Nguyen Van Chung: It's normal that the next article isn't as hot as 'Continue the story of peace'

Nguyen Van Chung talked with Tuoi Tre about the national viral hit during the most beautiful days of the nation: the 80th anniversary of National Day, September 2.

Nguyen Van Chung is being called a national musician after Continuing the story of peace - Photo: NVCC

At the meeting of elderly fans of musician Nguyen Van Chung, an audience member in his 70s said that it had been a long time since there had been a young musician whose songs touched the hearts of the elderly.

Not just the elderly, Continuing the story of peace is also loved by many classes and generations. At My Dinh Stadium in the program "Fatherland in the Heart" , about 50,000 people sang along with singer Tung Duong to this meaningful song.

Nguyen Van Chung said he wants to build a complete career with milestones as well as many different compositional themes. Starting with love songs, then trying his hand at children's and family music, then when he is more mature, he wants to write songs about his homeland and country.

"That is the natural path that a musician must take sooner or later. Nguyen Van Chung is loved as he is today thanks to that long process," he shared.

Some people say Nguyen Van Chung is timely? It's more like luck. Because if it was timely, Continue the story of peace should have been released on April 30th. But I wrote the song in 2023 with all my faith and dreams. Maybe I'm a fool who often gets lucky like my grandparents said.

Musician Nguyen Van Chung

MV Continue the story of peace (singer Tung Duong, musician Nguyen Van Chung)

The Year of Continuing the Peace Story

* Are you overwhelmed by the success of the song?

- I was overwhelmed and in disbelief because the success of the song was beyond what I could have imagined. Even the development and growth of Continue the Peace Story surprised me.

Usually, the song will be attached to the first singer, but this song just kept going and meeting, blossoming with its fate. Starting from small stages, even being rejected because it was too new, until it went viral on the internet and then resounded at the 30-4 celebration and the "national concert" Fatherland in the heart .

I want to thank the singers who have loved their brainchild so that it can have a beautiful and sublime life like today. From Duyen Quynh, Vo Ha Tram and Dong Hung, Lam Bao Ngoc, the Oplus group and most recently Tung Duong.

Now it no longer belongs to Nguyen Van Chung, it is a national hit, for all Vietnamese people.

* But I heard that Nguyen Van Chung wrote Continue the story of peace because of pride?

- (Laughs). Continuing the story of peace is the theme song for Duyen Quynh's album about homeland and country in 2023. Initially, there was another version of it. After I finished writing it, I sent it to Duyen Quynh and she said the song wasn't very good, not worthy of its name.

As a writer, I have a strong sense of pride, so I have gathered all my strength and memories from my visits to Con Dao prison, Hang Duong cemetery... to write Continue the story of peace .

The song opens with the line: "Our ancestors fell down in the past/ So that our future generations can exchange for peace/ Amidst the smoke of war, everyone is willing to sacrifice." When I finished writing, I also shed tears.

* Nguyen Van Chung is now a "national musician" so his songwriting fee is very high?

- It's true that there were many invitations to order but I had to refuse all of them. Instead, I accepted some projects that I found meaningful such as the songs Nguyen The Vi Binh Yen , Noi Dau Giua Hoa Binh or collaborating with Tung Duong in the project Vietnam - Proudly writing the future .

* The time is coming, can't be stopped, why don't you take advantage of the attraction when your name is at its most explosive?

- I don't know why, but I feel like this year I'm carrying out "special missions" from the country (Laughs out loud). Besides, I think that whatever I write, it has to come from my natural emotions and my heart to be good.

The moment the musician and 50,000 spectators sang out loud, Continuing the story of peace at My Dinh Stadium in the concert Fatherland in the heart - Photo: FBNV

It's normal that the next post isn't hot.

* The success of Continue the Peace Story shows that if a song touches the hearts of the audience, it will decide its own fate...

- Yes. The song Mother's Diary is the same. When recording, Hien Thuc said it was too difficult to memorize. Many directors also commented that the song was too long, advising me to cut it down so that it would have a chance to be performed on a big stage.

