Nepalese Buddhist nun, singer Ani Choying Drolma returns to Vietnam this September

The concert, titled ‘Nhan’ - The Inner Seed, will take place on September 12 at the Gem Center in Ho Chi Minh City and on September 19 at Ho Guom Opera House in Hanoi.

Organizers said the events are designed for audiences interested in exploring sound healing, an approach that uses sound and music to promote relaxation, well-being, and inner balance.

Ani Choying Drolma: Music as a way to help others

Born in Kathmandu, Nepal, in 1971, Ani Choying endured a difficult childhood shaped by poverty and abuse from her father.

At 13, following a family crisis, she fled to Nagi Gompa monastery in the mountains, where she sought refuge.

There, she became a disciple of the late Buddhist master Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche.

Under his guidance, she learned to transform pain, anger, and fear into compassion, eventually taking monastic vows and receiving the name Ani Choying Drolma.

For Ani Choying, music is not a path to personal fame but a form of service.

She describes it as a skillful means (upaya), a Buddhist concept referring to compassionate methods for helping others, as well as a form of spiritual practice.

Her performances of Buddhist mantras combine chanting with meditation and devotion, creating an atmosphere of relief and contemplation.

In 1993 and 1994, American guitarist Steve Tibbetts visited Nagi Gompa and was struck by Ani Choying’s voice.

He later invited her to record, helping introduce her music to international audiences.

Her collaborative album Chö (Offering), released by Real World Records in 1997, brought her international recognition and introduced her Tibetan Buddhist chants to audiences around the world.

Ani Choying returns to Vietnam with a message of inner peace

Vietnamese audiences first met Ani Choying in person at the Sound Healing Concert 2025, held over two nights in Ho Chi Minh City last September.

Ani Choying said she felt a sense of familiarity and closeness during her visit to Vietnam.

Her recordings of Buddhist mantras have attracted millions of listeners over the past decade, earning her a devoted following in the Southeast Asian country.

Organizers said Ani Choying will return to Vietnam this year with new stories and performances.

In addition to Ho Chi Minh City, Sound Healing Concert 2026 will also be staged in Hanoi.

At this year’s events, Ani Choying will not only sing but also chant and share stories inspired by The Inner Seed, the theme of Sound Healing Concert 2026.

The theme draws on the Buddhist idea of the ‘seed,’ representing the origin of one’s thoughts, actions, and inner transformation.

Organizers said each syllable of a mantra is regarded as a symbolic seed.

Ani Choying has often said Buddhist chants are not meant as entertainment but as a form of spiritual practice that reaches beyond music.

The Inner Seed reflects the belief that compassion and transformation begin from within.