Lhamo's name means "goddess of song" (lhamo), a name given to her by a Buddhist monk at birth.[1]
Lhamo left Tibet in 1989 to make a pilgrimage to Dharamsala.[2] She was inspired to reach out to the world through her music. She moved to Australia in 1993,[1] then to New York City in 2000.
Lhamo's Australian debut album, Tibetan Prayer, produced by John Prior, won the ARIA Award for Best World Music Album in 1995.[3] The success of that record led to her signing with Peter Gabriel's Real World label. Her first record for the label, Tibet, Tibet, mainly features a cappella renditions of original compositions—authentic Tibetan Buddhist prayers and songs. Her next recording, Coming Home, was a collaboration with producer Hector Zazou, showcasing her voice and also featuring chanting by Tibetan monks, a wide range of mostly modern Western instruments and the benefits of multi-track recording which enabled Lhamo's voice to be layered repeatedly.
Lhamo's album Ama (which means "Mother" in the Tibetan language) was released in April 2006 and was produced by Iranian-American musician Jamshied Sharifi.[12] Featured artists include Annie Lennox on the song Fade Away[13] and Joy Askew on the song Tara.[14]
In November 2007, Lhamo accompanied a site-specific dance work called "Walking The Line" by American choreographer Bill T. Jones at the Louvre Museum in Paris. The performance, which also featured solo percussion by Florent Jodelet, took place in a 300-foot space stretching from Michelangelo's statue The Dying Slave to the foot of the staircase leading to the sculpture Winged Victory of Samothrace.[15]
Lhamo's fifth album, Tayatha (meaning "It Is Like This") was released in June 2013 by Cantaloupe Music. On this album she collaborated with Russian pianist Anton Batagov.[16]
Lhamo's work with mentally ill and homeless people was covered by Newsweek.[17]
Lhamo released Awakening Album[18] which explores the relevance of compassion-based spirituality to our modern-day, interdependent lives – each song reflecting topics that have become ever-more highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Awakening was a collaboration with Julio Garcia produced in Madrid, Spain and features 'Loving Kindness' track, on which Yungchen is joined by flamenco legend Carmen Linares. Lhamo says: "'Awakening' aims to appeal to those who are interested in sound healing and spiritual awakening, and, unlike previous albums, uses only English song titles. It is also my first album to include a song in Mandarin. I truly believe that voice has vibrational energy to connect, empower, heal and transform all human beings. I hope these new songs will help bring inner peace and true happiness to everyone who hears them.".
Lhamo has also continued her work with the One Drop of Kindness Foundation, and she has helped to raise millions of dollars for humanitarian projects.[19] In 2023 she released the album One Drop of Kindness, co-produced with John Alevizakis.
The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music. They commenced in 1987. Yungchen Lhamo won one award.
^"Winners by Year 1995". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Archived from the original on September 26, 2007. Retrieved December 4, 2013.
^"Ophelia". May 3, 2017. Archived from the original on February 26, 2022. Retrieved February 26, 2022.