• Burmese
Saturday, July 12, 2025
No Result
View All Result
NEWSLETTER
The Irrawaddy
25 °c
Yangon
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Fact Check
    • Investigation
    • Myanmar-China Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Stories That Shaped Us
    • Letters
  • Junta Watch
  • Ethnic Issues
  • War Against the Junta
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Books
  • Donation
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Fact Check
    • Investigation
    • Myanmar-China Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Stories That Shaped Us
    • Letters
  • Junta Watch
  • Ethnic Issues
  • War Against the Junta
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Books
  • Donation
No Result
View All Result
The Irrawaddy
No Result
View All Result
Home Culture Arts

Listen Up—Voice of the Youth to Take Center Stage

Lwin Mar Htun by Lwin Mar Htun
December 6, 2018
in Arts
Reading Time: 3 mins read
0 0
A A
Young artists performing on stage at Voice of the Youth 2017 music festival. / Unicorn Myo

Young artists performing on stage at Voice of the Youth 2017 music festival. / Unicorn Myo

6.4k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

YANGON—Voice of the Youth (VOY) is a music and social unity project which aims to empower the youth of Myanmar by using music as a creative vehicle to tell their dreams, their visions of society and concerns of Myanmar’s future through from their music and their annual music festival takes place this Friday.

The event is organized by Turning Tables Myanmar, a group that wants to raise awareness of the importance of youth participation in Myanmar’s democratic transition. This is the fourth edition of the VOY music festival and it will take place at Botahtaung Jetty in downtown Yangon.

“VOY is one of our movements and we see youths have become brave and dare to speak louder about their visions of society from different angles through their music,” said Ko Darko C, the director of Turning Tables Myanmar and vocalist and guitarist with the well-established punk band, Side Effect.

RelatedPosts

Illegal Entry Arrests Surge in Thailand Amid Forced Military Conscription in Myanmar

Illegal Entry Arrests Surge in Thailand Amid Forced Military Conscription in Myanmar

May 30, 2024
9.4k
Myanmar’s UN Ambassador Calls for Security Council Action to Halt Conscription 

Myanmar’s UN Ambassador Calls for Security Council Action to Halt Conscription 

March 15, 2024
2k
Myanmar Teen Takes to Hip-Hop, Demanding Justice for Parents Killed by Junta

Myanmar Teen Takes to Hip-Hop, Demanding Justice for Parents Killed by Junta

September 29, 2023
948

The organization hosted a song contest in which fans of all kinds of music genres could compete as long as the submissions are original creations and fit into the theme of Myanmar’s societal, educational and religious direction.

“We just want to hear of the voices of the youths, their feelings, what they want to be. They need to speak louder. They need to learn freedom of expression and use it through music. That is the main point of this movement,” said Ko Darko.

The VOY music festivals began in 2015 and still today there are only few young people who can express their visions freely through their music, he said.

He added, “After the second edition of VOY, more young people started to recognize us because of the winner Zwe Thet Paing. His song is about human rights got a lot good feedback. In 2017, we accepted a lot of competition songs which were written about the country’s problems. I’ve also heard a lot of social cohesion song themes at other underground music concerts so, that’s a change.”

This year, they got more than 100 applications from different parts of Myanmar in music styles and expressions ranging from hip-hop to rock, pop, metal, gothic and punk.

They selected only one winner from over one hundred competitors. Winners get a unique chance to perform with other well-known artists at this week’s VOY music festival. The winner of the 2018 competition is an artist called Bliss who won with a song called “Yat Thint P,” meaning “Should Stop” in English.

“Bliss will be performing with us at the coming festival. We have a total nine finalists and all nine songs will be included on the VOY 2018 album,” explained Ko Darko.

In 2017 the team traveled across the country to teach the youth how to make music with what they already have and how to tell their stories through music. They brought their movement to a total of six locations nationwide, including Nyaung Shwe, Mandalay and Pyin Oo Lwin.

“This year, we changed the plan and we tried to get our own place. It’s like a youth center. We held training and workshops there,” said Ko Darko.

“There are so many young people who are passionate about music but don’t have support, so we want to help them as much as we can and we want to get them all in one place,” he said.

“You will hear their voices singing about their society together at VOY and you will see their unity despite their music genres being different. They respect each other.”

The artist line up for Friday’s music festival includes Side Effect, Bigg-Y, Lan Bar, Last Days of Beethoven, Fever 109, The Myth, Skunx, T-Zin, Jimmy Jacobs, Mr-Luffie, Big Zee, Floke Rose, Maze of Mara, The Reasonabilists, Louz Xa Lone, SGL, Tu, Myat Thitsar and Nway Nway. The DJ Zaw Gyi will also perform.

Acts kick off at 3 p.m. and entry is free-of-charge.

Your Thoughts …
Tags: MusicYouth
Lwin Mar Htun

Lwin Mar Htun

The Irrawaddy

Similar Picks:

Illegal Entry Arrests Surge in Thailand Amid Forced Military Conscription in Myanmar
Myanmar’s Crisis & the World

Illegal Entry Arrests Surge in Thailand Amid Forced Military Conscription in Myanmar

by Brian Wei
May 30, 2024
9.4k

More than half of the soaring number of people being detained at the border said they were fleeing conscription, a...

