After a long battle with a serious illness, singer, songwriter, and People's Artist The Hien passed away at 9:30 PM on October 1, 2025, at Military Hospital 175 , at the age of 71. The passing of this talented artist, known to the public as the "musician of soldiers," leaves behind deep sorrow for his colleagues, friends, and the vast majority of music lovers.

Artist of soldier's love songs

The last time we met musician The Hien was at a reunion organized by the Liaison Committee of Veterans of the 5th Division (Military Region 7) in coordination with the Ho Chi Minh City Association for Supporting Families of Martyrs, at the end of 2024. It was a particularly meaningful reunion, honoring the severely wounded soldiers of the 5th Division. It was also almost the last time The Hien sang in public. Most of the delegates were officers and soldiers who had fought and sacrificed their youth and parts of their bodies to protect the southwestern border and fulfill international duties in Cambodia during the 1980s. Despite his declining health at the time, the presence of People's Artist The Hien, performing the song "Branch of Wild Orchid" with his familiar guitar, inspired and energized the wounded soldiers and veterans. Among those attending the reunion were many officers and soldiers who had been entertained by The Hien's performances during the fierce battles. It was during a performance tour for the Vietnamese Volunteer Army at Front 479 in Cambodia in 1986 that The Hien created the famous song "Wild Orchid Branch." He composed the song right in the trenches and sang it directly to the soldiers. The heartfelt melody, clear and vibrant lyrics, full of romance and humanism, quickly touched the hearts of music lovers, especially soldiers. "Wild Orchid Branch" is one of the outstanding songs of contemporary Vietnamese music on the theme of the armed forces. This song is also the "seal" that earned The Hien the title of "the musician of the soldiers" from the public.

Composer and People's Artist The Hien. Photo from the artist's Facebook page.

The Hien, whose real name is Lai The Hien, was born in 1955 in Saigon ( Ho Chi Minh City), with his ancestral home in Nam Dinh (now Ninh Binh province). He showed musical talent from a young age, participating in amateur arts movements and then studying intermediate-level vocal music at the Bong Sen Art Troupe. In 1980, The Hien officially became a singer for the Troupe, beginning tours to various units and localities, bringing his songs to serve the public.

Growing up in the grassroots arts movement, he joined the Ho Chi Minh City Youth Union's Young Writers' Club. In 1982, The Hien wrote his first song, "When Balloons Fly," which was warmly received by the audience. Just a year later, during a tour to perform for officers and soldiers on the northern border, he composed the song "Singing About Him." After its popularity, the song quickly became a signature piece that brought him fame. The image of "A backpack, a gun on the shoulder / The soldier accustomed to hardship..." along with the youthful melody, painted a beautiful picture of the soldier in music. The Hien's compositions about the soldiers of Uncle Ho's army all have a youthful, lively rhythm, are easy to sing and remember, and are suitable for all audiences.

Imprints from the borderlands to the islands

The Hien is a multi-talented artist. Throughout more than four decades of artistic activity, he has composed, popularized, and performed hundreds of musical works. Many songs have become cherished memories for generations of the public, such as: "Singing About Him," "Wild Orchid Branch," "Her Hair in a Rooster's Tail," "Soldiers on Truong Sa Island," "Youth Volunteer March," "Stories of the Past and Present," "No Matter Where I Go," "Waiting in the Rain," "Stories of Couples," "Nostalgia for Beloved," "Question Mark," "Singing on the Green Farm," "Nhong Nhong Nhong," etc.

In 2012, The Hien was awarded the title of Meritorious Artist. In 2023, he was honored with the title of People's Artist, a prestigious award from the Party and State recognizing his enduring and outstanding contributions to the arts. The Hien has a deep connection with and a profound impact on military units. Throughout the 1980s, 1990s, and subsequent years, he continuously participated in performance tours serving the armed forces, from the southwestern and northern borders to Truong Sa and other coastal and island regions. This close connection has created a rich source of inspiration for his compositions. His songs about soldiers are filled with camaraderie, the bond between soldiers and civilians, love for his homeland, and romantic love.

In 2022, he released the anthology "Singing About Him - Wild Orchid Branch," which includes 40 songs, of which 32 are about soldiers and 8 are about love for his homeland and country.

Even in his twilight years, despite declining health, he continued his artistic and charitable activities. He participated in numerous fundraising performances to support veterans, wounded soldiers, and impoverished patients. For him, artistic activities were an effective spiritual remedy that helped him live optimistically, love life, and cultivate positive energy to fight against illness. The public will forever remember the image of a tall, thin artist, embracing his guitar, passionately singing on the training ground or on the deck of a ship at sea with a fiery style and a deep, powerful baritone voice. He once confided: "I feel happy singing for the soldiers, and I feel even more compelled to write and sing to express their feelings."

He passed away, leaving behind in the hearts of his colleagues and fans the image of an optimistic, cheerful artist, living sincerely and simply, full of willpower, and completely devoted to music until the very last moment, like "a wild orchid branch that has bloomed with beautiful white flowers"...

PHAN TUNG SON

* Please visit the relevant section to view related news and articles.

    Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/van-hoa/doi-song/nhac-si-the-hien-dep-mai-nhanh-lan-rung-848899