Zaw Win Htut
Encyclopedia
Zaw Win Htut is a Burmese rock
, country
, and blues
singer, and the lead vocalist
of the band Emperor.
, Myanmar
. His father Kyi Khin was a physician
, and his mother Tin Aye was a famous folk singer with the stage name Htar. His maternal grandfather was Shwe Taing Nyunt, a famous songwriter
of classical Burmese music. His nickname was Nyi Htut. He received a bachelor's degree in English
from Yangon University.
covers of foreign (mostly Western rock and pop) hits, written by successful cover "songwriters" such as Thukhamein Hlaing, Min Chit Thu, Win Min Htwe, Saw Khu Sae. Unlike most Burmese pop stars, this grandson of Shwe Taing Nyunt was actually embarrassed about it. He famously said that singing those songs were like wearing someone's else shirt. In a 2004 interview he said that his goal was to make original music.
He decided to make only "original" (i.e. non-cover) albums in mid 1990s. He was one of the first in the Burmese pop music industry to break away from taking the easy route of cover songs. (To be sure, some successful singers like Sai Htee Saing
and Soe Lwin Lwin never recorded a cover song.) He did score a few hits with A-Hnaing-Me and Achit Mya Thu Si Mha. Nonetheless, his contrition has limits. He continues to perform his famous cover hits in concerts although he performs only the original songs in his overseas concerts. In a 2010 interview, he admitted that he refused to do any concerts overseas for many years because he did not have a sufficient number of original songs, and that he began doing overseas concerts only after he had collected enough original songs. In the same interview he said he had done over 20 overseas concerts.
In 2000, he introduced the blues
to his records.
"As one of Burma's biggest rock stars, Zaw Win Htut faces constant government scrutiny of his lyrics, album covers and music videos, but some of his biggest clashes concerned the length of his hair."
Current Band Members
Former Band Members
His passion other than the music career is painting.
Zaw Win Htut is married to May Khaing Ohn, and they have a son who is also a singer, guitarist and songwriter Ito (Win Htut Thawdar) and a daughter Chan Chan (Win Htut Tara).
- Pyay Lann Yae Asone (End of the Runway)
- Ma Nat Phyan Yae Lann Myar (Tomorrow's Road)
- Say Baung Kha Dae Nya 1
- Thet Tu Yae Amyit Aphyar (Root of Metal)
- Brother John's Short Visit
- Ngwal Kyi Zan (Silver Bullet)
- Say Baung Kha Dae Nya 2
- Achit Sat Apyat Gyi (Broken Love Machine)
- Lu Mhar (Wrong Person)
- Rock n' Roll Bawa (Rock n' Roll Life)
- Achit Yae Asone Athet (Ended Love)
- Ta Mu Thar (1 Cent Higher)
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
, country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
, and blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
singer, and the lead vocalist
Lead vocalist
The lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...
of the band Emperor.
Early life
Zaw Win Htut was born into a musical family in YangonYangon
Yangon is a former capital of Burma and the capital of Yangon Region . Although the military government has officially relocated the capital to Naypyidaw since March 2006, Yangon, with a population of over four million, continues to be the country's largest city and the most important commercial...
, Myanmar
Myanmar
Burma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south....
. His father Kyi Khin was a physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
, and his mother Tin Aye was a famous folk singer with the stage name Htar. His maternal grandfather was Shwe Taing Nyunt, a famous songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
of classical Burmese music. His nickname was Nyi Htut. He received a bachelor's degree in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
from Yangon University.
Career
Zaw Win Htut began his career in music as a drummer in a band called Oasis. He formed his own band, Emperor, in the 1980s with five members, Zaw Myo Htut (his brother and lead guitarist), Cin Khan Pun (bass), Wai Tun (drums), Maung Maung Lwin (keyboards), John O'Hara (acoustics). He was strictly a country, rock and roll singer in his early career. His first album, released in 1983, was not a success. His third album Hlyatsit Moe Kaungkin, released in 1989, made him a star.Wearing someone else's cloths
Like most Burmese pop singers, Zaw Win Htut became famous with Burmese languageBurmese language
The Burmese language is the official language of Burma. Although the constitution officially recognizes it as the Myanmar language, most English speakers continue to refer to the language as Burmese. Burmese is the native language of the Bamar and related sub-ethnic groups of the Bamar, as well as...
covers of foreign (mostly Western rock and pop) hits, written by successful cover "songwriters" such as Thukhamein Hlaing, Min Chit Thu, Win Min Htwe, Saw Khu Sae. Unlike most Burmese pop stars, this grandson of Shwe Taing Nyunt was actually embarrassed about it. He famously said that singing those songs were like wearing someone's else shirt. In a 2004 interview he said that his goal was to make original music.
