Sieng Vanthy was born on January 8, 1948 in Prey Veng Province, Cambodia. She is known for being a former singer from the Sangkum Reastr Niyum era (Norodom Sihanouk's regime) and mother of musician Reth Thidona and singer Tata. She was also known for being the star of the SKD music group. In the documentary Don't Think I've Forgotten: Cambodia's Lost Rock & Roll (2014), She explains in a heartbreaking interview, Sieng Vanthy says she survived an encounter with Khmer Rouge soldiers by telling them she was a banana seller, not a singer. The Khmer Rouge was a brutal regime that ruled Cambodia, under the leadership of Marxist dictator Pol Pot, from 1975 to 1979. Pol Pot's attempts to create a Cambodian "master race" through social engineering ultimately led to the deaths of more than 2 million people in the Southeast Asian country. Sieng Vanthy passed away on December 9, 2009 and was reported to be 61 years old. Three days before succumbing, she was sent to a Vietnamese hospital where she received a scan that revealed that she had a brain inflammation, as well as blockage of brain artery.
