Hoang Quyen goes against the current.

Hoang Quyen's latest album, "River," almost goes against all the current musical trends in Vietnamese music, but it aligns perfectly with the singer's inner struggles.

Hoang Quyen is still progressing steadily on her musical journey. After the album "Song Hap Dan" (Attracting Waves), a collaboration with two talented Vietnamese composers, Do Bao and Vo Thien Thanh, and her second solo concert, Hoang Quyen seems to have said goodbye to seeking compositions from outside sources and is delving deeper into her own voice.

In 2023, Quyen released the album "A Diary of Memory ," featuring songs she wrote herself. The songs are mostly gentle and tranquil, reflecting Quyen's own personality and her music to date. While not a huge hit, it represents the most personal mark the singer has ever brought to her audience.

Without rushing or being overly aggressive on her journey of self-discovery, Hoang Quyen calmly composes, focusing on meticulously refining each of her songs, seeking her own unique sources of inspiration without being concerned about the changing landscape of music. For example, in her single "A Journey in Reflection," released in 2025, Quyen delves deeply into her inner self, creating a distinct musical style for the singer compared to her earlier works.

Hoang Quyen released her album River in vinyl format. All copies from the first print run sold out quickly. The singer is currently waiting for the second print run to fulfill pre-orders. (Photo: FBNV)

In early 2026, Hoang Quyen released her fifth studio album, titled River , and her second since officially composing all of her own music, further demonstrating her strong growth on her musical journey.

A path that disregards trends.

Many vocalists of Quyen's era are changing their style to be more accessible to the masses. Van Mai Huong continuously collaborates with hit-maker Hua Kim Tuyen and changes her singing style to be softer and more pleasant. Duong Hoang Yen participated in " Beautiful Sister Riding the Wind ," clearly showcasing her performance and instrumental skills. Huong Tram also abandoned the melancholic ballads associated with her name to pursue pop songs that are more relatable to young people. But Hoang Quyen still rejects all trends – as she has always done – and steadfastly follows her own artistic direction.

Audiences have seen a profound, gentle, and serene Hoang Quyen in "A Diary of Memory ," and in "River ," she strongly develops this unique style, significantly upgrading both songwriting and arrangement. For this album, Hoang Quyen went to La Buissanne studio in France, and the entire album was recorded analog. Simply put, analog sound is a form of sound recorded and transmitted that accurately simulates the original sound wave vibrations in nature, giving the recording a very high degree of authenticity, as if you were listening live.

The album was also produced by French music director Jean Sebastien Simonoviez, who also directed the album " Who is Bong?" for Hong Nhung. With the aforementioned international orchestra and direction, River boasts very high quality in both recording and post-production. The album's soundstage is vast and spacious, with each instrument's position and volume carefully arranged to give the listener an experience similar to being in a theater, such as the soft piano notes on the left, the slightly recessed bass, and the powerful brass instruments at the front. And at the center of these instruments is Hoang Quyen's voice, resonant, clean, smooth, and perfectly blended.

Hoang Quyen recorded her album River in France with international musicians. Photo: FBNV

However, River isn't the kind of album that emphasizes "technical skill." Jean Sebastien Simonoviez's production abilities are also significantly showcased with the fresh jazz-pop elements in Hoang Quyen's music. Her compositions don't differ significantly in melody from A Diary of Memory , and in fact, the opening of most songs in River is gentle and soothing, seemingly similar to her previous album. However, as the songs develop, Jean Sebastien demonstrates his masterful instrumentation, allowing the slightly unconventional, varied jazz style to enrich and add color to Hoang Quyen's compositions.

While most of the songs in her previous albums were slow and gentle, in River , Hoang Quyen has added compositions with more rhythm ( Nightful Serenity, The Stars ), and even in the remake of her single "Journey in Thought " released last year, Quyen has handled it differently with a slightly faster tempo.

With its substantial compositions and dynamic soundscapes, Hoang Quyen rejects the current trend of short songs under 3 minutes. All 8 tracks in the album are over 4 minutes long, with two even reaching 5 minutes. Clearly, River doesn't aim for trending spots or appeal to younger audiences, but rather to create a tranquil space, requiring listeners to take their time to appreciate the music slowly and carefully. This is also consistent with Hoang Quyen's personality – no need to rush or be the center of media attention, preferring to focus on her own creative endeavors.

The voice remains a sharp "weapon".

Hoang Quyen once shared that her voice has many similarities to diva Thanh Lam, especially in the lower register. However, in the higher register, Quyen's voice is one note lower than her senior's, so when singing, she always feels restrained rather than explosive. In the early days of her career, Hoang Quyen also sang Le Minh Son's music, so comparisons with the leading female diva of Vietnamese music were inevitable.

However, since embarking on her new journey with self-composed songs, Hoang Quyen has built her own musical world , almost completely devoid of any trace of Thanh Lam. Her compositions are rich in contemplation, drawn from her own thoughts and experiences, so Quyen no longer needs to exploit overly high or dramatic vocal ranges. And in that case, the whispering, intimate mid-range tones of Quyen's songs are able to maximize their impact.

Hoang Quyen's voice remains sharp, her mid-low range is becoming increasingly beautiful and is being exploited in the right direction.

In the rich Jazz-Pop atmosphere of River , Hoang Quyen's voice shines even brighter. In slow songs like "The River" or "Broken ," which could be considered her forte, she performs comfortably and gracefully, her low notes always clear and distinct, while her high notes are gently and slowly gliding, sometimes using falsetto, without trying to create drama. In more rhythmic songs like "The Stars ," Hoang Quyen doesn't strain to keep up with the instruments, but instead continues to exploit her low range to create a solid and stable feel, making her voice seem like part of the larger whole. Or in "Today I'm Fragile ," Hoang Quyen even opens with a poetry reading – one of the interesting characteristics of Jazz – adding a highlight and surprise to the album.

Hoang Quyen has her own path, and she continues to succeed in her own way. She still has a loyal audience and sold-out concerts. She announced that the vinyl record for " River" has sold out and is awaiting a reissue from France. Most importantly, Quyen gets to live true to her musical identity without having to chase any trends. "River" remains gentle, peaceful, and beautiful in its own way. Quyen's individuality and steadfastness also create a very different album in the current Vietnamese music scene – which is lacking in polished and heartfelt jazz productions.

Source: https://znews.vn/hoang-quyen-di-nguoc-dong-post1634952.html