There is no room for ambiguity.

SGGP 08/09/2023 08:48

The story of a young Vietnamese singer using images of world- famous football player Lionel Messi as the backdrop for his music video has caused a stir in public opinion in recent days.

Many were astonished by the "courage" of the music video's creator, as using images of world-renowned figures is not easy, and if done carelessly or unprofessionally, the consequences can be very serious.

Lionel Messi's 6-second appearance in the music video "From Where I Was Born" by singer Jack (Trinh Tran Phuong Tuan) initially caused a sensation because it was the first time a star admired by many, including many Vietnamese people, appeared in a Vietnamese artistic product. The music video garnered nearly 6 million views after 5 days, topped the trending list on YouTube Vietnam, and was at one point considered a successful comeback for Jack after controversies surrounding his personal life and career. The story was further amplified when it was reported that Jack had spent up to 60 billion VND to secure Lionel Messi's appearance in the music video.

However, immediately, some people involved in the meeting between Messi and the singer requested Jack to delete the music video or the clip containing Lionel Messi's image because the truth was completely different from the previous rumors. According to them, this was just a social meeting between a fan and a famous football player. From the beginning, there was a request to use the images of the meeting only for personal, commemorative purposes, and not for any other public purposes.

Notably, from the release of the music video until the controversies erupted, the singer and his team remained vague about the information. Only when the situation became serious did Jack speak out, but he only offered general arguments such as, "Messi's side agreed on the condition that I would not use Messi's image for commercial, political , or national purposes." However, this defense also seems far-fetched, as according to copyright experts, the music video "From Where I Was Born," although not monetized on YouTube, is still considered a commercial product.

Recently, collaborations with world-famous figures in artistic projects have become commonplace, such as: Son Tung MTP and Snoop Dogg; rapper Phao and rapper Tyga; Thai Vu and Lukas Forchhammer; LyLy and Vietnamese rapper R.Tee collaborating with rapper Bloo; Soobin Hoang Son and Jiyeon from the girl group T-ara… but all of these are legitimate projects with full legal procedures. Jack's use of a social gathering to obtain images of celebrities for his product is a form of opportunistic exploitation.

The consequences of this incident not only affect Jack's career but could also negatively impact the overall image of the domestic creative community. Lionel Messi is a globally influential figure, and the unauthorized use of his image, if discovered, would create a very negative public reaction. Many Vietnamese artists are striving to reach the international stage, which is encouraging, but the global market has no place for ambiguity or unprofessionalism.

Source