People's Artist Que Tran and the "collaboration" of the century.

(NLĐO) - People's Artist Que Tran is bringing Cai Luong (Vietnamese traditional opera) into the Gen Z "universe" with her project "Art & Touch".

Người Lao Động•02/06/2026

The musical "universe" in People's Artist Que Tran's Art & Touch series: When RAP, EDM, and traditional theater meet.

NSND Quế Trân và cú — People's Artist Que Tran

In the context of digital platforms and modern music trends increasingly dominating the entertainment lives of young people, People's Artist Que Tran has attracted attention with the announcement of her new art project titled "Art & Touch". More than just a series of performances, this is seen as an effort to connect traditional Vietnamese opera with young audiences through contemporary music languages such as rap, EDM, trap, and pop.

As a descendant of one of Vietnam's most renowned families in traditional Vietnamese opera, People's Artist Que Tran has long been known for her efforts in preserving and restoring classic works by the late People's Artist Thanh Tong, such as "The Poem on the Horse's Saddle," "The Great Viet Proclamation," and many other famous plays. However, alongside her work in preserving heritage, the female artist is always concerned about the growing gap between traditional art and the younger generation of audiences.

From that idea, "Art & Touch" was born as a bold experiment to create a dialogue between traditional culture and modern life. Instead of adhering to familiar patterns, the project boldly combines traditional Vietnamese folk melodies, pentatonic scales, and classical Vietnamese music with rap, EDM, trap, and many other popular music trends among young people.

According to People's Artist Que Tran, the project has been nurtured for a long time with the desire to find a new approach to Cai Luong (Vietnamese traditional opera). The female artist believes that if we want traditional art to be closer to young people, we need to let young people participate in creating and telling the story in the language of their generation.

"Besides reviving the works of my father, the late People's Artist Thanh Tòng, I always hoped for a more youthful project to reach a new audience. Young people understand what they are listening to, what they like, and that is the bridge to bring cải lương (Vietnamese traditional opera) closer to today's public," Quế Trân shared.

"Art & Touch" by People's Artist Que Tran: A unique dialogue between traditional culture and youth trends.

One of the unique aspects of "Art & Touch" is its concise structure, with each episode lasting only about 15 minutes. This length is designed to suit the viewing habits of digital content enthusiasts, yet it's still sufficient to tell a complete artistic story.

In addition to the performances, the program also offers an authentic behind-the-scenes look, documenting the training, creative process, and challenges faced by traditional artists as they enter the world of modern music.

Audiences will witness for the first time People's Artist Que Tran practicing modern dance moves, familiarizing herself with EDM or rap rhythms, instead of her familiar image on the traditional stage. Conversely, young artists will also have the opportunity to experience and learn traditional folk melodies and stage performance techniques under the direct guidance of the female artist.

The project brings together many young talents from the fields of music and content creation, such as singers TIA, Quân Pino, Võ Hạ Trâm, rapper Tiêu Minh Phụng, TikToker Bin Yet, and the production team of Tổng Đài Production. These artists have their own unique musical styles, contributing to the diversity in their approach and expression of folk material.

In particular, singer TIA brought a modern touch to trap arrangements combined with pentatonic scales; Quân Pino - from a family of Northern Vietnamese traditional opera artists - tried his hand at Southern Vietnamese folk songs; and Võ Hạ Trâm surprised everyone by proactively performing traditional folk songs in her performance.

According to Que Tran, what makes her happiest is not the number of views or the media attention, but the fact that young artists genuinely want to learn about and experience Cai Luong (Vietnamese traditional opera).

"The Art & Touch space doesn't pressure the audience to fall in love with cải lương (Vietnamese traditional opera) immediately. I only hope the project can gently touch the viewers' emotions, helping them better understand cultural memories, national identity, and the values that are being preserved," she said.

"Art & Touch" consists of 6 episodes broadcast continuously from June 5th to July 10th, featuring performances such as "Pentatonic Touch," "White Skin with White Skin," "Female General," "Tham," "The Actress," and "Hey, Hey, Hey." Each episode tells a unique story, where modern music meets Cai Luong (Vietnamese traditional opera) in fresh and innovative ways.