Vietnamese Music Imprint 2024: The Performance Industry is Transforming Strongly

According to the assessment of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the performing arts industry has had many advantages over the past year. In particular, recent concerts have had great appeal.

At the Conference to review the work of the Culture, Sports and Tourism sector in 2024 and deploy tasks for 2025, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh repeatedly mentioned the success of the two programs. "Drunk brother hi" and "Brother overcomes thousands of thorns" At the same time, it is suggested to replicate good practices and models such as the two above-mentioned programs to contribute to promoting the cultural industry.

According to the latest statistics from Google, "Anh trai say hi concert" and "Anh trai vuon ngan cong gai concert" are the keywords with the highest number of searches in Vietnam in 2024.

There is no doubt that from TV game shows to concerts in the North and South, the "older brothers" have created a highlight in the Vietnamese music industry in the past year.

A brilliant year for Vietnamese music

According to data from the program's production unit "Drunk brother hi" took place on the evening of December 7 and 9 in Hanoi, the event attracted 90,000 spectators. Meanwhile, Day 2 concert of "Brother overcomes thousands of thorns" In Hung Yen, more than 100,000 people attended.

According to Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Ho An Phong, the two above programs are no less attractive than the BlackPink music night in Hanoi in 2023.

“Over the past year, the performing arts industry has had many advantages. In particular, recent concerts have had great appeal. The program 'Brother overcomes thousands of thorns' are loved because they incorporate traditional values and folk culture. Cultural researchers need to study and evaluate more carefully the impact of these programs to have development orientations. Performing arts still have potential and advantages, expected to reach a revenue of 770 billion VND by 2030," Deputy Minister Ho An Phong affirmed.

The effect of "big brother" shows confirms the strong transformation of the performing arts industry in Vietnam. Not only bringing positive signals in ticket sales, these events also lead to the sale of accompanying items for fans, proving the change in the way Vietnamese people create/enjoy artistic products.

Music quality, performance technology and national cultural identity are considered the factors that contributed to the success of "Anh trai qua ngan cong gai." (Photo: YeaH1)

Associate Professor-Doctor Nguyen Thi Thu Phuong, Director of the Vietnam National Institute of Culture and Arts, said that producer YeaH1 could earn 340 billion VND from the concert and during the production and broadcasting of the game show. "Brother overcomes thousands of obstacles."

“This is revenue from advertising and media consulting. The total of these two categories is expected to be 340 billion VND. Ticket sales revenue has not been counted yet. However, with just one show, we can see the success of coordinating cultural sectors together. A music performance also entails the integration of advertising, fashion, tourism, cuisine, etc.,” Associate Professor-PhD Nguyen Thi Thu Phuong said.

In addition to the two famous "big brother" shows, independent artists also have live shows that mark their career milestones such as: “Dance. Concert” in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi attracted about 22,000 spectators, helping Vu become the Vietnamese artist with the largest solo concert scale of the year.

Meanwhile, Tung Duong had a concert. “The Singing Man” at the National Convention Center (My Dinh, Hanoi). Ha Anh Tuan brought live concert “Sketch a Rose” to Singapore and Australia.

Tung Duong's live show in Hanoi. (Photo: PV/Vietnam+)

As for female artists, Phuong My Chi also had a successful year with “School tour-Dance of flying storks” 2024 attracted more than 8,000 spectators. My Tam did a live show “My Soul 1981” in Ba Ria-Vung Tau with the participation of more than 5,000 spectators. Uyen Linh has “The Vocalist” marking 15 years of operation.

In 2024, for many reasons, annual international music events did not take place, such as Monsoon Music Festival, HAY Glamping Music Festival...

The Hozo Music Festival in Ho Chi Minh City has become the largest international music event, lasting for 3 months and featuring 3 official shows bringing together artists from across the country.

Sharing with VietnamPlus Online Newspaper, a research team from RMIT University said that the Vietnamese music market has witnessed a clear change in the public's preferences and music listening trends, reflected in the diversity and richness of music genres. The Ballad genre leads with 86.5% market share, showing the audience's preference for gentle, emotional songs. Next is Pop with 81.5% thanks to popular songs with melodies that attract listeners. Other popular genres include R&B (62.5%), EDM (49.2%) and Rap (47.1%), highlighting their importance to the development of contemporary Vietnamese music.

Representative of the research team, Associate Professor Nguyen Van Thang Long said: “This is a golden time for artists, industry networks, management agencies and music lovers to join hands to build a professional, creative and potential Vietnamese digital music market. The gradually changing behavior of listeners, from their favorite platforms to the time and space for listening to music, requires a strategic and adaptive approach from the entire music ecosystem.”

Entertainment is inseparable from culture

Commenting on the Vietnamese music market in 2024, according to musician Huy Tuan, the performing arts industry has many breakthroughs thanks to the open-minded young audience, willing to spend money to enjoy art. In addition, domestic shows are increasingly invested in both content and form, increasing their appeal. Many songs blend modern and traditional materials, approaching popular music genres in the world. The stage is invested in sound, lighting, and beautiful staging.

Sharing her views on this issue, Associate Professor-PhD Nguyen Thi Thu Phuong said that it is always necessary to determine that the development of cultural industries, including the performing arts industry, must never be separated from traditional materials and the awareness of creating new, unique products. This combination must always be done to maintain the flow of the country's culture.

Ms. Phuong affirmed that the Vietnam National Institute of Culture and Arts Studies will always be a bridge, accompaniment, connecting artists, international organizations, researchers, cultural practitioners, local authorities, managers... together for mutual development.

SlimV, music director of the show “Brother overcoming thousands of obstacles.” (Photo: NVCC)

Sharing the same view, the show's music director SlimV "Brother overcomes thousands of thorns" He said the moment that made him proudest was witnessing tens of thousands of spectators singing along to folk melodies and revolutionary songs.

“To bring Vietnamese music to the world, I believe that folk music is the way to go. It is something that the world does not have because it carries the characteristics of Vietnamese culture and people through many generations, while other things, world performing arts have already reached their peak,” music producer SlimV shared.

Sharing with VietnamPlus reporters, singer Ha Myo said that Vietnamese youth music is entering a period of strong development, with much potential in the context of the cultural industry being focused on. However, to fully exploit its strengths, young people need more support from state agencies and organizations, such as financial support for independent art projects, especially those with high creativity.

“Firstly, regarding infrastructure, Ha Myo hopes that the State will pay attention to building more professional and modern performance spaces. Secondly, regarding training. This is an important step, creating conditions for young artists to study and exchange experiences with international experts,” the female singer said.

Singer Ha Myo at the Ho Do International Music Festival 2024. (Photo: NVCC)

Ha Myo is very impressed with the success of the two “brother” programs. She believes that the key to the success of these shows is not only the quality of the performances, but also the combination of entertainment, emotions and stories that are close and easy to touch the hearts of viewers. These programs have created a space for strong connection between artists and audiences, helping viewers not only enjoy music but also feel profound cultural values.

“What is special is that these programs know how to take advantage of novelty and creativity in the way they are organized, especially using traditional materials as the main theme, exploiting topical topics close to life to spread Vietnamese culture widely. This is an important factor in attracting audiences. Moreover, these shows also create lively and inspiring musical experiences, making the audience feel like they are part of the story,” Ha Myo commented./.

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