With their sensual choreography and provocative outfits, the five members of Myanmar’s first girl band are pushing the limits of artistic acceptability in this socially conservative country. But when their parents call, asking why they are still not home at 10 p.m., the band members scurry back to their lives as deferential daughters.
The members of Me N Ma Girls often arrive at their rehearsals dressed in traditional outfits before changing into denim shorts and tank tops — clothing that would raise eyebrows on the streets of Yangon.
They do not see themselves as rebels but are tapping into a trend by Myanmar’s younger generation, especially in urban areas, to embrace Western pop culture, albeit on Burmese terms.
The members of Me N Ma Girls, all of whom are in their early 20s, have a different set of problems: The power regularly goes out in one of their practice venues, and the roof leaks during the rainy season. The censors express various objections — the band was barred from using colored wigs last year. But then, “tipping” the censors helps the process along. “We try our best to be hot, but not too sexy,” said Wai Hnin Khaing, another band member.
The notion of an all-girl band is still novel in Myanmar, where the music scene is dominated by men. (One stumbling block for female artists: The notion of unmarried women traveling on musical tours with male band members is taboo)
Me N Ma Girls sings about love and heartbreak and boy-meets-girl scenarios that might be benign in other pop cultures but rankle in a society where children live with their parents until they are married.
Growing name recognition in the music industry in Myanmar — the girls have been featured in magazine spreads and profiles in the Burmese media — has yet to translate to financial success.
Lalrin Kimi, who goes by the stage name Kimmy, grew up in a mountain village near the border with India, an area that regularly suffers from famine and plagues of rice-eating rats. Kimmy now lives with her siblings in Yangon. She is still strapped for cash — she recently did not have enough money for bus fare — and makes her living singing in bars and restaurants. Her father disapproved of her joining the band. “He wanted me to do only gospel songs,” she said.
Although just starting out, the girls say they want to make it big abroad. “I want this band to be famous and globally recognized. I want this band to hit Hollywood!” said Cha Cha.
2012.01.04 New York Times - girl-band-Pushes Limits of Censors and parents