Srey Thy: Living a better life as a Cambodian rock singer

Srey Thy is an artist struggling to make ends meet, but her confidence and beaming smile suggest that after years of difficulty she is finally on the right track. Hailing from Prey Veng, one of Cambodia’s poorest provinces, life has thrown Thy some curve balls.

At 19, she was kidnapped and brutally forced into the sex trade. She says her escape is one of the defining moments in her life. Another moment was a chance meeting with Australian musician Julien Poulsen. Together they formed The Cambodian Space Project, and their 1960s Cambodian-rock Western fusion has been rocking the capital ever since. 

Having played 20 gigs in the kingdom, Thy, at 31, recently received her first passport -- to Hong Kong -- where The Cambodian Space Project played its first international gig. 

CNNGo: When did music first become a part of your life?

Srey Thy: I used to listen to my mother sing as a child at home and at school, where she used to perform for the students during recess. My parents couldn’t afford singing lessons, but I practiced by trying to sound like her, and after a while, I was singing in local restaurants in my home province Prey Veng.