Ha Quynh Nhu caused a "storm" when she rapped "Angry but loving"

Bringing rap into Nghe Tinh folk songs

In “Gây Nghệ”, “Giận mà Thương” - a familiar melody, heavy with love from Nghe An, was remixed by Hà Quỳnh Như with a completely new spirit. The story of anger and love, which is gentle in folk songs, suddenly becomes a more humorous and playful version in the electronic rap mix. The beat is neatly processed, not breaking the original melody but creating more space for the vocals and lyrics to “catch up” with young people.

MV "Angry but loving" by Ha Quynh Nhu.

The rap part performed by Ha Quynh Nhu herself - "But you are wrong because of you, and I am also wrong because of you. But if you are angry, then you are angry, but if you love me, then you love me!" - is both mischievous and truly "Nghe" style. Strong in the way of speaking, but the listener can feel the softness of this Nghe girl in her twenties. That spirit became the highlight that made the MV spread quickly. The Vi and Giam melodies, which have always been soulful and whispering, suddenly had a mischievous version and carried the rhythm of life in her twenties.

Image of Ha Quynh Nhu in MV — Image of Ha Quynh Nhu in the MV "Angry but Loving". Photo: NVCC

When asked if she was worried that the new arrangement would distort the original folk song's spirit, Ha Quynh Nhu shared: "I'm not afraid. Because the folk song's essence is still in "Gian ma thuong". I just innovated it to make it closer to young people, in line with the breath of the digital age." For her, innovation does not mean destroying tradition but finding a way to give folk songs a new breath so that they don't stand out from contemporary musical life.

On November 8, the EP “Gây Nghệ” was officially released, on the occasion of the 11th anniversary of the Vi-Giam folk songs being recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

An EP (short for Extended Play ) is a medium-length musical product, between a single and a full album. An EP usually has 4 to 7 songs, with a total duration of about 15-25 minutes.

The launch coincided but was also the young singer's way of showing gratitude to the heritage that had supported her since her childhood. The EP name - "Gây Nghệ" is a affectionate way of referring to girls from Nghe An: Simple, straightforward but inside is soft and full of affection. The 4 songs in the EP are all familiar melodies: Giận mà thương, Xăm Nghệ, Về xu Nghệ cung em, Hò tren song , recreated on the background of World Music combined with Electronica. The zither, the moon lute, the monochord, the flute, the two-stringed fiddle and traditional percussion instruments blend into modern electronic sounds, creating a new space but still hearing the traditional flow behind. For Hà Quỳnh Như, it is a way to send thanks to the heritage that has nurtured her since childhood. She shared: “Over the past 11 years, Vi and Giam has given Nhu so much. Releasing an EP now is something Nhu wants to leave behind as a beautiful milestone. For Nhu, the love for Vi and Giam will never fade away. Vi and Giam is my journey and destination throughout my life dedicated to music.”

The MVs in this debut EP are made in visualizer format - a simple choice, focusing more on music than performance effects. For Ha Quynh Nhu, renewing folk songs starts with small things: familiar lyrics, rich sound images, so that listeners can feel the atmosphere of Nghe An without being ostentatious. However, to satisfy young tastes, we must consider how to make folk songs as young as that, young but still carrying the national soul, the rustic and profound Nghe Tinh cultural soul.

After 7 years of leaving The Voice Kids, Ha Quynh Nhu chose to keep her folk roots instead of following the market. “Gây Nghệ” is the first music collection she personally created, carrying with it the maturity and desire for innovation of a Gen Z growing up in an era of constant change.

Many audiences expressed their delight at this boldness: “Modern but still sounds like the countryside”, “sweet but strange”, “each word touches the memory”… The positive responses partly prove that the combination of Ví, Giặm and electronic music, which seem to be two completely different streams, can still meet at the intersection of emotions.

Song Ha Quynh Nhu and her team did not stop there. She also tried her hand at choreography - for the first time in her musical journey, when she released the dance version of “Giận mà Thương” on November 14. The remaining 3 songs in the EP are expected to be released in November, each song has its own passionate and poignant tone but still clearly has a modern feel.

Efforts to renew folk songs

Taking a different musical path from most artists of the same generation, Ha Quynh Nhu clearly understands the pressure of "keeping something familiar but new so as not to become outdated". She chooses to see the pressure as a motivation to study and work seriously. The transformation in the EP "Gây Nghệ" is the result of many years of quietly gathering experiences, from traditional stages, performances to daily self-vocal practice sessions.

“I want to bring Vi and Giam closer to more people. But as a young person, I also have to keep up with the times. This EP is my way of combining what I do well with what I am learning,” Ha Quynh Nhu shared.

During that journey, there were inevitable moments of downfall. She was worried that the audience who loved folk songs would not accept the new arrangement. There were sleepless nights, and times when she shed tears because she felt like “I was walking on a tightrope”. But instead of stopping, she continued cautiously, because she believed that young people have the right and responsibility to make folk songs live with the times.

Ha Quynh Nhu 2 — Ha Quynh Nhu is always the name searched for when the public wants to find Nghe folk songs. Photo: NVCC

The team's companionship is also a great source of encouragement. They are all young people of the Gen Z generation, daring to experiment and "take risks" to create a sound that both respects cultural roots and breaks the mold. Each arrangement is researched to avoid feeling out of place with the soulful melody of the nation that has existed for thousands of years, but must maintain the typical spirit of Nghe Tinh Vi and Giam: rustic, deep, with emotional compression.

From an emotional perspective, “Gây Nghệ” is like a long letter from a girl from Nghệ An to her homeland: Honest, unpretentious, and free of clichés. The EP is a gentle invitation to friends from all over the world to return to the sound of the Vi and Giam, but in a version that breathes today.

Ha Quynh Nhu was born in 2004, from Nghe An . Becoming the champion of The Voice Kids 2018, she quickly became loved by the audience thanks to her deep, emotional voice. Despite standing in the middle of the Vietnamese music market with countless trends, she chose to stay with folk songs - a choice that is both difficult and challenging but full of perseverance.

The EP “Gay Nghe” includes 4 songs: Angry but loving - Nguyen Trung Phong; Xam Nghe - lyrics by Thanh Luu; Returning to Nghe An with you - Xuan Hoa; Ho tren song (Remembering the girl standing and watching the moon) - lyrics by Dinh Bao. 4 songs, 4 shades of a young soul that grew up from vi and giam.

With this project, Ha Quynh Nhu not only renews her image but also makes a small but remarkable effort to keep Nghe An's folk music in the contemporary music scene - a bold and subtle approach, true to the spirit of "Nghe Giay": Gentle on the outside, strong on the inside.

Source: https://baonghean.vn/ha-quynh-nhu-gay-bao-khi-rap-gian-ma-thuong-10313194.html