People's Artist Trung Hieu serves as a judge in the singing competition.

People's Artist Trung Hieu, Meritorious Artist Phuong Nga, musician Do Bao, Giang Son... will be on the judging panel for the "National Young Voices Competition 2026".

On May 28th, at the Vietnam National Academy of Music, the organizing committee of the 2026 National Young Voices Competition announced the launch of the contest.

The judging panel includes: Meritorious Artist, Dr. Nguyen Thi Phuong Nga - Deputy Head of the Vocal Department, Vietnam National Academy of Music; Lieutenant Colonel - Master Do Thi Phuong Mai - Head of the Vocal Department, Military University of Culture and Arts; musician Do Bao - Director of the Army Symphony Orchestra; People's Artist Trung Hieu - Director of the Hanoi Drama Theatre; musician Giang Son... Accompanying the program as Music Director is Tran Khanh Ly.

People's Artist Trung Hieu.

With the message "Igniting Passion - Nurturing Vietnamese Musical Talent," the competition opens its doors to students and young people aged 6-25 nationwide, with independent amateur and professional categories, divided into 5 groups (A, B, C, D, E) corresponding to educational levels from primary school to professional university students.

At the press conference, Mr. Nguyen Van Tuan - Head of the Organizing Committee - affirmed that the highest goal of the program is not only to find a champion but also to create a journey of growth, helping young people live positively and confidently. In particular, the Organizing Committee is committed to providing maximum support in terms of costs, expertise, and beat making for talented contestants from remote areas.

Mr. Nguyen Van Tuan - Head of the Organizing Committee of the competition.

One of the most noteworthy breakthroughs of the 2026 National Youth Voice competition is the online preliminary round, taking place from May 29th to August 31st, 2026 on the TikTok platform. A mandatory rule in this round is that contestants must sing 100% acoustically, with absolutely no sound editing or technical equipment manipulation.

Explaining this decision, a representative of the organizing committee stated that in the age of technological advancement, music is heavily influenced by AI; however, machines often lack soul and genuine emotion. The requirement to sing acoustically allows the judges to assess the most natural and authentic vocal quality, thereby ensuring maximum fairness for all contestants from the very beginning.

According to the announcement, the preliminary round will be judged with 80% of the score coming from the judging panel's professional assessment and 20% from audience votes. The competition's popularity is evident with over 3,000 online applications already submitted.

Following the preliminary round, outstanding contestants will advance to the semi-finals, which will take place live in three locations: the Hanoi Youth Cultural Center, the Trung Vuong Theatre in Da Nang , and the Ben Thanh Theatre in Ho Chi Minh City. The final round and awards gala will be held in December 2026 in Hanoi.

Singer Duy Khoa.

To help contestants prepare as best as possible, singer Duy Khoa advised them to choose songs that suit their performance abilities, age, and the competition's theme to fully convey the emotions. Creativity is needed to make the performance unique and memorable for the judges among thousands of other entries. Persistently honing a song over a long period will provide a much greater advantage than choosing a new song and practicing quickly. Parents should not put pressure on their children to achieve high results; instead, let them freely gain experience, dare to make mistakes, and grow.

First Prize Winner of the Hanoi Singing Contest 2025 and a Big Journey at Age 17 : Just a few months after winning first prize in the light music category at the Hanoi Singing Contest 2025, Nguyen Thuy Hai Anh released her debut album "Touching the Dream" along with the music video "Old Town".

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/nsnd-trung-hieu-lam-giam-khao-cuoc-thi-hat-2520671.html