Decoding the success of Duc Phuc and Phuong My Chi
In 2025, Duc Phuc's victory at the Intervision competition and Phuong My Chi's impressive journey in Sing! Asia marked two memorable milestones for Vietnamese music . Both singers share a common trait: they chose to assert themselves through traditional cultural elements, using music to tell the story of Vietnam and its people to the world.
At the competition held in Russia, Duc Phuc chose to perform the song "Phu Dong Thien Vuong" . On stage, the singer meticulously arranged images of bamboo, rush mats, and the legend of Saint Giong, evoking feelings of pride and emotion in many Vietnamese viewers. Duc Phuc conveyed a message about the spirit of unity and the aspiration for progress of the nation.
Singer Duc Phuc crowned champion of Intervision 2025 (Photo: Facebook of the artist).
Meanwhile, at Sing! Asia held in China, Phuong My Chi presented a series of contemporary folk performances that were youthful yet rich in cultural depth. Performances such as "Bong Phu Hoa" and the mashup of "Ly Bac Bo " garnered millions of views and received positive feedback from the judges.
Foreign media outlets have praised Duc Phuc and Phuong My Chi, noting that these young Vietnamese singers have brought vibrancy to local culture, showcasing distinctive traditional beauty and creating a harmonious blend with the contemporary world .
Phuong My Chi shines in the Sing! Asia final (Photo: Facebook of the person).
Experts believe that the success of Phuong My Chi and Duc Phuc is due to their skillful and systematic strategy of using Vietnamese culture to position their brands.
Expert Luu Dinh Long believes that the mark left by Phuong My Chi and Duc Phuc on the international stage has proven their ability to subtly incorporate national identity into their music, ensuring they don't feel out of place in the global arena.
Music expert Hoang Huy Thinh commented that young artists are not choosing the path of "internationalization" by singing in English or imitating foreign idols, but are persistently preserving their Vietnamese essence. More importantly, they are not promoting culture in a mechanical, illustrative way, but are placing their identity within the modern flow, creating clear recognition for international audiences.
Phuong My Chi performs the song "Chopsticks" ( Video : iQIYI).
“We can see that an international competition is not lacking in talented singers. So what makes the audience remember us? It's our unique identity, our skillful approach to increasing the recognition of Vietnamese music while still incorporating modern arrangements, blending with electronic music, making it easily accessible to the international audience.”
"Thanks to this, the song, imbued with Vietnamese identity, becomes truly captivating with elaborate dance performances and stage productions, 'molded' to suit global tastes. Professionalism ensures that the message doesn't get lost in local flavor, but is powerful enough to reach multinational audiences," Mr. Thinh shared.
The potential for exporting music and establishing cultural identity.
For a long time, Vietnamese artists have been pondering what the shortest and most effective path is to promote Vietnamese culture to the world. The bright examples from the journeys of Duc Phuc and Phuong My Chi serve as a reminder that each artist, by telling the story of Vietnam in a subtle and modern way, can become a "cultural ambassador" in the new era.
That belief was reinforced when, in May 2025, Tung Duong was honored at the Music Awards Japan with his song "Rebirth". Hoa Minzy's " Bac Bling" also created a strong impact, topping the trending music video charts in many countries in the Asia-Pacific region.
Audiences commented that the series of achievements in a short period of time shows that Vietnamese music is becoming more prominent in the world; demonstrating the diversity of styles, the flexibility of cultural identity, and contributing to promoting the beauty of Vietnam and its people.
Last year, Hoa Minzy also made her mark with the hit song "Bac Bling" (Photo: Facebook of the person).
Experts believe that when artists step onto the world stage, they not only perform but also act as "cultural ambassadors" in the new era. In the context of Vietnam identifying the cultural industry as a new growth engine, recent breakthroughs serve as a positive signal encouraging artists to continue creating high-quality products, making culture a "national soft power."
Expert Hong Quang Minh emphasized that the international impact of Vietnamese singers in 2025 is an example of the "international-level localization" strategy, which means deepening one's identity to the point of attracting the world. The core issue is not trying to imitate the world, but making the world pay attention to the unique aspects of Vietnam.
According to Associate Professor Bui Hoai Son (Specialized member of the National Assembly's Committee on Culture and Society), for Vietnamese cultural products – from music, fashion, and film to cuisine – to create global trends, they cannot rely solely on temporary luck. Instead, they require a well-structured strategy with a vision and the right focus: taking identity as the core, creativity as the driving force, and the international market as the ultimate goal.
Mr. Son assessed that Vietnam possesses many untapped national cultural values that have not yet had the opportunity to shine. These values could absolutely be transformed into artistic products and "taken to the international stage," as evidenced by the recent victories of Duc Phuc and Phuong My Chi.
“Previously, Hoang Thuy Linh’s song ‘See Love’ also created a sensation. Then we witnessed cases like Chi Pu, Phuong My Chi, and Duc Phuc stepping onto the world stage. These events are not just temporary phenomena but reflect the trend of exporting Vietnamese culture to the whole world,” Mr. Son said.
According to Mr. Son, if Vietnamese music in particular, and Vietnamese culture in general, receive appropriate government support, Vietnamese cultural products will gradually gain a firm foothold in the world.
"That will truly be our 'soft power' in the current context. Today, competition in 'soft power' around the world is extremely important, not only in terms of cultural dissemination but also affecting the economy and the overall strength of a nation," Mr. Son emphasized.
Duc Phuc (born in 1996) is the winner of The Voice Vietnam 2015. The male singer is associated with hit songs such as: "Het Thuong Can Nho," "Hon Ca Yeu," "I Do," "Anh Nang Cua Anh," "Mua He Tuyet Voi," etc.
Phuong My Chi (born in 2003) was the runner-up of The Voice Kids Vietnam in 2013. She is known for many songs such as: "My Hometown During the Flood Season," "Missing Central Vietnam," "Journey on the Alluvial Land," "Pushing the Ox Cart," "The Universe Has You," etc.
Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giai-tri/hat-tieng-viet-van-chinh-phuc-quoc-te-giai-ma-phuong-my-chi-duc-phuc-20260208125543357.htm
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