Fresno woman who sang awfully out of tune will perform again at Hmong New Year

Christina Xiong is back!

The Fresno woman who sang her heart out at last year’s Hmong New Year festival – albeit terribly out of tune and at times off beat – plans to perform again at the Fresno Fairgrounds.

And she doesn’t care what haters have to say.

“I want to be on stage more than ever,” Xiong said. “I want to go out on stage no matter what people might say.”

Xiong, 24, will take the stage Friday afternoon as part of the pageant competition to eventually be Miss Hmong USA 2018-2019. It’s the second day of the three-day regional event.

Xiong is quick to admit she’s not a good singer.

Many of those who commented about her performance a year ago agreed, often expressing themselves in not-so-nice ways.

But she also had some supporters, who often applauded her energy, enthusiasm and courage.

“I actualy used to be shy growing up,” Xiong said. “Something about being on stage, I can let loose.”

Regardless what someone thought about her singing, the performance generated thousands of video views on the internet and led to Xiong signing with the record label Golden Fat Boy Records.

The label even flew her out to Wisconsin to sing at a festival a couple months ago. In total, Xiong said she performed 10 times in 2018. She hopes to have a record released by the end of the 2019.

“When I go back and watch it, I laugh my butt off,” Xiong said of last year’s Hmong New Year’s performance. “I know it was an epic fail. But I can look back and laugh at myself. I had a good time.”

Xiong, however, believes she experienced cyber bullying “to the max” from the numerous negative comments. She says it happens every time she uploads a new video of her singing.

“They’re always really negative,” Xiong said with a laugh. “Even when people found out I was going to run in the pageant, they were discouraging me.

“When I first read comments, it bothered me for a few days. I just kept reading them and reading them and reading them.

“But I realized, in the end, it doesn’t matter,” Xiong added. “It’s how I feel about myself. They can’t stop me.”

This story was originally published December 27, 2018 at 10:11 PM.