Phuong My Chi has just entered the final round of Sing! Asia 2025 - New Voice of Asia - one of the prestigious international music competitions in Asia.
In the second semi-final, she won convincingly with an overwhelming score of 17/7, including 2/3 votes from the judges in the studio and 15/22 votes from the remote jury. Not only conquering the audience with her soulful voice, Phuong My Chi also surprised international experts with her ability to tell stories through music with a strong Vietnamese character.
While many young artists are still struggling to find a place in regional playgrounds, the 22-year-old girl from Vietnam is getting closer to the prestigious trophy.
So what, what factors contributed to Phuong My Chi's victory and phenomenon at Sing! Asia 2025?
Phuong My Chi officially entered the final round of "Sing! Asia 2025" ( Video : YouTube Phuong My Chi).
Understand the power of culture, don't be afraid of being "too Vietnamese" to go out into the world
Sharing with Dan Tri reporter , Ms. Dang Thanh Van - a leading strategic consultant for small and medium-sized Vietnamese enterprises - gave a strategic perspective to explain Phuong My Chi's achievement of reaching the final round at Sing ! Asia 2025 .
She believes that Phuong My Chi’s victory did not come from her vocal power or a convincing, impressive performance, but was the result of a well-planned, purposeful, and carefully analyzed strategy from the beginning. According to her, this is a typical example of how a “Vietnamese product” – specifically a music product – is successfully positioned and launched into the international market.
Ms. Van pointed out that the strategic model in this case includes three spearheads, in which the first element is profound indigenous culture.
Analyst Phuong My Chi and her team have stayed true to their strategic choice throughout: A story with a strong Vietnamese cultural identity and imprint.
In the second semi-final, Phuong My Chi chose the song Vu tru co anh , inspired by the images of Tam and Lo Lem, arranged with ca tru music combined with modern elements such as EDM, saxophone and rap, using Vietnamese cultural colors to create highlights and positioning.
Previously, in the quarter-finals, with the performance Bong phu hoa , she brought a whole Northern cultural experience to the stage: from the four-panel dress, non quai thao, drum rice to the remixed rhythm of cheo.
“That is how Phuong My Chi “exports the Vietnamese spirit” - not through empty talk about culture - but through practical experience, emotion and performance art.
I call this the “export identity” strategy - taking cultural essence as the core of positioning, without diluting it. If Vietnamese brands understand this power correctly, they will not need to fear being “too Vietnamese” to go global,” expert Dang Thanh Van emphasized.
Phuong My Chi performed excellently and convincingly in the second semi-final night.
The second factor, according to Ms. Van, is the artistic style and modern sound. She emphasized that Phuong My Chi's victory would not have been possible if it had only relied on cultural identity or folk elements. What created the breakthrough was the support from DTAP - the modern music team that contributed to Hoang Thuy Linh's success.
She gave a specific example, in the performance Vu co anh , traditional music (ca tru singing) is combined with modern arrangement style (EDM music, rap), accompanied by artistic costumes with ideas from fairy tales but still modern and liberal enough.
All create the image of a young, vibrant Vietnamese girl, eager to rise up while still preserving the national cultural identity.
In particular, when comparing with the performance of Ai Tan Giac La Mi - Phuong My Chi's main opponent in the semi-finals - Ms. Van said: "Ai Tan Giac La Mi chose a classical ballad to show off her voice. Although she has a very beautiful voice, she lacks a breakthrough in stage emotions and does not create a clear difference in identity."
According to her, the results from the on-site and remote judges clearly showed Phuong My Chi's superiority in overall performance and cultural connectivity.
She added: “In the quarter-finals, Phuong My Chi chose the song Bong phu hoa, which was also remixed with a pop-electronic sound, combined with sophisticated lighting and stage.
It is a way to transform a work with traditional elements into a contemporary musical product - suitable for international aesthetic tastes without losing its roots.
I temporarily call this the model of "reformatting the original product to fit new market standards" - a vital principle for all Vietnamese products that want to reach the big sea.
Phuong My Chi in the performance "Vanity" in the quarter-finals.
The third element in Ms. Van's strategic model is a story that conveys strong emotions. She believes that Phuong My Chi has proven her versatility - not just as a singer - but also as an emotional storyteller, through each rhythm and the way she leads the stage space.
