My Ears Through The Years with Chi Thai

Hello METTY fans! And welcome to the next instalment of your favourite series, where we ask the brilliant minds of our industry to spill the musical tea on the songs they love, the songs they hate, and even the songs they love to hate… 

Up next on the mic is the karaoke queen herself, filmmaker Chi Thai. Chi is a BIFA nominated producer, a Screen International Star of Tomorrow, and her production company, Last Conker, was awarded the BFI Vision Award in 2020-2022. Chi’s live action directorial debut ‘Lullaby’ also premiered in SXSW this year. If you love Lily Allen, Shania Twain, and Nirvana, as much as we do then this is the METTY playlist for you. Let’s go! 

Q> Hi Chi! Tell us, what’s your first memory of music?

Chi> I came to the UK as Vietnamese refugee in the 1980s and I was very little in the time. Our house was always filled with pop music of the '80s (Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, Duran Duran and so on) but also Doctor New Wave, the latter having its roots in the Little Saigons of California. Typically featuring a pounding bass, lots of synth, and endless campy fashion, Vietnamese diasporic artists would often cover well known pop tracks in the mother tongue (an irresistible offer to first generation the refugee community who were sorely missing home but this music let them tap into both the culture of American and Vietnam). These were my first memories of music.

Q> The first music that you bought yourself?

Chi> The Stone Roses debut album. I love that album and still listen to it. 

Q> The first gig you went to?

Chi> I had a really strict up bringing so getting out was to say the least challenging. Officially, I had tickets to see Nirvana on their 1994 UK tour - I was going figure out a way to sneak out and had conjured an ill-advised plan to depart via a bedroom window but in the end I didn’t have to as the tour was cancelled. Sadness.

Q> A song you grew up with?

Chi> We didn’t have many holidays when I was a kid but sometimes my very lovely uncle would take us for day trips - Alton Towers, Chester Zoo, Blackpool... I remember this one time, on the way to some fabulous tacky seaside destination, he played a Best of Boney M on constant rotation. All the way there and all the way back. We listened to it a gazillion times. To this day I cannot listen to any Boney M. The trip totally broke me.

Q> Your walk out music?

Chi> ‘Do I Wanna Know?’ - Arctic Monkeys

Q> Your dancefloor anthem?

Chi> Any song, any time.

Q> Your go-to karaoke number?

Chi> I love to karaoke. Lucky Voice on Poland Street is my second home. There are too many to choose from: ‘Welcome to the Black Parade’ - My Chemical Romance, ‘Mr Blue Sky’ – ELO, ‘Torn’ - Natalie Imbruglia, and ‘Juice’ – Lizzo. 

Q> Your musical guilty pleasure?

Chi> I did a stint working at HMV one Christmas to make some dosh for a gap year and listened to ‘Come On Over’ - Shania Twain on repeat. 

Q> Your desert island disc?

Chi> ‘Our Endless Numbered Days’ - Iron & Wine

Q> Music that made an ad campaign?

Chi> The ones that come to mind are ‘Flat Beat’ - Mr Oizo for Levis, ‘Heartbeats’ - Jose Gonzalez for Sony Bravia, and ‘Phat Planet’ - Leftfield for Guinness.

Q> Favourite film score / soundtrack?

Chi> Very sincerely, Jon Clarke’s work on Raging Grace. Or Under the Skin - Mica Levi. Or Schindler’s List - John Williams. 

Q> A track you’d love to sync?

Chi> So funny you ask this because I’m currently writing a revenge comedy, the ending of which is very entwined with music. The music is vital to the narrative statement but also the comedic tone. I’ve short list of songs - at the top is ‘Fuck You’ - Lily Allen, ‘Fantasy’ - Mariah Carey, ‘Wannabe’ - Spice Girls, and ‘Walking on Sunshine’ - Katrina and the Waves. If any of these ladies and their publishers want to make me very happy please get in touch!