New test step of tlinh?

Although marking an international collaboration with Malaysian rapper SonaOne, tlinh's MV 'Polite' is somewhat quieter than some of the young female rapper's previous collaborations.

The MV Polite was directed by Kien Ung, inspired by the issue of toxic silence that is extremely familiar to young people - Photo: NVCC

tlinh has just released the MV Polite in collaboration with Malaysian rapper SonaOne, marking a new experimental step in the international direction of the female Gen Z rapper.

The song has a light R&B and hip-hop style, emphasizing emotions and personal expression instead of the explosive energy often seen in tlinh.

New experimental tlinh, effects still modest?

Polite explores the story of a relationship that has cooled due to lack of communication. Right from the opening with the lyrics "How am I supposed to read your mind?", tlinh shows the confusion and loneliness of the main character.

The refrain "If I'm being real, I won't be polite" is a brave admission of wanting to express true feelings instead of suppressing them.

The song emphasizes the deadlock and lack of communication in love, the reason why the character feels lonely and confused, and highlights the main theme of the song: wanting to express emotions openly instead of suppressing them.

The song Polite with the combination of SonaOne and tlinh

It is easy to see that Polite is a song sung 100% in English, a "different" choice compared to tlinh's previous collaborations. This helps her demonstrate her language ability and natural way of handling timbre, suitable for the international R&B music that the song pursues.

However, the fact that all the lyrics are in English can also be a barrier that prevents the domestic audience from connecting immediately, especially for those who are familiar with tlinh's image in catchy Vietnamese hits that easily go viral on social networks.

According to the crew, the demo Polite was nurtured by SonaOne since 2020. It was not until DefJam Malaysia connected with tlinh that the project was completed, and she became the "perfect piece" missing to complete the song.

Although Polite is included in many playlists in Southeast Asian markets such as Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand, the number of streams is still quite modest - Photo: Youtube

After nearly a week of release, the MV only reached more than 300,000 views on YouTube, the amount of discussion on social networks is not high, and in Vietnam the song reached more than 140,000 streams on Spotify.

This shows that appearing on international playlists does not mean immediate virality, but mainly reflects the release and market testing strategy.

The fact that the MV was released on a Malaysian partner's channel instead of tlinh's main channel also somewhat limited its ability to reach Vietnamese audiences.

The restrained rhythm, light melody and lack of climax can make the general audience, who are used to the dynamic and individual image of the singer, not immediately catch on.

The media campaign for Polite also did not focus on viral elements such as TikTok challenges or remixes, but stopped at introducing the song and the complete music product. This reflects the strategic orientation that is more about artistic quality and international cooperation than short-term effects.

Before Polite, tlinh had collaborated with many prominent domestic artists such as Soobin Hoang Son (Who knows), The Thien (Tho, SAIGONTEY), Low G (Love Game, Hop On Da Show), MCK, Wean or Coldzy. These collaborations often have a high influence thanks to memorable melodies, catchy hooks and audiences close to the Vietnamese market - Photo: NVCC

In that context, Polite can be seen as an experimental step with a directional meaning, when tlinh chooses a profound musical style, collaborates with international artists and seeks a long-term direction.

The product has not created a strong viral effect at the present time, but reflects tlinh's efforts to expand her image and affirm her own musical identity in the new period.

MAI NGUYET

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/buoc-thu-nghiem-moi-cua-tlinh-20251111105326941.htm