Galantry: Sittng Down With Billy Xiong

On Saturday morning July 11^th, at nine in the morning, I sat at Breugger’s Bagels by the window reviewing my notes. As I drank my cup of cappuccino, a muscular, well built, dark haired man entered and looked at me with bright, honest eyes. Dressed in black jeans, a dark printed t-shirt with a church pedant, and two rings on his left hand, I got up to shake the hand of sensational musician Billy Xiong. I had been a follower and fan of his for a long time. His song, “Neej Ntxuag Kua Muag,” is a song that will forever be embedded in my soul. And when I met him, my insides were jumping around. I literally felt like a little school girl meeting her idol. We sat down and Billy told me his story.

            Billy Xiong comes from Christian roots and in 1987 he began singing in the church choir. He loved being on stage, loved the microphone, it came naturally for him. So a few friends of his formed a band called “Moj Zeej,” and started singing. In 1989, they entered the Fresno singing competition and placed 2^nd. A little after that, the band went their separate ways and Billy decided he was going to go solo. In 1990, he released his very first album, which didn’t do so well. So he decided, maybe he needed some decoration to his background. In 1992, he entered the Fresno New Year singing competition and placed 1^st. “The idea was to go back and try to win back to back 1^st places, but in my second year, I trained someone else to go. I didn’t want to compete if he was going to go. So I trained in 93 and in 94, I went back to compete and won 1^st again. So…in a way, it was almost like winning back to back,” Billy said. And that little ribbon of placing first opened up doors for him.

            “I got contacted by some local film makers, they were a few brothers and cousins, and asked to take on a role in a film called Neej Ntxuag Kua Muag. I took it and then they asked me to write a song to go with it. I did. That was my big break. When the album came out, we sold 3,000 cassettes,” Billy explained. “In fact, we sold out and on the following day, we had nothing left to sell.”

            He was also contacted by Koua Her and Yue Pheng Xiong to sing two albums, which did not do as well as his previous ones. Then the absence surfaced. Fans were wondering where Billy Xiong had disappeared to. “I got into classical music!” he exclaimed. “It’s funny how I went from heavy metal, to rock, and into classical music.” One day, his sister handed him a flute and he began to play. He liked it so much, practiced it so hard, that in three months, he accomplished to play the flute. Today, he can play a total of 13 flutes including the Irish whistle, the Native American flute, the saxophone, and the Hulusi flute.

            “But then I realized that the Hmong community has no audience for instrumental music like the flute. I’m still wondering how I can make that transition to make the Hmong appreciate the beautiful classical music I have come to love,” Billy said.

            During his absence from recording, he dined one evening at a Thai restaurant and saw a live band playing classical and jazz music. People were eating and the band was providing some entertainment. So he got up and talked to them. A deal was struck and he began playing live gigs in Las Vegas.

            “But from time to time, I would meet up with fans and they would ask me if I was going to do another album. During my absence from recording in the studio, I basically did gigs in Vegas and then I even wrote a screenplay! Hopefully, one day, I can find a producer who will make it a reality. I wrote it based on myself,” Billy said laughing. “But I decided to come back for my fans.”

            Nplaim Taws was released on July 5^th,  2015, at the tournament in St. Paul, Minnesota, and Billy was swept away with how much people enjoyed his music. He learned he had fans from all walks of life and ages. “I had this young man come to tell me that his mother wanted my CD. And I thought, man, I’m old,” he laughed. “But then his girlfriend said she wanted my CD too. I thought about how far of a gap his mother and girlfriend was.”

            But his songs touch everyone because his songs always have a story behind it. “I think in order for an artist to really succeed at his work is to write songs that touch people’s lives. My songs are always about a story and when someone listens to it, it becomes their story. Music changes people’s lives; the right lyrics and melody makes the song powerful. Now that I’m older, maturity also plays a big role in writing these songs. I’ve seen more, known more, and my songs reflect myself.

            “You need to have emotion when you sing your music. If you lack emotion, your listeners know it. You have to add emotion into your songs. But you’ve also heard that sometimes music can lead people to hang themselves,” he laughed. “I would feel so bad if someone did that while listening to my songs. Music can either be depressing or a healing process, but I hope that it is more healing.”

            So where is Billy headed to in the future? “I’d like to try acting again, if the right time comes. But for now, I’d like to stay faithful to my fans. Over the weekend of July 4^th, I sold 700 CDs and we sold out on Sunday! I had to get some mailed overnight to me. But mostly, I’d like to continue to bring my stories to life through music.”

            Billy’s next projects include an album to play the Thai flute and to keep introducing the Hmong audience to listen to classical music. He would also like to put together a Christian album. He’s also working on a new album, titled “Billy Xiong Love Stories.” He laughed and said to me, “It’s a two year project. All love songs, tragic love, sappy love, you name it, all love songs.”

            As with all music artists, should we expect a tour of Billy Xiong? “You know, it’s always so hard when you don’t have a manager or a major sponsor,” Billy explained. “For my entire career, it’s always been me. I’ve managed everything and it’s very difficult. Unlike the people who has a manager or a sponsor to handle PR for them, I do everything myself. And I know that artists like Tou Ly Vangkhue, Lis Pov, and all the iconic artists, they are the ones who do it all themselves too. But if possible, I would love to do a tour.”

            As we sat and talked, I realized that this guy is so humble in everything from his honest eyes down to his genuine smile. He’s the total package of an uprising artist who wants to make a difference in the community by helping to paint a good image. I bought both of his CD’s, Nplaim Taws and Hmong Inspirational Music (Hulusi flute), and on the way home, I found myself sporting a silly grin because each song was just a perfect blend of music that seeped into my soul. And I thought back to what Billy said to me about what the master of music, Lis Pov, told him. “You’ve got a gift for writing music.”

 

For ordering please contact Billy Xiong at xyoojsuabraj@yahoo.com or 503-995-5205. You can also find Christian songs from him on YouTube, a famous one is titled “Saum Ceeb Tsheej Puas Muaj Xov Tooj.”