Experts believe that what gives depth to Phuong My Chi's performances, and is the reason she scored points with the international judges, is not simply technique but spirit.
That is the image of a girl born from Southern folk songs, growing up with her homeland's melodies, now representing Vietnam standing on the big stage of Asia and declaring: "My greatest asset is patriotism".
According to Ms. Van, this is not a PR statement, but a message to position a personal brand associated with a national brand. In an era of emotional dominance, a product not only needs to be good but also has the ability to convey emotions - to create connections and to stay long-term.
Phuong My Chi performs "Vanity" (Video: YouTube program).
Beautiful voice is no longer the deciding factor
Talking to Dan Tri reporter , Mr. Hong Quang Minh - media and music expert - said that Phuong My Chi's victory was not a random explosion, but the result of a very long accumulation process of identity, technique and performance thinking.
According to experts, the first factor is the singer's very solid folk music foundation, cultivated since childhood, creating a unique material that few young artists today can still maintain.
Next is the initiative in strategic thinking, which means not only singing well, but also knowing how to choose to tell the Vietnamese story in a global language.
Third, Phuong My Chi's team demonstrated their deep understanding of the international game, knowing how to choose songs, themes, and consistent ideas, and coordinating with the stage team to bring an overall experience - something that many previous Vietnamese representatives have not been able to do thoroughly.
Phuong My Chi in semi-final night 1.
Mr. Minh also emphasized that, in the context of international music venues increasingly promoting identity and breakthroughs in performance, a beautiful voice is no longer the only deciding factor.
"Phuong My Chi not only has a rare Vietnamese voice, but also knows how to wrap that voice in skillful "performance strategies".
From choosing Bong phu hoa in the quarter-finals with cultural symbols such as ao tu than, non quai thao, and nhip cheo, to Vu co anh in the semi-finals, combining ca tru, EDM, and symphony, Chi's team clearly showed a modern stage planning mindset, analyzing international trends and tastes, but still preserving the Vietnamese soul. That is the strength of professional performance thinking," expert Hong Quang Minh explained.
Sharing the same view, Associate Professor Dr. Bui Hoai Son - Full-time member of the National Assembly's Committee on Culture and Society - said that Phuong My Chi's victory in the second semi-final, helping her reach the final of Sing! Asia 2025, was not simply a shining performance of her voice - although that is still the most sustainable foundation - but the result of a smart performance strategy, with profound cultural storytelling.
And especially the ability to "reformat" Vietnamese identity in a way that the world can sympathize, understand and accept.
"It is not an exaggeration to say that Phuong My Chi has done what not many young Vietnamese artists have done: Bringing a reformed folk music product, associated with the Vietnamese soul, to the international arena and being highly appreciated not because of the "strange" or "regional sentiment" factor, but because of the artistic quality, creativity, ability to connect emotions and modern vision.
Chi not only won over the judges with her sweet Southern accent, but also with the way she built a performance as a cultural message. From costumes, lighting, props to the musical arrangement, every detail was carefully calculated to convey an image of Vietnam that is both traditional and new, both familiar and philosophically profound," said Mr. Son.
Phuong My Chi performs the mashup "Ly Bac Bo and Pushing the Ox Cart".
According to cultural experts, this shows that Phuong My Chi's team did not enter the Sing! Asia playground. 2025 is not only with the mindset of "going to a singing contest", but also carrying a cultural strategy.
That preparation is clearly shown in the way she chooses songs with folk sounds but remixes them in a world music style - a popular trend on international stages.
She does not “sing to win” but “performs to tell a story”, and it is that musical storytelling - with depth and cultural roots - that touches the hearts of the audience.
Associate Professor Dr. Bui Hoai Son emphasized: "I think this is a systematic success. That is, behind Phuong My Chi is a whole team that clearly understands what it means to bring Vietnamese cultural products to the world, and to do that not by borrowing external flashiness, but by delving into identity.
In an era where international audiences are no longer looking for pure entertainment, but for sincerity, personality and representation - Chi has hit the right "taste": that is, an artist representing a culture, not just representing himself".
Image: Facebook character
Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giai-tri/con-sot-phuong-my-chi-o-sing-asia-khi-san-pham-viet-tao-xu-huong-the-gioi-20250721004549220.htm
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