'Fever' Phuong My Chi and the journey to bring Vietnamese music to the international arena

DTAP not only created momentum for Phuong My Chi to make a spectacular breakthrough internationally, but also opened up a direction for many young artists who want to bring Vietnamese music to the world.

After nearly a month of "fighting" at the Sing! Asia 2025 contest, Phuong My Chi made fans proud when she reached the top 3 position.

The singer's success is not in her achievements but in skillfully bringing Vietnamese music closer to international audiences, through the mix of electronic music and traditional music . The person who created this mark is none other than the music group DTAP.

Phuong My Chi successfully helped Vietnamese music spread internationally.

In an interview with VTC News, DTAP affirmed that accompanying Phuong My Chi is an opportunity for the group to continue spreading traditional values through a contemporary lens, and bring it to international friends.

Help Vietnamese music spread, overcome language barriers

- During the preparation for the performances at Sing! Asia, what was the biggest challenge that DTAP and Phuong My Chi encountered?

Our biggest challenge is not in the technical or production aspects, but in how to preserve the Vietnamese cultural soul in each performance while still being subtle and lively enough to connect with international friends.

We do not simply create but tell a cultural story through music, images and performance thinking so that every time Phuong My Chi steps onto the stage, a Vietnamese identity is clearly and convincingly present. It is not simply a creative problem, but also a cultural responsibility that we set for ourselves.

- At the show, the international audience's response to Phuong My Chi's performances was quite good. What does that mean to the group?

For us, the positive feedback from international audiences is not simply a recognition, but also a signal that Vietnamese music, if told properly, can completely touch the hearts of international audiences.

That gives us the belief that Vietnamese cultural identity, no matter what form it takes, still has a natural appeal if expressed with true emotions and modern thinking.

DTAP is behind Phuong My Chi's success at "Sing!Asia 2025".

- In your opinion, what makes the songs in the program reach international audiences?

We believe that the impact of traditional Vietnamese music lies in the emotional depth and unique identity it carries. Each melody, each way of singing, each traditional beat is the crystallization of the life and soul of the Vietnamese people through many generations.

For international audiences, what they are looking for is not necessarily familiarity, but rather soulful, culturally profound difference. When traditional music is expressed in a modern, emotional, and sincere storytelling language, it can transcend language barriers and reach listeners anywhere.

The issue is not whether it is “traditional” or not, but how we tell the story so that the listener can see themselves in it, no matter where they come from or what country they are in, they will still understand.

- However, how can Vietnamese music not only "arouse curiosity" but also truly "addictive" to foreign audiences?

We think “curiosity” is the first step, but to be “addictive” requires a strong identity and long-term investment. If Vietnamese music only appears as a novelty, it can create a temporary effect, but if it lacks depth of content and emotion, it will be difficult to stay long in the listener’s mind.

When traditional music is expressed in a modern, emotional, and heartfelt storytelling language, it can transcend language barriers and reach listeners anywhere.

DTAP

We always aim to not only “make people look”, but also “make people want to come back and listen again”. To do that, we need kindness in every step of our career, from choosing sounds to designing images, from storytelling to performance. When artists do something from their cultural roots, and do it with all their understanding, the music will naturally have the vitality to spread.

Young artists are increasingly aware of the value of national culture.

- Not only Phuong My Chi, young Vietnamese artists today are gradually becoming more aware of preserving and renewing national culture, is this true?

We see that this is no longer a passing trend, but has become a natural breath in many art products.

Firstly, young people have greater access to information and cultural materials thanks to technology. Secondly, they bring a fresh, modern perspective by combining traditional elements with contemporary artistic language, making culture more approachable and accessible. Most importantly, there is a strong rise in national pride, motivating artists to want to bring Vietnamese identity to the world .

DTAP makes its mark by bringing Vietnamese music closer to global tastes while still maintaining cultural depth.

- According to DTAP, what are we lacking so that Vietnamese music can stand firm in the international arena?

International audiences do not necessarily need to understand Vietnamese, but they can certainly feel the soul of the work, if the story is told delicately and sincerely.

To achieve that, we think we need more time and more systematic investment. The most important thing is to have a long-term mindset, not to rush, not just to follow trends but to steadfastly maintain our own values.

When Vietnamese artists deeply understand their culture and tell it in a language that is close to global audiences, Vietnamese music will not only make a temporary impression, but can also stay long-lasting in the hearts of international audiences.

Phuong My Chi's "Vanity" performance caused a stir at "Sing!Asia 2025".

- In the context of the rapidly developing cultural industry, does DTAP think it is playing the role of a "storyteller" through music?

With DTAP, when creating each piece, we always aim to let the music tell its own story. It could be stories about Vietnamese culture and identity recreated through modern melodies and lyrics. It could also be stories about the spirit of the younger generation, about very ordinary emotions and thoughts encapsulated in each note of music.

We do not dare to claim ourselves as great "storytellers", but we believe that, through the selection of materials, the arrangement and the way of expression, DTAP's music has been and is an effective channel for those stories to reach the public. That is how we want to contribute to the flow of the current cultural industry.

- Thanks DTAP for sharing!

DTAP is a famous producer group of the 9X generation, consisting of three members Thinh Kainz, Kata Tran and Tung Cedrus. The group leaves its mark with modern musical thinking, bringing Vietnamese music closer to global tastes while still maintaining cultural depth.

Over the years, DTAP has produced many successful songs such as See Tinh , LINK album (Hoang Thuy Linh), Vu Co Bay, Bong Phu Hoa (Phuong My Chi). In which See Tinh became an international phenomenon with more than 1.3 billion views on TikTok, 100 million YouTube views and 50 million listens on Spotify.

Thanh Tung

Source: https://vtcnews.vn/con-sot-phuong-my-chi-va-hanh-trinh-dem-am-nhac-dam-ban-sac-viet-ra-quoc-te-ar956823.html