TRACE on Saigon Jazz Revival, Her Mother’s Musical Legacy, and Finding Her Own Voice

What does it mean to honor your parents’ legacy while they are still here?

Returning as a guest on my show for the first time since 2020, singer/songwriter, filmmaker, and creative TRACE chatted with me about preparing the upcoming Saigon Jazz Revival with her mom, Carol Kim, a legendary Vietnamese singer known in the Vietnamese music scene for decades. We talk about the anticipation for the Saigon Jazz Revival, partnered with the Vietnamese Association of Illinois (VAI), that’s coming to Chicago on Sat, August 29th at Live Bash. TRACE goes into the process of working with her mom and collaborating with the New Orleans jazz ensemble. She shares more about her relationship with her mom while finding ways to honor her mom’s legacy in the Vietnamese community. I got to chat with her about TRACE’s own music and filmmaking, and so much more!

If you’re in the Chicago area, please get your tickets now to the Saigon Jazz Revival below.

Purchase your tickets to the Chicago Saigon Jazz Revival here

Bio:

Trace is a second-generation Vietnamese American artist and writer who has spent the last decade in Los Angeles immersed in the music industry. Since 2016, resonating with themes of longing, belonging, and queerness, her music has reached over 84 million streams, including major-label releases and a partnership with NAMI to spotlight mental health.Her love for storytelling naturally evolved into filmmaking, showcased by her semi-autobiographical debut short film, No More Sad Songs, which premiered in the fall of 2024. Trace's second short, Cry, Baby, premiered this past August in anticipation of its 2026 festival circuit run. In the meantime, she is developing a documentary about her mother and, in tandem, writing her debut semi-autobiographical memoir.

IG: TRACE

Website: https://listentotrace.com/

Information about the Vietnamese Association of Illinois (VAI):

* IG: vai_chicago

* VAI Website