Mai Khôi & the Dissidents present a 2-in-1 concert performance: first, they will present “Bad Activist,” where Mai Khôi recounts her journey from pop stardom to activism through a spellbinding mixture of original music, projections, archival footage, and theatrical performance. Throughout the narrative, “Bad Activist” confronts urgent political issues including the legacy of imperialism, the deleterious effects of censorship on arts and speech, and the worsening human rights situation in Vietnam. The story ends with Khôi’s exile in the United States, where she is once again confronted with the same rising authoritarianism she fled six years ago. After a dinner break, the band will perform music from their upcoming album “Five Years in Exile,” which will be available for the first time following the show. Their new songs address issues of climate change, political incarceration, and corporate oligarchy, as well as personal stories of love, loss, and life away from home.
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Mai Khôi & the Dissidents is:
This performance is presented in partnership with Artistic Freedom Initiative.
Schedule:
This is a seated performance. If you require accessibility accommodations, please email boxoffice@nationalsawdust.org.
ABOUT MAI KHÔI
Mai Khôi is an award-winning singer, composer, and activist. She rose to stardom in 2010 after winning the Vietnam Television Song and Album of the Year awards as one of the first female songwriters in Vietnam. As a pop star, Khôi released seven albums in genres of Vietnamese pop and dance, and made regular nationally televised performances. Several years later she grew increasingly uncomfortable having to submit her work to government censors and, thinking she could reform the system from within, nominated herself to run in the National Assembly elections on a pro-democracy platform. Her campaign sparked a nationwide debate about political participation and culminated in a meeting with Barack Obama in May 2016. Her activism came at a high price, however: she had her concerts raided, was evicted from multiple residences, and was detained and interrogated by the police. Since 2019, Mai Khôi has lived in exile in the USA. In 2021, she formed the band Mai Khôi & the Dissidents with pianist/composer Mark Micchelli to present genre-busting protest songs; their debut album “Five Years in Exile” will be released in April 2026. Mai Khôi & the Dissidents is also featured in Khôi’s autobiographical multimedia performance “Bad Activist,” which combines original music, projections, archival footage, and storytelling to fiercely advocate for democracy and freedom of expression in Vietnam and around the world. In recognition of her work at the intersection of art and activism, Khôi was awarded the 2018 Václav Havel Prize for Creative Dissent and the 2022 Four Freedoms Award for Freedom of Speech. Khôi is currently developing an opera cooking show based on recipes she learned from her mother in Vietnam.
PRESENTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ARTISTIC FREEDOM INITIATIVE
Artistic Freedom Initiative (AFI) is a Brooklyn-based nonprofit founded by human rights and immigration attorneys. Their mission is to provide pro bono legal, resettlement, and advocacy support for international artists who have experienced restrictions on their free expression. Further, AFI supports international artists whose work preserves cultural art forms and intangible cultural heritage.
www.artisticfreedominitiative.org