"Brother" explodes in the North and the dream of earning 31 million USD from Vietnamese entertainment

Nearly 100,000 audiences watched "Brother" and the attraction of the "made in Vietnam" concert

Remember, in July 2023, when the band Blackpink held two shows at My Dinh Stadium attracting more than 60,000 spectators, many people were amazed and asked the question: "When will Vietnamese singers be able to have shows like this?"; "When will the Vietnamese entertainment industry be able to organize a music night of such scale and world-class quality?".

And after only 1 year, Vietnamese audiences have had the answer. Concerts (live music nights) 3, 4 of Anh trai say hi took place at My Dinh National Stadium ( Hanoi ) on the evenings of December 7 and 9, along with concert 2 Anh trai vu ngan cong nong gai at Vinhomes Ocean Park 3 ( Hung Yen ), on the evening of December 14, attracting nearly 100,000 audiences, becoming an unprecedented phenomenon in the Vietnamese music industry in particular and the Vietnamese entertainment industry in general.

For the first time in many years, Vietnamese audiences who want to see a concert by an international star do not have to spend money to travel to faraway Thailand, Korea or Singapore.

For the first time, Vietnamese music stars have a stage to perform, attracting a huge fan base of tens of thousands of people - audiences who were previously only interested in K-pop (Korean pop music), C-pop (Chinese pop music) or USUK (European and American music) stars.

Concert 4 "Anh trai say hi" (left) at My Dinh National Stadium (Hanoi) and concert 2 "Anh trai qua ngan cong gai" at Vinhomes Ocean Park 3 (Hung Yen) attracted tens of thousands of spectators (Photo: Producer).

Most of the audience after watching the shows Anh trai say hi and Anh trai vu ngan cong gai all said: "Before, I only thought about attending concerts of international artists or watching international music nights because I felt that was the pinnacle. However, now it's different, the "made in Vietnam" concerts of Vietnamese artists are also invested and equally attractive".

Or many people share the same opinion: "From now on, never say when V-pop concerts will be equal to K-pop. It's too outdated"...

Regarding the story of investment costs for the concert, Mr. Nguyen Xuan An - Communications Director of Anh trai vu ngan cong gai - shared: "Organizing a concert serving more than 20,000 audiences is definitely a challenge for the company's staff. We are not comfortable sharing the cost yet, but it is certainly the most optimized number possible to bring a great experience and be recognized by more than 20,000 audiences at the concert".

It is known that the recent concert 2 Brothers overcoming thousands of obstacles was held on a 55,000 m2 campus, with a capacity of more than 20,000 seats, and is one of the biggest music events of the year in the North.

The entire stage is designed with two high-class private rooms, the stage applies the most modern projection technology today with a large central mesh LED screen, surrounded by 8 additional LED screens, all of which are carefully invested, creating a lively, international standard performance space.

Sharing with Dan Tri reporter, singer Tuan Hung expressed that he was happy to be in a big music program, supported by many people like Anh trai vu ngan cong gai.

"I used to wonder if Vietnamese audiences were so fond of foreign things, when they always shouted and cheered for international stars, but that's not true. If our music touches the hearts of the audience, they will not hesitate to spend money and effort to support big shows," Tuan Hung said.

The male singer affirmed that Vietnam has good music producers, no different from Korea. With the current "open" trend, Vietnamese music is also very close to world music...

Artists performing in concert 2 "Brother overcomes thousands of obstacles" in Hung Yen (Photo: Nguyen Ha Nam).

Music producer Quang Anh said that the success of the two concerts Anh trai say hi and Anh trai vuon ngan cong gai is understandable because these are two programs that received huge investments from content to stage and performance sound. Many people also compared these shows to be no less than BlackPink's two concerts in July 2023 at My Dinh Stadium, Hanoi.

According to this expert, nowadays, music shows are getting more attention due to the media effect and the development of information technology in the 4.0 era. Before the concerts Anh trai say hi, Anh trai vu ngan cong gai took place, these reality TV shows were mentioned a lot on social networks YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Threads...

Artists performing in concert 3 of "Anh trai say hi" (Photo: Producer).

"When a show has strong coverage on social networks, it is understandable that concerts attract large audiences.

Moreover, audience psychology also follows the crowd effect, when many people mention and care, it makes their friends also have a certain interest in these shows.

This is proven when the audience is always packed in the stands, no matter the weather is rainy or cold, 12 degrees, fans still persevere to sit until the end of the show," said Mr. Quang Anh.

Media expert Hong Quang Minh also acknowledged that the success of the "Brother" concerts lies in the combination of many factors: Emotional music, increasingly professional staging techniques, and most importantly, the ability to tell a larger story through music.

However, according to him, from a professional perspective, there are still some points that can be done better.

"For example, in some segments, the program's pace is not really smooth. This often happens with large-scale shows with many participating artists, but if optimized, the audience's emotions will be continuously heightened.

In addition, the issue of logistics organization, especially traffic control and access to the show's locations, still causes some difficulties for the audience. These factors need to be improved to further perfect the audience experience," said communications expert Hong Quang Minh.

Mr. Minh believes that what makes the difference in those shows is the connection between the artists and the audience. The "brothers" and "talents" not only bring music but also convey a journey of memories, from old hits to newer melodies, all with a personal touch but at the same time very close to the public.

