Phung Khanh Linh takes a risk.

After releasing two singles in alternative pop and dream pop, Phùng Khánh Linh demonstrates her determination to conquer this challenging genre with a pure alternative rock song similar to Linkin Park.

In early 2025, Phung Khanh Linh sparked much discussion among fans and music professionals with the release of her single "Em Dau" (I Hurt) , which utilized the dream pop genre rarely seen in the mainstream Vietnamese market. Her skillful blend of powerful sounds with catchy, easy-to-listen melodies allowed her to create a unique image and attract a new audience.

Although the song wasn't a huge success or a sensation, Phùng Khánh Linh managed to win over listeners eager to explore new musical directions that didn't conform to market trends. The singer continued to demonstrate her unwavering commitment to this unique musical journey by extending her rock career with a new single titled "Khóc Blóck" (Cry Black), which is even more intense than her previous hits like "Em đau" (I Hurt) or "Ước anh tan nát con tim" ( I Wish You'll Break My Heart) .

Taking a risk with a challenging genre.

Phùng Khánh Linh began her journey into the rock genre with the single "Ước anh tan nát con tim" (I Wish You'll Break My Heart) , with subtle hints of her style. The addition of alternative elements gave the song a different direction from other releases on the market, but it remained essentially a pop track with an easy-to-listen melody and not overly experimental elements. It wasn't until the release of "Em đau" (I Hurt) that Phùng Khánh Linh showed her boldness by incorporating dream pop, a subgenre of alternative rock/shoegaze, with its hazy production, and solidified her next path.

With "Khóc Blóck ," Phùng Khánh Linh doesn't use a genre that's too unusual anymore. In fact, alternative rock was quite familiar to music lovers in the 2000s with the success of Linkin Park and many Vietnamese rock bands, and even mainstream artists who applied this genre. However, for a long time now, audiences haven't heard the sounds of alternative rock in mainstream products; it has faded into the background, giving way to other influences for over 10 years.

Phùng Khánh Linh continues to be adventurous by using alternative rock for her single "Khóc Blóck " (Cry Black).

Therefore, Phùng Khánh Linh's choice of alternative rock for "Khóc Blóck ," while not as novel or unique as "Em đau ," is still a risky move for the singer because it is no longer relatable to audiences at the present time. Phùng Khánh Linh's bold move is justified, as not many genres can portray the explosive anger of the character in the song as clearly as this one.

Beginning with a driving guitar and intense drums, Phùng Khánh Linh unleashes her emotions without restraint or concealment: "I hate, I'm angry, at the one I once loved," "Cry, Block, I don't wanna see you anymore." The guitar accompanies the singer's angry rhythm throughout the song, only softening at the end when Linh softly sings , "I have to go home," as if accepting the end of the relationship.

Phùng Khánh Linh shared: “With 'Khóc Blóck' (Cry Block), I wanted listeners to feel an explosive surge of adrenaline – a feeling that makes you want to burst into tears in your car or scream along during live performances.” And Phùng Khánh Linh and producer Carson Hogan maintained the adrenaline rush as expected, with the chorus handled well, each word and short phrase sung with the necessary decisiveness, making it easy to remember and sing along to.

Can it lead to success?

"Wishing You'd Break My Heart" and " I'm Hurt" both garnered attention within the general music community; however, to say they were mainstream hits is premature. Phùng Khánh Linh primarily focused on a small audience, one already fond of international alternative music, rather than targeting a larger, more general audience. "Crying Black" followed a similar approach.

"Khóc Blóck" is clearly more purely rock than Phùng Khánh Linh's two previous singles, which had a rather pop-like and easy-listening melody. Every sound in the song, as well as the way Phùng Khánh Linh develops the songwriting and builds the rhythm, is geared towards a basic rock track. This is clearly a double-edged sword. On one hand, it can help Linh expand her musical range and reach a fairly large rock audience in Vietnam; but on the other hand, possessing such a powerful melody and production, somewhat abandoning the pop element, could make "Khóc Blóck" even more niche for the general audience.

Crying Black will likely remain a niche product, similar to "I Hurt ."

Furthermore, while "Khóc Blóck" might be considered unique and innovative in the context of the Vpop market, it's not particularly special if viewed as a true alternative rock song. "Em đau" or "Ước anh tan nát con tim" were highly praised not only for Phùng Khánh Linh's daring use of a less common genre, but also for the singer's unusual sound arrangements that harmonized well with the easy-to-listen pop melody. In contrast, "Khóc Blóck" lacks this genre fusion, opting instead for familiar production methods within the genre.

Furthermore, Phùng Khánh Linh's vocals lack the necessary power for the genre. When she sings each word of "Khóc" (Cry), "Block ," or "Em hận" (I Hate, I'm Angry), even though she has more energy when singing pop songs, it still seems quite "gentle" compared to the powerful guitar riffs in the background.

However, credit must still be given to Phung Khanh Linh for daring to take a path that doesn't follow any successful pop music model in Vietnam. The female singer is willing to "go all out" with unfamiliar genres and sounds, increasingly expanding her musical boundaries by touching upon a wide range of different styles and, to some extent, building her own unique sound world . "Khoc Block" may be even harder to succeed than "Em Dau ," but those who love sounds different from the mainstream are still there and can still accompany Linh on her journey ahead.

Source: https://znews.vn/phung-khanh-linh-mao-hiem-post1556770.html