Mica Levi, or Micachu (her better known stage name), a British singer, songwriter and composer who created ‘a seriously messed up soundscape for Scarlett Johansson to hunt in’ in the recently released movie Under the skin, will be in Vietnam from 11 to 14 April. Invited by the British Council Vietnam, Micachu will join the annual Hanoi Sound Stuff before playing at An Dinh Palace in the Hue festival.
Classically trained and having been commissioned to write an orchestral piece for the London Philharmonic Orchestra which was performed at the 2,500-seat South Bank venue Royal Festival Hall, Micachu chose to pursue a career in experimental music. She formed a band named Micachu & The Shapes, which focuses on experimental pop music.
Their music prominently features various ‘non-standard tunings, extensive distortion, and use of noise, as well as occasionally unusual time signatures’. The debut album Jewellery was hailed as ‘thrillingly improbable pop made by a grade-A maverick.’
Chris Brown, Country Director, British Council Vietnam said: ‘Art is a cornerstone of the British Council’s mission to build bridges of trust and understanding between peoples of the the UK and other countries. Our arts programme lives and breathes the aspiration to inspire and transform, and the 1987-born artist Mica Levi truly embodies this aspiration.
‘To our absolute delight, we managed to bring Micachu to Vietnam right in the midst of the UK and US premiere of Under the skin, the movie which was scored by Mica Levi and very well received by the critics (for both the story and the experimental score).’
During her Vietnam stay, Micachu will be joined on stage by Van Mai, a Vietnamese artist who plays dan tranh, a Vietnamese traditional instrument that has 16 strings, in creating experimental music collaboration. Her first show in Vietnam will be in the Hanoi Sound Stuff Festival, scheduled to start at 18.30 this Friday, April 11. Micachu will then play at An Dinh Palace, 97 Phan Dinh Phung Street in the Hue Festival on 13-14 April.
In Hanoi, ticket information for Micachu show is available on Hanoi Sound Stuff Fesstival website or alternatively, audiences can contact Doan Tri Minh via email triminh05@gmail.com or handphone 84 (0) 904 082 664. In Hue, tickets are on sales at the Hue Festival Office, 17 Le Loi Streets as well as other ticketing agents in the city.
Disabled participants are warmly welcome; should you need special assistance, please contact Pham Minh Hong at hong.pham@britishcouncil.org.vn or +84 904 23 54 83.