take a look at the local hit parade.

If there is a cultural divide in Cambodia, it's not about the food you eat or the language you speak. I would venture that the biggest gap is that of musical taste. While most foreigners turn up their nose at the sugary stylings on offer, this week we dare to dive into the world of Khmer pop music.
It's important to remember that most pop music is intended to be sung - video CDs for karaoke use are the primary market these artists make their money from, with audio CDs (quite frequently bootlegged) running second.

While radio can be guaranteed to play the flavour of the month, there is no independent Top of the Pops or Countdown purely based on sales. Every TV and radio station has a political affiliation and business ties as well. Nearly all stars are a part of a company's ensemble, the biggest being Rasmey Hang Meas. There are plenty of contenders; smaller labels like Chenla, Sunday, and Stung Sanker - and clubs like Spark, Rock and U2 are branding their releases.

My 'quest for pop' involved visiting different markets, querying bemused stall owners, and asking nearly every Cambodian I knew under the age of 25 what was 'popular'. You think Khmer politics is complicated and confusing? That's nothing compared to the strong opinions I encountered as people told me why their favourite stars deserved inclusion.

Pop performers begin their careers in their teens, and grow up in the public eye as glossy music magazines breathlessly follow their career. For many it's a short stint - after marriage, there's a significant fan-base drop, but the more savvy professionals manage to keep working.

For a complete quantitative music market analysis, we'd need to hire a cultural anthropologist. By colloquial comparison, here's a sampling of the tunes that sound to be on heavy rotation:

Kill Me, To Kill Me Is Best Of All "It is best if you kill me before you love another man. I can not bear to see you showing your intimacy with another." Woah! Khmer romance as a genre doesn't always guarantee a happy ending. Chhorn Sovannareach is rapidly becoming a household name due to his sentimental sounds, and this one's no exception.kill me is better Samlap Bong Auie Slap L'aa Chien (Rasmey Hang Meas Vol. 35.)

'My baby, now you make me crazy'. That's right, Beautiful Girls covers the ubiquitous Sean Kingston song with peppedup Khmer lyrics. Preap Sovath is a one-man industry unto himself, with a loyal following and a chain of localized covers (and original tunes) cementing his status as the local king of pop, appearing in countless videos and a film. In addition to numerous duets with other singers, his patented 'soft rock' sound takes many Western elements and adjusts them for the Khmer musical palate. (Rasmey Hang Meas Vol. 353)

Can You Give Me A Chance - Khemarak Sereymun tells the tale of a boy who has been a jerk and only now realizes what his girlfriend means to him. Would she take him back? (His numerous fans would.)Tuk Aaokas Auy Bong Ban Tee?
(Sunday CD 85)

What You Don't Know: the popular Meas Sok Sophea lays it on the line: too shy to speak, "Now I'm gonna tell you everything"... "I've already kissed you in the shadows of my heart," in a love that seems predestined from "long before we were alive". This cover is sung mostly in English, with some rewording for the Khmer verses.(M Entertainment Production)

I Drink Because of You. This night, the singer drinks to ease the 'whirlwind of karma' from a lover that treats her thoughtlessly and broken her heart. Little is known about performer 'Solika' is this a rising star or a one-hit wonder? Time will tell. Uon Pheung Daembei Bong (Rock Production 103)

In future issues we'll touch on the Khmer rock and hip hop scenes, tips & thoughts are welcome via editor [at] expatadvisory [dot] com

This week's artist Tek Tevin works as is a full-time illustrator at a local graphic design firm. This graduate of the Royal University of Fine Art has also seen his work featured in educational efforts from World Education, Our Books and Bridges Across Borders.

Phone Tevin: 012 527 295 tevinte [at] yahoo [dot] com
Thanks also to Vuthara, Pheap,Roat, Vuth, Huy Eng, Channa, Makara and many others.