Emmy Award-winning producer and writer Gregory Cahill teamed up with a group of Cambodian co-workers to create a book that sheds light on the life and legacy of Ros Serey Sothea, Cambodia’s most beloved golden age star. Originally released in Khmer, a new English-language edition is set to expose the story of the beguiling singer to a whole new audience.

Titled The Golden Voice: The Ballad of Cambodian Rock’s Lost Queen, the graphic novel aims to celebrate the extraordinary talent of Ros Serey Sothea, who rose to stardom during Cambodia’s vibrant music scene in the 1960s and early 1970s.

Her promising career was cut short when she disappeared during the brutal cultural purges of the Khmer Rouge regime. The book, accompanied by an interactive soundtrack, is set to hit stores in October 2023.

The Golden Voice: The Ballad of Cambodian Rock’s Lost Queen is a 187-page graphic novel featuring an interactive streaming soundtrack,” Cahill told The Post.

“The soundtrack showcases original recordings by Sothea, as well as other influential Cambodian artists like Sinn Sisamouth and Pen Ran,” he added.

In Cambodia, music holds a special place in the nation’s soul, and Sothea embodied that spirit like no other.

Starting as a humble rice farmer, she transformed into a superstar singer, captivating the hearts of the Khmer people with her golden voice.

Throughout her career, she recorded over 500 songs, her signature angelic voice soaring over genres from traditional ballads to psychedelic rock and beyond.

Even as war ravaged her country, she remained committed to her music, even while serving as one of the country’s first female paratroopers.

“She had a musical talent that was almost uncanny. She makes you feel her emotions within yourself, regardless of your language or generation,” said Cahill.

“Not many singers possess that rare gift, and I believe that’s why her musical legacy has survived with such resilience,” he explained.

However, the advent of the Khmer Rouge rule brought about a dark period for the innocent people of Cambodia, especially those deemed individualists, as they were deemed a threat to the regime. The black-clad agrarian communists ruthlessly murdered artists and attempts to eradicate all traces of their music.

To this day, her true fate remains unknown. The graphic novel aims to uncover the story of Sothea’s life, by working closely with her surviving family members and through an interactive soundtrack that allows readers to experience her music first-hand.

“The Khmer Rouge endeavoured to crush the human spirit, but her spirit was just too bright. I think the world is just a little bit better because she graced us with her gift for even a short time,” said Cahill.

Cahill, an accomplished television producer based in Los Angeles with credits including popular shows like The Talk, Mad Men, Medium, and 24, first encountered Sothea’s enchanting voice through the soundtrack of the film City of Ghosts, directed by Matt Dillon.

This led him to delve into the Cambodian community in Long Beach, California, interviewing individuals who knew Sothea.

An illustration from, and the cover of, Golden Voice The Ballad of Cambodian Rock’s Lost Queen. GREGORY CAHILL

In 2006, he directed an award-winning short film called The Golden Voice about her, and his subsequent research in Cambodia culminated in a full-length script, which became the foundation for the graphic novel.

Since then, he has devoted the past 17 years to researching and writing about the life of this iconic Cambodian singer.

He worked with Kat Baumann, a talented illustrator from Southern Minnesota, who draws inspiration from her musical upbringing and passion for manga. He also worked closely with designer Cindy Sous and Cambodian music archivist Rotanak Oum.

The announcement of the English language version of the graphic novel has garnered appreciation and support from the Cambodian community and beyond.

“I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all those who have contributed to the emergence of The Golden Voice, a book about my sister Sothea,” said Ros Saboeun, eldest sister of Sothea.

“On the occasion of the English version release, I raise my ten fingers and pray for its success. Let her beautiful voice fill the hearts of humanity all over the world,” she added.

Cahill believes that Sothea’s story represents the triumph of the human spirit and explores the profound relationship between the artist and art.

Through extensive interviews with people who worked with Sothea during the 1960s and 70s, including singer So Savoeun and composer Heng Huorveng, the graphic novel strives to paint a vivid and authentic portrait of the beloved singer’s life.

He said Sothea’s golden voice continues to resonate in the popular music of Cambodia, reminding the world of her enduring legacy. With the English language version of the Golden Voice, Cahill and his team hope to ensure that Sothea’s story reaches a wider audience, allowing her spirit and music to inspire and captivate for generations to come.

The English language edition is set to be launched on October 10, and is currently available for pre-order on Amazon for $24.99.

The Khmer language version is already available in Cambodia, through publisher Avatar.