The revival of patriotic songs.
There was a time when we worried that patriotic music would be forgotten by young people in the modern era. However, in recent years, especially in 2025 with many significant national events, patriotic songs have experienced a "revival" through modern arrangements and the youthful voices of Generation Z. What's valuable is that these young artists are not just "re-singing" but "singing from the heart." They find in these old songs a sense of pride and deep empathy for their ancestors. Artists like Phuong My Chi, Hoang Dung, Tung Duong, Bui Lan Huong, Ha Anh Tuan, My Tam, and Nguyen Minh Ngoc are all contributing to proving that patriotism is not just a slogan, but a genuine emotion conveyed through each melody.
We were deeply moved to witness over 50,000 people singing "Marching Song" at the "Homeland in My Heart" concert. These patriotic songs were reinterpreted with a fresh, youthful spirit, reflecting the realities of contemporary life, and were well-received by the public. Songs like "The Pioneering Girls" with their rock influences, "Voluntary" with its pop-balada feel, and "Joining Hands" refreshed with EDM... created a new vitality, making them more relatable to younger audiences.
Singer Duc Tuan, in his album "50 - Unforgettable Songs 2," has brought modern harmonies and a youthful performance style while still maintaining the solemn and profound spirit of revolutionary songs such as "The Night Stars," "The Road We Take," "Song of Hope," and "The Country Full of Joy"... "Tuan has invested all his creativity and poured his heart into it. He didn't hesitate to invest a considerable amount of money in revolutionary songs to bring classic works that are also modern," said singer Duc Tuan. Similarly, Le Minh Ngoc, a folk artist, has chosen a more challenging path, singing classical songs about her homeland because she feels a mission to spread the beauty of these songs to today's youth. Ngoc sings "Ba Dinh in the Sun" (1947, Bui Cong Ky - Vu Hoang Dich), "Soldiers Returning to the Village" (1950, Le Yen - Hoang Trung Thong), "That Soldier" (1969, Hoang Van), "Voluntary" (1968, Truong Quoc Khanh), "Spring in the Homeland" (1976, Hoai Mai)... in the documentary film "A Letter to the Future," which is very fresh and interesting.
Patriotic music is being revitalized and widely disseminated on social media by artists. Young artists not only express patriotism but also seek to tell Vietnamese stories through contemporary music. With a new arrangement and the collaboration of two artists from two generations – People's Artist Thanh Hoa and young singer Hoa Minzy – the song "The Green Forest Resounds with the Sound of Ta Lu" has brought a fresh, youthful breeze to revolutionary songs, receiving enthusiastic reception from audiences, especially young people. People's Artist Thanh Hoa shared: "When singing with Hoa, I was also drawn in by her innocence and enthusiasm. It's very light, without the fiery intensity of days spent on the battlefield."
Five familiar revolutionary songs, such as "The National Guard" and "The Song of Ho Chi Minh ," have been rearranged in a modern style by the Oplus group. Their acapella version of "Marching Towards Saigon" quickly reached over 1 million views. Nguyen Quang Minh, the leader of Oplus, shared: "OPlus believes that young audiences – those who didn't directly experience those historical years – still have their own way of appreciating, preserving, and passing on historical values. For artists, this is a form of dissemination." Oplus is currently a music group frequently featured in political music programs because of their creativity in making patriotic songs feel youthful and relatable to young people. This is a journey of modernizing revolutionary music in a positive way, aiming to spread the spirit of patriotism to today's younger generation.
The spread of patriotic songs is further amplified by the power of social media. On TikTok, YouTube, and Spotify, short clips and remixes of songs like "As if Uncle Ho were present on the day of the great victory" or "Proud of Vietnam" are widely shared by young people, becoming a very natural way to express national pride.
When love for one's country takes on the form of youth.
Beyond mere renewal, the current flow of patriotic music is also being revitalized by new compositions. Songs that reflect the image of the nation often portray the beauty of the homeland, love for the country, and the aspiration to build the nation. While the previous generation had songs like "Marching Song" (composer Van Cao), "The Girl Who Opens the Way" (composer Xuan Giao), "As If Uncle Ho Were Present on the Day of Great Victory" (composer Pham Tuyen), etc., today's generation has songs such as "Continuing the Story of Peace " (Nguyen Van Chung), "My Vietnam" (Jack - K-ICM), "The Spirit of Vietnam" (Nguyen Van Chung), "Vietnam's Journeys" (Hua Kim Tuyen), or "The Country's Lullaby" (Van Thanh Nho)... These compositions are imbued with a spirit of pride, but expressed through modern musical languages: electronic arrangements, rap, pop ballad, or R&B - genres familiar to young people.
Composer Nguyen Van Chung, beloved for his many songs about family and homeland, recently released compositions with a deep patriotic spirit such as "Continuing the Story of Peace," "Vietnamese Spirit," "Homeland in Our Hearts," and "Proudly Stepping Towards the Future"... He shared: "Today's patriotic music is not just about war or the past, but also about pride and the aspiration to build a prosperous country." In addition, artists like Hua Kim Tuyen, Den Vau, Minh Beta, and TRI are also contributing to "modernizing" this theme by telling Vietnamese stories from a new perspective – cities in transformation, young people taking initiative, or compassion within the community.
Many new patriotic songs have become internet sensations, attracting millions of listens and spreading across social media platforms. "My Vietnam," for example, is not just a song, but also an affirmation of Vietnamese identity amidst the wave of globalization. Meanwhile, "The Spirit of Vietnam," performed in numerous television programs and national events, has become a "theme song" inspiring national pride among young people. For the first time, a song about love for the country reached 2 billion views on social media. The song "Continuing the Story of Peace," composed by musician Nguyen Van Chung and sung by Nguyen Duyen Quynh, powerfully spread a message of gratitude to the older generation and continued the aspiration to build the nation. This song continued to go viral on social media through the voice of Tung Duong. And Tung Duong's music video for "Continuing the Story of Peace" quickly reached 1 million views within 24 hours of its release. Another music video that went viral on YouTube is "Khát vọng tuổi trẻ" (Aspiration of Youth), performed by singer Tùng Dương. In just 10 days, the MV garnered 1.8 million views on YouTube. The unique aspect of this product is that all the visuals in the MV were created using AI technology, under the creative hands of young people.
Young artists compose using modern language, but they don't detach themselves from tradition. They incorporate folk influences into modern music – the sounds of the zither, bamboo flute, two-stringed fiddle, or lullaby elements – blending them with pop, rap, and EDM melodies. Therefore, their music is both familiar and fresh, reaching a wider audience.
In the vibrant flow of contemporary music, alongside songs about love and youth, there remains a persistent current – patriotic music. Today, many young musicians are breathing new life into this seemingly "old" theme, making melodies of national pride more relatable, fresh, and emotionally rich than ever before. Associate Professor, Dr. Bui Hoai Son – Standing Member of the National Assembly's Committee on Culture and Education – stated: “In recent times, we have seen many music videos and songs expressing positive messages, traditional values, and patriotic values. This is extremely important when we see the love of country, the spirit of solidarity, and the noble values that music brings to people.”
Today's patriotic music is not just a memory, but a part of the present – vibrant, creative, and full of energy. These melodies continue their journey connecting the past with the future, nurturing in every Vietnamese person a deep, enduring, and ever-renewed love for their homeland.
Source: https://cand.com.vn/van-hoa/nhung-bai-ca-mang-dang-hinh-dat-nuoc-i786623/
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