Proud mark of Vietnamese music

When Duc Phuc, representing Vietnam, was announced as the first prize winner at the Intervision 2025 International Music Competition, on the stage of Live Arena Moscow (Russia), more than 6,000 spectators present burst into tears. This victory is not only a personal achievement for Duc Phuc, but also a historical milestone, affirming an important step forward for Vietnamese music on its journey to the world.

Singer Duc Phuc won first prize at the Intervision 2025 international music competition

Journey to the top

Intervision 2025 is one of the prestigious international music stages, where excellent voices from many countries converge. Duc Phuc entered the final round with a journey of effort, creativity and desire to conquer.

Since confirming his participation in early 2025, Duc Phuc has attracted great attention from the public and experts. The singer born in 1996, famous for his emotional voice, good technique and meticulous performance style, now faces a completely new challenge: bringing Vietnamese music to international friends.

It is not simply a matter of choosing a song to perform, but also a matter of combining national cultural identity with the global musical language.

Opening the performance with the poem “Vietnamese Bamboo” with “Since when has the green bamboo been green/ The story of the old days when there was a green bamboo bank…” , Duc Phuc led the audience into a story full of pride about the history and culture of the nation. The performance was elaborately staged with lighting effects, choreography, traditional bamboo and mat props, combined with modern rhythms.

In particular, the rap in three languages, Vietnamese - English - Russian, resonated strongly, as a confident affirmation of "Vietnam today together making history".

According to musician Ho Hoai Anh, the special detail in the song Phu Dong Thien Vuong is the Russian lyrics, which musician Huy Tuan suggested and supported to complete.

The song Phu Dong Thien Vuong by musician Ho Hoai Anh was chosen by Duc Phuc to compete, carrying the weight of folk legend, depicting the image of a hero fighting to save the country.

This is a bold move, because instead of choosing a melody that is easy to listen to and create effects, Duc Phuc and his team decided to send a profound cultural message, affirming the mettle of young Vietnamese artists.

“We want Duc Phuc to step out into the world with a Vietnamese story, with the image of Phu Dong Thien Vuong, a symbol of the nation's strength and indomitable spirit,” the crew shared.

With a total score of 422, Duc Phuc won convincingly at Intervision 2025, far surpassing runner-up Kyrgyzstan (373 points). The victory brought the male singer the prestigious crystal cup and a prize of 30 million rubles (about 9 billion VND).

Sharing after the moment of coronation, Duc Phuc choked up: "That moment will be deeply imprinted in this little heart."

Milestone of Vietnamese music

The moment Duc Phuc and his crew hugged each other and burst into happiness, the red flag with yellow star fluttering on the giant LED screen became the most emotional highlight of the final night.

Mr. Ha Minh Thang, Deputy Director of the Department of Performing Arts, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, expressed: "Sitting in the audience, I was proud that Duc Phuc's performance fully expressed the cultural identity of Vietnam. The applause was endless...".

Singer Duc Phuc with the performance "Phu Dong Thien Vuong" at the international music competition Intervision 2025. Photo: FBNV

Director Pham Hoang Nam described the thrill of watching the competition as watching football, staying up late to witness Duc Phuc's absolute victory. He highly appreciated the performance that combined elements from contemporary folk music, vocals, choreography to stage and images, creating a dramatic and climaxing performance in just over 3 minutes.

Director Pham Hoang Nam especially acknowledged the young crew including musician Ho Hoai Anh, choreographer Quyen Manh Nguyen and stage director Duong Mai Viet Anh for not only affirming music and culture, but also Vietnam's position in the world.

Musician Duc Trinh, Chairman of the Vietnam Musicians Association, commented: “Today’s young people like Phuong My Chi, Duc Phuc... have proven that only by preserving Vietnamese identity can music reach the hearts of international audiences. This is a good sign, opening a new phase when the young generation of artists both integrates and knows how to respect their roots.”

Musician Duc Trinh believes that this is evidence of a fundamental change in creative thinking: not following global tastes easily, but finding ways to bring national heritage into modern language. Thanks to that, Vietnamese singing can "stand on equal footing" and resonate in major international music events.

MAI AN

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/dau-an-tu-hao-cua-am-nhac-viet-nam-post814119.html