The MV "Polite," directed by Kien Ung, draws inspiration from the issue of toxic silence, a topic very familiar to young people. - Photo: Provided by the artist.
Tlinh has just released the MV "Polite," a collaboration with Malaysian rapper SonaOne, marking a new experiment in the international direction of the Gen Z female rapper.
The song has a light R&B and hip-hop style, emphasizing emotion and personal expression rather than the explosive energy often seen in Tlinh's work.
Tlinh's new experiment, the effects are still modest?
Polite explores the story of a relationship cooling down due to a lack of communication. Right from the opening line, "How am I supposed to read your mind?", tlinh expresses the confusion and loneliness of the main character.
The chorus, "If I'm being real, I won't be polite," is a courageous admission of wanting to express true feelings instead of suppressing them.
The song emphasizes the emotional deadlock and lack of communication, the reason the character feels lonely and confused, and highlights the song's main theme: the desire to express emotions openly instead of suppressing them.
The song "Polite" is a collaboration between SonaOne and tlinh.
It's easy to see that "Polite" is a song sung entirely in English, a "different" choice compared to Tlinh's previous collaborations. This allows her to showcase her language skills and natural vocal technique, perfectly suited to the international R&B style the song pursues.
However, the fact that the entire lyrics are in English could also be a barrier preventing the general audience in Vietnam from immediately connecting, especially those familiar with Tlinh's image in catchy, easily viral Vietnamese hits on social media.
According to the team, SonaOne had been working on the Polite demo since 2020. The project was only completed when DefJam Malaysia contacted tlinh, and she became the "perfect missing piece" to complete the song.
Although Polite has been included in many playlists in Southeast Asian markets such as Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand, its streaming numbers are still quite modest - Photo: Youtube
After nearly a week since its release, the music video has only garnered over 300,000 views on YouTube, the level of discussion on social media is not high, and in Vietnam, the song has achieved over 140,000 streams on Spotify.
This shows that appearing on international playlists doesn't necessarily mean immediate widespread popularity, but rather reflects a release strategy and market testing.
The fact that the music video was released on a Malaysian partner's channel instead of Tlinh's main channel also somewhat limited its reach to Vietnamese audiences.
The restrained rhythm, gentle melody, and lack of climaxes might not immediately appeal to the general audience, who are accustomed to Tlinh's energetic and charismatic image.
The marketing campaign for Polite also didn't focus on viral elements like TikTok challenges or remixes, but rather on introducing the song and the complete musical product. This reflects a strategic direction that prioritizes artistic quality and international collaboration over short-term effects.
Before Polite, tlinh had collaborated with many prominent domestic artists such as Soobin Hoang Son (Ai ma biet duoc), The Thien (Tho, SAIGONTEY), Low G (Love Game, Hop On Da Show), MCK, Wean, and Coldzy. These collaborations often have high viral potential thanks to catchy melodies, memorable hooks, and a target audience familiar to the Vietnamese market. - Photo: Provided by the artist.
In that context, Polite can be seen as a groundbreaking experiment, as tlinh chooses a soulful musical style, collaborates with international artists, and seeks a long-term direction.
The product hasn't created a strong viral effect yet, but it reflects Tlinh's efforts to expand her image and assert her own musical identity in this new phase.
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/buoc-thu-nghiem-moi-cua-tlinh-20251111105326941.htm
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