These days, music and philanthropy go together like fat kids and cake, and in addition to high-profile, holier-than-thou rock ambassadors like Bono and Chris Martin, other lesser-known musicians are also helping out the world over. Srey Thy, lead singer of The Cambodian Space Project (from you guessed it, Cambodia) was recently appointed as a Good Will Ambassador for UN Women’s UNiTE, a campaign to stop violence against women worldwide.
If for some reason you’re not up-to-date on the music scene in Southeast Asia, CSP is a seven-piece retro-inspired psych rock outfit formed in 2009 by Thy and Australian producer (and guitarist) Julien Poulson. The band just released their first album, 2011: A Space Odyssey, in September. However; unlike other do-gooding rock stars, Thy has a more personal connection with her cause. Growing up in 70s Cambodia under the oppressive Pol Pot-led Khmer Rouge (think back to 10th-grade social studies, kids), she was kidnapped as a teenager and nearly forced into a sex trafficking ring. Since that time Thy has become a prominent women’s rights activist in Cambodia, speaking at events sponsored by SISHA - Anti-Human Trafficking and Exploitation Organization and to community groups around the country.
And now, with CSP beginning to make their presence known internationally (they recently made their US debut at SXSW) paired with Thy working in an official capacity for the UN, she can finally spread her message and help women worldwide. Rock on, lady!
• Cambodian Space Project: http://www.cambodianspaceproject.com