Singer Lam Bao Ngoc reveals the reason for being discharged from the army while still a First Lieutenant, cries for his parents

During a conversation with VietNamNet reporter, singer Lam Bao Ngoc cried many times when talking about her parents.

Reason for discharge

- Why did you decide to retire?

After taking the Sao Mai 2017 exam, around 2018, I was given special permission to join the army, then worked at the Military Region 1 Art Troupe.

I really appreciate this, but my musical direction is no longer suitable for the military environment. After a long time of thinking, in June 2024, I decided to be discharged from the army as a First Lieutenant, and 2 months later, I officially lived in Ho Chi Minh City.

- "'I'm sorry' is the most carefully invested MV", what do you think if I say it's very normal compared to the general level?

I read all the good and bad comments. I wish I had more money to film an extra day, invest in the set, add a scene of flying down from infinity space...

MV "I'm sorry"

For many reasons, I couldn't get sponsorship so I spent about 60% of my available money to make the MV, considered it "sponsored" by the audience.

Therefore, I feel a little regretful but not disappointed. The MV is the best thing I have at the moment and the valuable support of the crew. That is Mr. Dang Quan doing 3 jobs for only 1 salary; the crew working 1.5 hours "overtime" without being paid; the makeup artist charging for the event instead of the project...

- You sing ballads too much!

Ballad may be a safe choice but this time it's Lam Bao Ngoc's own song. Unlike the song Then I Will Meet Another Boy which reached 63 million views but the audience only remembers HippoHappy or Calling Name of a Sadness which are known as movie soundtracks.

- Why have you been singing for 8 years but still struggling?

I participated in many competitions but focused on changing to suit the requirements of the program rather than expressing myself, maybe that’s why I didn’t leave much of an impression. Over the years, I have also constantly experimented with different music genres to find the right path.

Singer Lam Bao Ngoc.

Even though the audience hasn’t really recognized me yet, I’m still very proud of what I’ve done in the past 8 years. At least, I sing every song with the utmost care, pouring all my emotions and ego into it.

- You sing so well, why do you always look so self-conscious and shy?

I spent years on stage, no one knew me; singing on stage, chatting on the phone below... It was heartbreaking! I was also self-conscious about my appearance, wondering why I was so short and never posting pictures without makeup.

The day I performed Tet in Lang Son , as soon as I stepped onto the stage, the audience screamed and clapped loudly. My first reaction was to look back in surprise because I thought it was Erik coming out. (laughs) I couldn't believe that after so many years of effort, that enthusiasm was really for me!

I'm not "eel"

- Not long after a scandal happened, you "received" quite a few anti-fans and were ridiculed as "Bao Ngoc Eel", were you sad?

Everyone in the industry knows the cause of that incident. I was right in theory but wrong in practice, so I immediately apologized. I was too tactless. It was someone else's brainchild, so it was understandable that they reacted that way.

Lam Bao Ngoc cried when talking about her parents.

However, I am not "Eel" Bao Ngoc. I may not be delicate, may not think about other people's feelings but I am definitely not an "eel"!

- What did your family do when you got into a scandal?

My family mostly texted me to encourage me. At that time, I had some conflicts with my sisters; my parents were also a bit angry because I had moved to the South too quickly, they had no time to prepare mentally. The incident caused me to lose many things, but in return, I gained love and connection with my family members.

- She rarely talks about her family...

My parents are both teachers, and used to be the Director of the Cultural Center of Nghia Hung District, Nam Dinh Province. Due to a traffic accident, my father was much weaker and had to retire early.

The singer burst into tears.

My parents, grandmother, uncles, aunts... were all music teachers. Because she gave birth to three children, my mother was demoted and transferred to another job. Both my parents were flighty and not good at economics.

Up to now, my 55-year-old mother still works far away; still enthusiastically invests in and creates performances for students in art competitions even though the wages are very cheap.

My parents are very strange. Every Tet, their daughter buys delicious food to bring home, sometimes the next year there is still some left because the grandparents feel sorry and don’t dare to eat it. In winter, they don’t dare to turn on the water heater to wash their face and hands.

Overall, my family situation was not that difficult, but I always cherished the dream of earning money to take care of my parents. Since I was a child, I participated in countless singing competitions just to win prizes and bring home household goods.

Lam Bao Ngoc in everyday life.

I aim to buy a house with a large garden so that my retired parents can have a place to plant trees, raise cats and dogs, and fish...

How are you doing?

I am living in an apartment in District 2, the rent is about 13.5 million VND/month. I live simply, using branded items as gifts or buying from domestic brands.

The salary is not too high but enough for me to live comfortably, take care of my family and save up to make music products. I also want to earn more money to pay my team fairly. Having gone through a period of no shows, I appreciate what I have.

Photo: FBNV

'Apology' of runner-up Lam Bao Ngoc Singer Lam Bao Ngoc has just released the MV "I'm sorry". The song is an apology from a Korean musician to his deceased lover.