At that time, I did not agree because I wanted to keep the song's emotions and spirit intact. However, thanks to its popularity, the programs had to make an exception, allowing Mother's Diary to be performed for nine minutes.

* Recently there has been a lot of concern about the longevity of hit songs. What is your opinion about hits?

- When Mother's Diary became successful, I realized that a song can be popular easily but after six months or one or two years, no one can remember it anymore, those are temporary hits. However, I still have to learn from young people how to create such hits, learn from them about communication, promotion, and release. However, the inner vitality of the song itself determines everything.

* Do you feel pressured to write a more viral song than Continue the Peace Story ?

- Many people also told me that the following articles might not be as successful as Continuing the Peace Story . That is normal, even natural.

After the hit "Mother's Diary" in 2012, Nguyen Van Chung has just had another hit. Therefore, I am not under pressure to make the following songs as successful as the previous ones because each song has a different meaning in my career.

* How do you refresh your emotions?

- Everyone has a time and that time passes very quickly. This comes from forcing your emotions into a certain form. When your emotions are exhausted, it is difficult to continue writing.

I always want to find other challenges for myself. No one can predict what Nguyen Van Chung will write or do. That is what I like most.

Nguyen Van Chung and elderly fans at a recent fan meeting - Photo: FBNV

* Your inbox is probably full of audience's thoughts?

- It is true that I receive a lot of messages on Facebook, but I usually prioritize replying to messages from older people. It is very difficult for an older person to go online to text and share their feelings with strangers, so Nguyen Van Chung really appreciates it. That is the reason why I organize offline meetings for older people.

* Is there any touching story you can share?

- There was an 80-year-old woman who said she cried non-stop when she listened to Mother's Diary . She told me that she still felt like her mother's child even though she was 80 years old this year. I still remember that story.

Many uncles and aunts shared that their families had people who died on the battlefield and deeply sympathized when listening to Continue the story of peace .

There was also a veteran who asked me, "Why do you use the word " willing to sacrifice" in the song "Continuing the story of peace ?" Why, being born and raised in peacetime, do you understand that word?"

* Nguyen Van Chung has been writing music since 2002. Do you still owe the audience a live show as the author?

- On the occasion of the 20th anniversary, due to family events, I had to work hard to earn money so I missed it, so I had to make an appointment with the audience for the 25th or 30th anniversary. Besides, everything has its own time. It's not easy to do a live show now. The audience's standards for enjoying music have increased. So I have to try very hard, have to prepare everything carefully.

Nguyen Van Chung takes photos with fans at the program Fatherland in the Heart - Photo: FBNV

Why is there a mother's diary but not a father's diary?

The image of my mother appeared constantly in my childhood, so I wrote Mother's Diary . In my childhood memories, my father was always at work and not at home. When I was young, I didn't understand, so I felt distant, angry, and hurt because my father probably didn't love me.

Growing up, I realized that it was my father's sacrifice and trade-off. My father had to go to work to earn money to support the whole family. That was how my father showed his love. That love was not linked to my development, so there was no father's diary. Instead, I have the article "Father and Daughter". Nguyen Van Chung was always loyal to his feelings like that.

Musician Nguyen Van Chung

The song "Continue the story of peace" by Nguyen Van Chung performed by singer Tung Duong is also the background music of the popup "Spread patriotism and continue the story of peace" by Tuoi Tre newspaper to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the successful August Revolution and National Day September 2.

You can participate by entering the Vietnamese flag icon with the words "Welcome to the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day September 2nd" played on the background music of the song.

Then, a popup will appear with the message "Let's join 20k+ people to spread love for the country". Here you can 'write your feelings'

Each of these emotions is solemnly expressed in the "heart of love for the Fatherland", under the fluttering red flag.

Readers enter their full name, age, email and wishes, then click the send button to Tuoi Tre Online . The system will automatically create effects for your wishes and emotions.

BEANS

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/nguyen-van-chung-bai-sau-khong-hot-bang-viet-tiep-cau-chuyen-hoa-binh-la-binh-thuong-20250827085847756.htm