Bang Kieu, HIEUTHUHAI, and the generation gap in music.

As soon as they aired at the same time, the producers of the two "brother" shows must have anticipated being compared, being put into a ratings "battle," and competing for top trending spots.

In recent days, the "battle" has become even more intense, as viewers of "Brother Says Hi" flooded the personal page of People's Artist Tu Long (who is participating in "Brother Overcoming a Thousand Thorns") leaving rude and offensive comments.

On music forums, the two programs and their casts of artists are being compared in terms of talent, charisma, and musical vision. In this comparison, the "talented" cast of "Brother Overcoming a Thousand Thorns" is considered to be losing ground and less appealing than the "Gen Z" generation such as HIEUTHUHAI, Negav, Rhyder, Duong Domic, Captain Boy, etc.

Generation gap

In terms of age, the generation of artists like Bang Kieu and Tu Long is nearly 30 years older than the "hot boys" of "Anh trai say hi," which is a very long time. The standards they set for artists were completely different from those of the current Gen Z generation.

During his vibrant youth, Bang Kieu was an icon of the lively pop music scene, topping the Green Wave charts. He rose to prominence from the student singing movement, actively participating and possessing a rare and beautiful voice.

In terms of vocal ability, none of the Gen Z singers can compare to Bang Kieu or Tuan Hung (singers whose vocals are strong). Bang Kieu possesses a tenor 1 voice with a wide vocal range, reaching high notes smoothly, brightly, and delicately. Along with his long career, Bang Kieu also has a maturity in emotion and stage presence.

Artists born in the 1970s, like Bang Kieu and Tuan Hung, have very different standards compared to artists born in the 1990s. Photo: Producer

For artists born in the 1970s, simply showcasing their beautiful voices and emotions was enough to dominate the stage; there was no need for elaborate rehearsals with large groups of dancers or the sophisticated dance moves of K-pop stars today.

For People's Artist Tu Long, the behind-the-scenes "anecdotes" from the show "Brother Overcoming a Thousand Obstacles" all show how he maintains his position as the elder brother with a "fair play" attitude in this competition. Tu Long is multi-talented and full of ideas. He not only takes care of his own team's performance but also offers suggestions and ideas to other teams, for example, how he suggested staging the performance "Returning Home - Winter Coat" for Thanh Duy and Bui Cong Nam's team.

When participating in music reality shows, veteran artists like Bang Kieu, Tu Long, and Tuan Hung have to overcome their large egos and accept the disadvantages of having their careers past their peak. Furthermore, they accept the rules of the game and the fact that they will be compared to younger artists in both programs.

Not to mention, they also have to follow a script. Whether the script is engaging and appealing enough to the audience is beyond the artists' control.

Meanwhile, Gen Z artists like HIEUTHUHAI, Negav, Captain Boy, Rhyder, and Duong Domic, when participating in "Anh trai say hi," competed with a much more relaxed mindset. They had nothing to lose. Duong Domic, Quang Hung MasterD, Negav... were almost unknown when they came to this competition.

The group performance style, which both highlights individual strengths and mitigates weaknesses, has helped many names rise to prominence in "Brother Say Hi." The script, the investment in staging, and the large team of dancers are greatly supporting HIEUTHUHAI, Dương Domic, and the "Gen Z" generation to shine on stage.

The trending performances of "Brother Says Hi" brought a breath of fresh air, leaving audiences "overwhelmed" by the innovative staging and the impressive number of supporting personnel.

Stepping outside the confines of a competition.

The music market is far different from the framework of a singing competition. The demands placed on an artist by the market are also far different from those of a reality TV show.

The framework of a competition cannot fully reflect the enduring strength and longevity of an artist's reputation. Photo: Producer

Gen Z artists shine thanks to the huge support and backing from the production team. What would happen if my brother said hi without that support?

Will Song Luan and Anh Tu Atus have the potential to continue as singers, or will they return to acting as they once did? What will Duong Domic, Negav, Hurrykng, and Jsol achieve if they don't receive the support to shine as they did in "Anh trai say hi"?

Many of the top 16 finalists in the "Brother Says Hi" competition have struggled in the music market for a long time without achieving significant success.

This goes to show that, in a fair assessment, when considering an artist's journey and reputation, they should be viewed within the context of their long-term success, not just within the framework of a single competition.

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