Read moreDetails
Myanmar’s UN Ambassador Calls for Security Council Action to Halt Conscription 
Burma

Myanmar’s UN Ambassador Calls for Security Council Action to Halt Conscription 

by The Irrawaddy
March 15, 2024
2k

The country’s youth are at extreme risk due to the regime’s enactment of the law mandating military service for young...

Read moreDetails
Myanmar Teen Takes to Hip-Hop, Demanding Justice for Parents Killed by Junta
Burma

Myanmar Teen Takes to Hip-Hop, Demanding Justice for Parents Killed by Junta

by The Irrawaddy
September 29, 2023
948

In a Facebook post, anti-junta activist Sann Minn Paing recounts the harrowing details of his life since the coup, and...

Read moreDetails
Rock star Kyar Pauk’s decorated ukulele sold for US$27,500 at an auction to raise funds for the National Unity Government.
Burma

Auction for Myanmar Rocker’s Ukulele Breaks World Record

by The Irrawaddy
October 18, 2021
12.9k

Big Bag’s lead singer Kyar Pauk auctioned his ukulele for US$27,500, with all proceeds going to the people’s war against...

Read moreDetails
protesters confronts security forces in Naypyitaw  in February.
Specials

Myanmar’s Heroes and Villains of 2021

by The Irrawaddy
December 30, 2021
9.5k

The Irrawaddy looks at the individuals, groups and forces that shaped the course of events in one of the most...

Read moreDetails
Naing Myanmar and a group of vocalists (not the original performers) sing ‘Kabar Makyay Bu’ at a pearl jubilee event for the song. / Htet Wai / The Irrawaddy
Burma

Songwriter Who Provided ‘Theme Song’ to 8888 Uprising Finally Honored

by Lwin Mar Htun
August 9, 2018
11.5k

Event held to recall role of ‘Kabar Makyay Bu’ — Naing Myanmar’s reworking of ‘Dust in the Wind’ — in...

Read moreDetails
Load More
Next Post
Arakan Army troops take part in military training in Laiza, Kachin State in 2016. / Nan Lwin Hnin Pwint 

Tatmadaw, Arakan Army Clash in Buthidaung Township

Ethnic Kaman university students in traditional costumes pose for a picture after a welcome event for Rakhine ‘freshers’ at Dagon University in 2017. / A Tzar Moe / Facebook

Arakan Party Urges Govt to Investigate Suspect Citizenship Cards in Rakhine State

No Result
View All Result

Recommended

‘Reforms Are Not Optional’: Prominent Activist Urges NUG to Act Before It’s Too Late

‘Reforms Are Not Optional’: Prominent Activist Urges NUG to Act Before It’s Too Late

2 days ago
992
Trump’s Tariffs to Hit Myanmar’s Garment Manufacturers Hard

Trump’s Tariffs to Hit Myanmar’s Garment Manufacturers Hard

2 days ago
990

Most Read

  • Chinese Investment Reshapes Myanmar’s N. Shan as MNDAA Consolidates Power

    Chinese Investment Reshapes Myanmar’s N. Shan as MNDAA Consolidates Power

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Myanmar Junta Deploying Conscripts in Major Push to Reclaim Lost Territory

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Myanmar Junta Chief Thanks Trump for Shutting Down VOA and RFA

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Two Prominent Myanmar Ex-Political Prisoners Die Hours Apart in Yangon

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • KIA Denies Rumor Chief Under House Arrest in China

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

Newsletter

Get The Irrawaddy’s latest news, analyses and opinion pieces on Myanmar in your inbox.

Subscribe here for daily updates.

Contents

  • News
  • Politics
  • War Against the Junta
  • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
  • Conflicts In Numbers
  • Junta Crony
  • Ethnic Issues
  • Asia
  • World
  • Business
  • Economy
  • Election 2020
  • Elections in History
  • Cartoons
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Commentary
  • Guest Column
  • Analysis
  • Letters
  • In Person
  • Interview
  • Profile
  • Dateline
  • Specials
  • Myanmar Diary
  • Women & Gender
  • Places in History
  • On This Day
  • From the Archive
  • Myanmar & COVID-19
  • Intelligence
  • Myanmar-China Watch
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Food
  • Fashion & Design
  • Videos
  • Photos
  • Photo Essay
  • Donation

About The Irrawaddy

Founded in 1993 by a group of Myanmar journalists living in exile in Thailand, The Irrawaddy is a leading source of reliable news, information, and analysis on Burma/Myanmar and the Southeast Asian region. From its inception, The Irrawaddy has been an independent news media group, unaffiliated with any political party, organization or government. We believe that media must be free and independent and we strive to preserve press freedom.

  • Copyright
  • Code of Ethics
  • Privacy Policy
  • Team
  • About Us
  • Careers
  • Contact
  • Burmese

© 2023 Irrawaddy Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Fact Check
    • Investigation
    • Myanmar-China Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Stories That Shaped Us
    • Letters
  • Ethnic Issues
  • War Against the Junta
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Business Roundup
  • Books
  • Donation

© 2023 Irrawaddy Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.