Phuong My Chi: Gen Z's journey to maintain traditional values

"To overcome difficulties, I always look back at the reason why I started my artistic path, which is my passion for music and love for national traditions," the 2024 Outstanding Young Face of Vietnam emotionally shared at the honoring ceremony.

Ten years ago, a 10-year-old girl in a traditional Vietnamese dress sang a Southern folk song on the Voice Kids stage, bringing millions of viewers to tears. Today, that girl – Phuong My Chi – not only maintains her love for traditional music but also seeks to renew it, bringing old values ​​closer to the younger generation.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh presented awards to the Outstanding Young Vietnamese Faces of 2024 (singer Phuong My Chi was in the top position). Photo source: Phuong My Chi.

Her persistent journey has just been recognized with the title of Outstanding Young Vietnamese Face 2024 , a worthy reward for her tireless efforts over the past decade.

Gen Z girl renews folk songs

Born on January 13, 2003 in Ho Chi Minh City, Phuong My Chi grew up in a family where no one was professionally involved in the music industry but loved folk music. From a young age, Chi was exposed to and learned Southern folk songs from her aunt. In 2013, when she was only 10 years old, Phuong My Chi participated in the program "The Voice Kids".

Natural talent combined with simplicity and naturalness helped My Chi conquer the audience.

Her natural talent combined with her simplicity and naturalness helped My Chi win over the audience. Although she only won the runner-up position, she was the most successful contestant of the show. Songs like Que em mua nuoc lu (Homeland in the Flood Season), Nho me ly mo coi (Mom Ly Moi), Sa mua giong (Storm in the Storm)... not only brought her to the public but also helped young audiences learn about and love folk music.

After the contest, she did not follow the trend but stuck to her country music. Products such as Thuong ve mien Trung, Bai ca dat phuong nam, Nang co con xuan... all bear Phuong My Chi's mark: sweet voice, characteristic vibrato, rich folk quality. Chi does not simply sing old songs but always finds ways to express them with a new breath.

In 2024, Phuong My Chi marked a new journey: renewing folk music. This step was not easy, because Chi had to balance traditional elements with innovation so as not to lose the original spirit of folk songs. But with creativity and perseverance, Chi did it.

The album Vũ vũ co bay (2024) is the clearest evidence of that transformation. Instead of just singing folk songs in a pure style, Chi boldly combined them with folktronica - a genre that blends folk music and electronic music. Songs like Goi gam, Ganh gai gong gong still retain the folk music of the North - Central - South but are dressed in a new coat with modern harmony and arrangement.

The songs in the album were quickly accepted by young people, becoming modern folk songs that are widely listened to on digital platforms.

Preserving Vietnamese culture through music and images

Sharing about the album “The Universe of Flying Storks”, Phuong My Chi said that the product consists of 10 songs inspired by literary works in the Literature program from grade 1 to grade 12, filled with Phuong My Chi’s emotions and ambitions. As a young person who loves literature and traditional culture, Chi wants to convey these quintessential works through the lens of music.

In "The Universe of Flying Storks", instead of just singing folk songs in a pure style, Chi boldly combined folktronica - a genre that blends folk music and electronic music. Photo: VMAS Entertainment

“With the breath of the new era, literature will be a great treasure that each of us should have the responsibility to inherit and promote. I hope to convey the humanistic values ​​of Vietnamese literature from a new perspective, helping young audiences get closer to traditional culture through this music project,” Phuong My Chi shared.

Not only in music, Phuong My Chi also focuses on image. She often appears in traditional ao dai, even incorporating the art of cup dancing and reformed opera into her music videos.

In the MV Goi Gam, she recreated the traditional cup dance - a unique cultural feature of Vietnam. During a performance abroad, a foreign audience member came on stage to comment on her performance and performed the cup dance with her, creating a memorable moment of cultural exchange.

Phuong My Chi does not consider pursuing folk music a heavy responsibility, but a source of pride. "Chi has been singing folk music for 10 years now and the traditional 'blood' cannot fade. Chi believes that in every Vietnamese person there is always a national spirit. Chi is not afraid of traditional elements fading away or modern elements overwhelming."

The path of art is a journey without a destination.

During 10 years of working, Phuong My Chi has not only been loved by the audience but also highly appreciated by experts. And the greatest recognition for Chi is the title of Outstanding Young Vietnamese Face 2024. At the award ceremony, when her name was announced, many audiences expressed their emotions. This is not only an award for Phuong My Chi but also a recognition for the entire folk music genre in modern musical life.

Phuong My Chi at the 2024 Outstanding Young Vietnamese Faces Awards Ceremony. Photo source: Phuong My Chi.

Sharing at the awards ceremony, singer Phuong My Chi said that her artistic path is a journey without a destination and will last forever. "To overcome difficulties, I always look back at the reason why I started my artistic path, which is my passion for music and love for national traditions. There are always many young people around me who accompany me. It is the encouragement and trust of the audience that gives me abundant energy to continue firmly on the artistic path I have chosen," the singer said.

Phuong My Chi shared that the title of Outstanding Young Vietnamese Face 2024 is a beautiful milestone in her career journey. Chi is truly happy to be named at this award. "Thank you to those who have always believed in, accompanied and given me the motivation to continue to contribute," Chi expressed.

Despite her many successes, Phuong My Chi still constantly worries about the road ahead. She does not want to be just a folk singer, but a storyteller through music, conveying Vietnamese culture to many generations of audiences.

She actively participates in charity programs, bringing folk music to the community. Besides, she also constantly learns to improve her skills, experimenting with new styles while still maintaining her own unique style.

From a folk singer to an influential young artist, Phuong My Chi is gradually asserting her role in the Vietnamese music industry. She not only preserves but also revives traditional values, breathing new life into folk music. And most importantly, she is showing that Gen Z can absolutely continue and promote cultural heritage in their own way.

Source: https://khoahocdoisong.vn/phuong-my-chi-hanh-trinh-gen-z-giu-gia-tri-truyen-thong-post266247.html