quote_icon_background_color=”#FFFFFF” portrait_width=”160px” portrait_height=”160px” admin_label=”PULL QUOTE #1″ _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” body_font_size=”24px” author_text_align=”center” author_font_size=”18px” position_font_size=”16px” background_color=”rgba(58,132,193,0.11)” text_orientation=”center” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n \u201c[I want] everybody to feel like they can be their own prom queen, be their own unique self and be celebrated.”<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_testimonial][et_pb_text admin_label=”Story Text” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Arial||||||||” text_text_color=”#353535″ text_font_size=”18px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n \u201cMusic has always been my main place of expression,\u201d Promqueen said. \u201cMy parents liked music. My dad played some music, but it was, funny enough, a place that they don’t have expertise in. I got to really be myself, go into different worlds and explore and process my feelings\u2026 Music is definitely the place in which I can express my thoughts and synthesize them.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n In June 2023, she released her debut EP \u201cszn one\u201d which includes eight songs chronicling the Asian American experience and taking back one\u2019s confidence and cultural pride.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Story Text” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Arial||||||||” text_text_color=”#353535″ text_font_size=”18px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Story Text” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Arial||||||||” text_text_color=”#353535″ text_font_size=”18px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Promqueen has spent the last 10 years working on a memoir about herself and her family. While having breakfast with her dad, she listened to his stories of survival during the Vietnam War, which prompted her to start interviewing her parents and relatives. Looking to find the best medium to tell their stories, she says she revisits their voice memos during her songwriting process.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWhen you ask people to tell a story and then you ask them to tell it again, they’ll reveal other details,\u201d she said.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_testimonial author=”Promqueen” job_title=”Vietnamese American, queer artist” portrait_width=”225px” portrait_height=”225px” admin_label=”PULL QUOTE #2″ _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” body_font_size=”18″ author_text_align=”center” use_background_color=”off” text_orientation=”center” border_radii_portrait=”on|180px|180px|180px|180px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n \u201cWhen you ask people to tell a story and then you ask them to tell it again, they’ll reveal other details.”<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_testimonial][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_video src=”https:\/\/elpaso2023.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/69\/2023\/09\/mountain-audiogram_mixdown-Made-by-Headliner.mp4″ _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_video][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Story Text” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Arial||||||||” text_text_color=”#353535″ text_font_size=”18px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n In \u201cliteweight,\u201d an airy track with trap beats from \u201cszn one,\u201d Promqueen references her mom\u2019s going to pawn shops when she worked a full-time waitress job. On<\/span> the weekends, her mom would make layaway payments on gold jewelry, a symbol of affluence, she said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIt’s a really fun song about treating yourself, and it’s about her, how she works so hard and wants to enjoy the things in life that she didn’t get to have in Vietnam,\u201d she says.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_3,2_3″ _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_code _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]From stories to songs<\/b><\/h1>\n