Mar Mar Aye

Mar Mar Aye was born Aye Myint in Myaungmya, a town in the Irrawaddy delta to musician parents. Her father, U Aye, was a hne (flute) musician while her mother Than Hnit was a singer with the stage name Myaungmya Than. She began singing at an early age. In 1955, she gained national recognition as a singer with the song "Playing on the Rainbow".^[4] By the 1980s, 80% of film soundtracks were sung by Mar Mar Aye.^[4]

In 1961, she worked as an assistant broadcaster at Burma Broadcasting Service (now Myanmar Radio). She was an executive member of the country's Modern Music Council and a committee member of Gita Padaytha magazine. In 1971, she established Taythanshin Records. Additionally, in 1976, the Aye Singing Training School was established. During that period, she wrote poetry and songs using the pen name "Lay Mar". She published the novel Lamb's Mommy.

Mar Mar Aye emigrated from Burma in 1998 under General Than Shwe's military regime and resettled in Fort Wayne, Indiana in the United States.^[2][1] She has been politically active. During the Saffron Revolution, she released a song entitled "Heartache Till the End of the World" (အသည်းနာကမ္ဘာမကျေ). In 2012, she returned from exile to Myanmar, at the authorization of President Thein Sein.^[5]

On 25 July 2012, she released a Burmese language memoir, Dear Friend, Look Deeply Into My Heart (ရင်ဖွင့်ကြည့်ပါသူငယ်ချင်း), which recounts the aftermath of her divorce in 1970.^[2]

Mar Mar Aye died at her home in Fort Wayne on January 8, 2024, at the age of 81.^[6]

• Mya Chu Than
• Ko Chit Thu Hma De
• Mandali