Singer, Rick Aliya Khounlavouth was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to a Laos and Chinese working-class family. His uncle, Khamphay Khounlavouth, a songwriter based in Paris, France, has been writing songs for more than three decades for famous Laotian and Thai singers such as Tom Rainbow and Daraphet. Rick mainly focused his childhood on school however always had a gift for music. His uncle uses Rick as one of the first singers to test his songs. The very first song Rick sampled for his uncle, which is now sang by Tom Rainbow, was "Phab Heng Kwam Lung".

Since 9 years old, Rick has always been surrounded with music growing up. Though Rick cannot read and write Lao or Thai, he can sing any songs given to him to listen to from both his father and uncle. Once his family members saw and realized his gift, they molded him into becoming a great singer and hoped that one day he could perform to others. At the age of 13, Rick started performing at weddings and Lao communities events.

For such a young performer, Rick showed remarkable vocal range and depth. Years gone by, Rick continues to impress his audiences with his ability to convey complex emotions and conquer the languages barriers. Although Rick has a career in the corporate world, his real passion is and always will be music. He would like to thank his family and uncle for giving him the ability to follow his dream and encouraging him to strive for perfection.