A journey connecting two generations of artists through music.

A pop-rock band has collaborated with traditional theater artists to release a song that has made a strong impression on young people. This unique combination brings much enjoyment and excitement to listeners.

The story of friendship, love, and passion in "Beside You".

“Bên Em” (Beside You) – a song from the album “Quanh” by the young band 502 Ocean – has just been officially released, marking an inspiring musical project with a cultural connection. The song was created with inspiration from the friendship of the artists of the Phu Man Traditional Opera Club (Bac Ninh), one of the highlights of traditional opera art in Northern Vietnam.

502 Ocean currently operates as a three-member group, each with a distinct role in the band's musical style. Long Thanh is the lead vocalist and songwriter, embodying the band's emotional soul and defining their signature vocal tone. Nguyen Viet Hung handles keyboards and production, delivering a modern, smooth, and electronically rich soundscape. Meanwhile, Tuan Anh serves as the drummer, providing an energetic and solid foundation for the band's live performances. The combination of these three elements – emotional vocals, sophisticated production, and powerful rhythms – allows 502 Ocean to build its unique musical style: youthful, emotionally rich, and infused with contemporary indie-pop.

Photo in the article: Provided by the band.

502 Ocean, or Fifty to Ocean, is a name that represents a journey towards the open sea, escaping the crampedness of urban life to find freedom and freshness. "The number '50' also evokes a close association with the legend of 'one hundred eggs' in Vietnamese culture, as a symbol of origin, of splitting the journey to reunite at sea," Long Thanh explained.

With that spirit in mind, 502 Ocean consistently incorporates images of the sea into their products, viewing it as a symbol of new days – where music becomes a support system, a gateway for each person to escape loneliness. The band shared: “Together, we seek out days by the sea, where the soul is free and soothed.”

Included in the album "Quanh," released by SONY Music on November 4, 2025, "Ben Em" (By Your Side) has a gentle, positive, and emotionally rich feel. The clear melody, relatable lyrics, and modern pop-rock arrangement demonstrate the creative synergy of the 502 Ocean members.

One journey, two generations of artists

The unique aspect of the music video "Bên Em" (By Your Side) lies in the creative storytelling approach chosen by the production team, placing traditional theater artists alongside young artists. Two generations of music meet in a shared space, where burning passion becomes the strongest bridge. This intersection is not contradictory, but rather creates scenes brimming with friendship, companionship, and boundless dedication among those involved in the arts.

The appearance of artists from the Phu Man Traditional Opera Club ( Bac Ninh ) not only brings cultural depth to the music video, but also makes 502 Ocean's journey of spreading music more meaningful than ever.

Regarding the idea of ​​choosing traditional Vietnamese opera and the close friendship of the artists in the Northern Vietnamese countryside, Viet Hung shared: “We greatly admire the stories of the older generation's passion for national culture. Knowing about their affection for each other and their efforts to preserve the art of traditional Vietnamese opera inspired our group to compose this song and invite them to participate in the music video.”

The lyrics read: “Being with you means not needing to think about the future/Hands resting on lips as we wake up early/Being with you means not needing to think about reality/Putting aside worries after long nights/Being with you means just wanting to live for each other/Holding hands and walking together forever/Being with you means seeing the world in all its colors/Believing that the pain will quickly pass!”, according to Viet Hung, this is a cheerful, lovely message, true to the spirit of the band.

Although not a professional performing arts troupe, the members of the Phu Man Traditional Opera Club, mostly elderly people, remain connected daily by an enduring love for traditional opera. They are the ones who quietly preserve each headdress, each costume, each antique prop – objects that were present on stage centuries ago, like a vivid glimpse into a glorious bygone era of traditional theater.

The club's predecessor was a traditional opera troupe that has existed for several hundred years, a name that was once very famous. The "keeper of the flame" is artist Nguyen Van Ty, a former performing artist of the Central Vietnam Liberation Opera Troupe (1972-1976). After retiring, he continued to teach, perform, and restore old plays, connecting the community with an ever-burning artistic spirit. In 2024, the Phu Man Opera Club was honored to receive the national "Dao Tan Famous Figure" Award in the category of "Outstanding Semi-Professional Art Troupe".

When modern music coexists with traditional values.

“Bên Em” (Beside You) is not just a musical product, but also a testament to the connection between modernity and tradition. 502 Ocean chose to let the music of the younger generation become a bridge to spread and honor those who have always silently dedicated themselves to traditional art. Despite their differences in style, both shine, standing out with their burning passion, friendship, and companionship.

The relationship between tradition and modernity is not one of opposition, but rather a continuous flow of inheritance and transformation over time. Tradition carries within it the memories of the community and the way people express their emotions, beliefs, and history. Modernity, with the support of technology and contemporary creative thinking, does not negate these values ​​but opens up a new language for them to continue to be expressed.

When stories of tradition are placed in a modern arrangement, it's not simply a "renewal" of the approach, but a way for heritage to continue to exist as a living entity in contemporary life.

Today, we can see this through the incorporation of folk melodies, traditional instruments, and pentatonic scales into genres such as pop, electronic, hip-hop, and contemporary symphonies – where the sounds of the past no longer remain confined to the space of history, but harmonize with the rhythms of today. This combination has helped tradition transcend the limitations of passive preservation, becoming a source of inspiration and material for new creations that are inherited but not copied.

Conversely, in the context of globalization, which makes modern creativity prone to uniformity and a lack of identity, tradition plays the role of a unique cultural "identifier." Thanks to this, when music reaches the general public, it is not just an entertainment product, but becomes a voice carrying the historical depth and spirit of a community or nation.

In this constant intertwining and dialogue, music becomes a bridge between the past and the present – ​​where memories are recreated in the language of the new era. And modernity, through tradition, finds for itself a point of reference for identity, depth, and the meaning of its origins.

Source: https://baophapluat.vn/hanh-trinh-ket-noi-hai-the-he-nghe-si-qua-am-nhac.html