Vietnamese singers floundering in “local pond”

Vietnamese singers floundering in “local pond”
09:57' 09/11/2007 (GMT+7)
Pop singer My Linh issued two albums in Japan to test this market.VietNamNet Bridge – No Vietnamese singer is known by Southeast Asian listeners. Are Vietnamese singers untalented?

No, Vietnam does not lack music talents. Contemporary song writers Duc Tri, Hoai Sa, Vo Thien Thanh, Quoc Bao or singers My Linh, Thanh Lam, My Tam, Hong Nhung can completely win the hearts of not only Vietnamese audiences.

Vietnam only lacks connections between these talents and prestigious music producers and distributors.

The simplest thing – introducing Vietnamese song writers and singers to MTV Asia channel – has not been done yet.

Without a chance to have access to regional audiences, how can Vietnamese music go out to the region and the world? Pop diva My Linh tried to introduce two albums in Japan, but this is just a probe. Vietnamese singers are floundering in the “local pond”.

Lacking opportunities to access modern and professional organising skills of developed countries, Vietnamese music is like a frog sitting at the bottom of a well. Vietnam doesn’t have a team of song writers and singers who can write songs and perform songs in English, which is a must to go to the world. Vietnamese artists cannot perform folk music forever. Vietnamese music needs a new, modern face to integrate into the world.

Who represents the pop, rock, R&B, jazz or hip hop genes in Vietnam? Perhaps nobody. Even composers, singers and listeners in Vietnam can’t answer this question. Looking at albums launched each week in the market, one can see that they are “mixed products”.

Song writer Nguyen Dat of Da Vang rock bank, said: “We can’t enter the Asian music market because we can’t build our own identity, which must be advertised via the media. We don’t have cooperation with MTV Asia channel or any radio and TV channels in the region so how can regional audiences learn about us?”

Another song writer, Huy Tuan, questioned: “We don’t have a true music market so we cannot define the advantage of Vietnamese music. Audiences, song writers and singers are all vague about music genres so how can we know which genres are the best of Vietnam to develop and introduce to the region or the world?”

(Source: TN)