He decided to make only "original" (i.e. non-cover) albums in mid 1990s. He was one of the first in the Burmese pop music industry to break away from taking the easy route of cover songs. (To be sure, some successful singers like Sai Htee Saing
Sai Htee Saing
Sai Htee Saing was a distinguished Burmese singer and songwriter of Shan descent, which featured prominently throughout his music career. Throughout his career, he recorded 2 to 3 Shan language albums and 30 to 40 Burmese language albums. He was especially known for composing country music.Htee...
and Soe Lwin Lwin never recorded a cover song.) He did score a few hits with A-Hnaing-Me and Achit Mya Thu Si Mha. Nonetheless, his contrition has limits. He continues to perform his famous cover hits in concerts although he performs only the original songs in his overseas concerts. In a 2010 interview, he admitted that he refused to do any concerts overseas for many years because he did not have a sufficient number of original songs, and that he began doing overseas concerts only after he had collected enough original songs. In the same interview he said he had done over 20 overseas concerts.
In 2000, he introduced the blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
to his records.
Politics
"Though their profession calls for them to strut onstage like rebels, Burma's rockers can only mime the anti-establishment part. Zaw Win Htut works in the sanitized vacuum of a country run by military rulers who view him automatically as a threat, a potential subversive, because he holds a microphone. Burma's cultural input is zealously monitored and artistic expression heavily censored.""As one of Burma's biggest rock stars, Zaw Win Htut faces constant government scrutiny of his lyrics, album covers and music videos, but some of his biggest clashes concerned the length of his hair."
Emperor band
The Emperor band consists of six members. Original founders are Zaw Win Htut [Vocals], Zaw Myo Htut [Lead Guitar], John Ohara [Rhythm Guitar], Boe Kyin [Drums], Leonard Maung Maung Lwin [Keyboard] and Wai Tun [Drums].Current Band Members
- Vocals: Zaw Win Htut
- Lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
: Zaw Myo Htut - Rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
: John Ohara - Bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
: Myat Moe - KeyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
- Leonard Maung Maung Lwin - DrumDrumThe drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s: Ye Linn
Former Band Members
- Bass GuitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
: Boe Kyin - DrumDrumThe drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s: Wai Tun - Percussion}: Sai Thar Htay
Personal
Zaw Win Htut has a love for and is a supporter of other forms of arts. One of his dreams is to live in a house full of beautiful paintings. He has a collection of about 100 paintings by famous artists and others who are not so well-known.His passion other than the music career is painting.
Zaw Win Htut is married to May Khaing Ohn, and they have a son who is also a singer, guitarist and songwriter Ito (Win Htut Thawdar) and a daughter Chan Chan (Win Htut Tara).
Single albums
- Mercury Nya (Mercury Night)
- Achit Swan-in (Love Power)
- Kye Dagun (Comet)
- Lann Thit [(New Way)..With his Brother]
- Best of Zaw Win Htut
- Rock Tasay (Evil of Rock)
- Shin Than Chin (Surviving) (1986)
- Shin Than Chin 2 (Surviving 2) (1989)
- Yazawin (History) (1991)
- Nayar Thit (New Place) (1993)
- Kayee Thwar Migo Dan Myar (Travelling Smoke ranges) (1994)
- Say Soe Pan Yite Myat Nhar (Face) (1995)
- Maha (Grandeur) (1995)
- Gypsy Moe Tain (Gypsy Cloud) (1996)
- Say Baung Kha Dae Nya (Angel Night) (1997)
- Tasay Lan(Ghost Lane) (2008)
- Pyay Lann Yae Asone (End of the Runway)
- Ma Nat Phyan Yae Lann Myar (Tomorrow's Road)
- Say Baung Kha Dae Nya 1
- Thet Tu Yae Amyit Aphyar (Root of Metal)
- Brother John's Short Visit
- Ngwal Kyi Zan (Silver Bullet)
- Say Baung Kha Dae Nya 2
- Achit Sat Apyat Gyi (Broken Love Machine)
- Lu Mhar (Wrong Person)
- Rock n' Roll Bawa (Rock n' Roll Life)
- Achit Yae Asone Athet (Ended Love)
- Ta Mu Thar (1 Cent Higher)
- Achit Myar Thu Si Mhar (Loves are in her) (1998)
- Amone Myo Yae Away Mhar (Blues for You) (2000)
- Pya Tike Tae Ka Nay/ Nya (Day and Night from the Museum) (2002)
- Myaw Lint Chin Ka Yee Tha Myar
- Myaw Lint Chin Kan Chay (Hopeful Beach) (2005)
- Shin Than Chin Anhit 20 (Surviving 20 years) (2006)
- Ta Say Lann (The Road of the Ghost) (2009)
- Moe Htae (In The Rain) (2009)
Compilation albums
- Hlyatsit Moe Kaungkin (Lightning Cloud) (1989)
- Hlyatsit Moe Kaungkin 2 (Lightning Cloud 2) (1991)
- Rock 'N Roll Thingyan (1994)
- Wutkyway (Sins) (1997)
- Kyanawdo Guitar Yatwunmha (In our guitar environment) (2006)
Couple albums
- Achain Daing Nay Yar Daing (Anytime, Anywhere)
- Big V
- City FM Thu Khit Koe Khit (Their Time, Our Time)
- Nayt Thit Tway Hte Mhar (In the New Day)
- Thone Yarthi Chitthu (Lover for 3 Seasons)
- Zaw Win Htut Gaungzin Thachinmya (Album Titled Songs)