Expert Hong Quang Minh also commented that comparing V-pop with K-pop at this point is no longer really reasonable, and the phrase "when will it be equal" is even more unnecessary. With the two "Anh trai" shows, we have proven that Vietnamese artists are completely capable of organizing large concerts, satisfying audiences both visually and emotionally.

"However, instead of comparison, I think it is important that we define our own position in the regional music industry. Vpop does not need to be a "Kpop version" but needs to have its own identity, based on cultural factors, combined with international standards of organization and production.

Recent shows are getting closer to that: A seamless combination of Vietnamese stories and Vietnamese music, but told in the language of global stages," the expert said.

The audience packed the stands at the concerts "Anh trai say hi" (left) in Hanoi and "Anh trai vu ngan cong gai" in Hung Yen (Photo: Producer, Nguyen Ha Nam).

Wide open opportunities for the music industry and the dream of 31 billion USD by 2030

At the discussion session on socio-economic issues on October 31, 2023, within the framework of the 6th session of the 15th National Assembly, National Assembly delegate Do Chi Nghia (Phu Yen delegation) stated his opinion: "We strive for a total revenue from performing arts of 16 million USD by 2020 and 31 million USD by 2030. Blackpink's 2 shows are already half of the number we strive for by 2030. This is worth thinking about."

The success of the concerts Anh trai say hi held in Hanoi and Anh trai vu ngan cong gai Hung Yen recently and before that in Ho Chi Minh City partly shows that the opportunities for the performing industry in Vietnam are wide open.

After many years of exploring the path, we have a solid infrastructure and a team of staff for international standard "made in Vietnam" music nights.

It is a system of facilities, from sound and light to modern stage, enough to meet the needs of professional performances. Accommodation and transportation services are abundant, security work is professional and careful. Support facilities are increasingly complete and convenient.

We also cannot fail to mention the changes from the audience - those who play a decisive role in the success of the shows.

However, many experts and professionals believe that in order for the performance industry and music industry to truly develop, go the long way and not just stop at a temporary phenomenon, in addition to the efforts of artists and producers, there needs to be the joint participation of the State and localities.

The cast of "Brother Overcoming Thousands of Challenges" attracted a large number of fans after the show (Photo: Nguyen Ha Nam).

Musician and music producer Quoc Trung expressed his opinion: "There has never been a lack of opportunities for us to develop the cultural industry in general or the music industry in particular, it's just that there is a lack of sustainability.

And I think every number and goal needs to come with specific plans and actions, not just propaganda."

Expert Hong Quang Minh said that the success of the concerts Anh trai say hi and Anh trai vu ngan cong gai is a positive signal, showing that the Vietnamese music industry is increasingly maturing.

Artists and organizers have begun to understand their audiences better: They not only want good music, but also a total experience, from the stage design to the emotions the show brings. However, according to him, to see the whole picture, we still have a lot of work to do. The Vietnamese music industry is facing great opportunities, but the missing factor is still a close connection between artists, producers and organizers.

“We need a sustainable ecosystem where each part understands its role and is focused on long-term goals rather than short-term success.

In addition, the show organization models also need to be more diversified. Instead of focusing only on big shows, think about developing smaller programs that are in-depth and highly personalized.

Such performances not only maintain the connection between artists and audiences, but also contribute to nurturing the music market at many different levels," the expert expressed.

Regarding the dream of 31 million USD in revenue from performing arts by 2030, Mr. Hong Quang Minh commented that this number is not too far-fetched and is not a goal or a pipe dream, but it requires the Vietnamese performing industry to change its mindset and upgrade in many aspects. What is more important is whether we dare to set ambitions and act accordingly.

According to experts, we currently have positive signs, such as domestic concerts becoming more professional and the number of audiences willing to pay is also increasing.

However, to achieve the $31 million revenue, the performing arts industry needs a long-term strategy, not just relying on a few blockbuster shows but also building a truly sustainable ecosystem.

Eye-catching performance by the artists of "Anh trai vu ngan cong thorn" (Photo: Nguyen Ha Nam).

Experts, give solutions: First, we need to improve the organizational infrastructure. A successful show depends not only on good artists but also on a high-class performance space.

Stage, sound and lighting in Vietnam, although improved, still do not meet international standards in a consistent manner. If upgraded, Vietnam will not only retain domestic audiences but also attract international visitors to music events, opening up a new source of revenue.

Second, the human factor is the core. The Vietnamese performance industry needs more professional organizers who are not only good at producing shows but also have the ability to see the commercial potential of the programs. This is not only the story of the artists but also the training of a generation of technicians, stage directors and logistics teams with modern thinking and effective management skills.

Third, we must think about diversifying our revenue sources. We cannot rely solely on ticket sales, as the limit on live attendance will always exist. What international organizations are doing is optimizing broadcasting rights, developing exclusive content on digital platforms, exploiting souvenir products and brand cooperation. These are all things that we can completely learn and apply.

And finally, there needs to be a more systematic support policy from the government. Not subsidies, but creating a favorable legal and economic environment to encourage investment in the performing arts industry.

When businesses see the potential, they will not hesitate to invest in high-quality programs, thereby promoting the comprehensive development of the industry.

An impressive performance at the music night "Brother overcoming thousands of obstacles" held in Hung Yen (Photo: Nguyen Ha Nam).

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giai-tri/anh-trai-bung-no-o-mien-bac-va-giac-mo-thu-31-trieu-usd-tu-giai-tri-viet-20241216130234695.htm