Homeland is a source of longing, affection, and strength.

Born and raised amidst the hardships of the windswept, sandy landscapes of Quang Tri , it was the folk songs and melodies that ignited her passion, leading artist Dieu Huong to pursue her artistic career and achieve great success. Recently, she was honored with the title of People's Artist. On this occasion, a reporter from Quang Tri Newspaper interviewed People's Artist Dieu Huong, a talented and beautiful daughter of Quang Tri province.

The fruits of a lifetime of work.

- First of all, congratulations to artist Dieu Huong on being awarded the title of People's Artist. Could you please share your feelings after receiving this prestigious title?

- Honestly, even now, I'm still overwhelmed with emotion. When my name was called, I felt very nervous and emotional. Then, my emotions just burst out when I stood on the stage to receive this prestigious title. This is the culmination of a lifetime of dedication to my profession. Since embarking on my musical journey, I have always strived tirelessly with the desire to become a true artist. For many years, I have been involved in art with the simple goal of contributing to the preservation of traditional Vietnamese music. Starting from that determination, I fell in love with the traditional art form I pursue without even realizing it and have been with it all along. Today's destination is a sweet gift, a meaningful achievement for my entire process of hard work and dedication. That's why, from the moment I received the good news until I hugged and cherished the fruits of my labor, I experienced a wide range of emotions.

- To be recognized as a People's Artist, what efforts have you made in your artistic work, creativity, and spreading positive values over the years?

-As I just shared, the path to today's success is the culmination of much sweat and hard work in a very arduous artistic process. In 2012, Dieu Huong was honored to receive the title of Meritorious Artist. That is the result of months of hard training and dedication. Cherishing that achievement, for the past nearly 12 years, Dieu Huong has continued to pour her heart and soul into art and traditional music. With the trust of the leaders of the Voice of Vietnam Radio , I was assigned to be in charge of Hue folk music and Binh Tri Thien folk music. Besides recording for the radio and serving listeners, I also perform all over the country and internationally. Dieu Huong always strives to transform Hue folk melodies into new styles with electronic music, helping this genre of music reach younger audiences more easily.

People's Artist Dieu Huong: Homeland is a source of longing, affection, and strength.

Artist Dieu Huong was honored to receive the title of People's Artist from President Vo Van Thuong - Photo: Provided by the artist.

- Besides the prestigious title of People's Artist, what other achievements have those efforts brought you?

- Besides the title of People's Artist, a prestigious title that almost every artist aspires to, Dieu Huong has also been fortunate enough to receive many other prestigious titles, awards, and honors. Huong is also very happy that her contributions to art have been received and recognized by everyone. The love and support of the audience for her in particular and for traditional Vietnamese music in general is the motivation for Dieu Huong to continue striving.

Love for one's homeland takes flight.

- We would like to ask People's Artist Dieu Huong to share more about herself and her time in her hometown of Quang Tri so that readers can learn more about her.

- I was born and raised in Quang Tri. In 1995, at the age of 18, I joined the Cultural Propaganda Team of the Quang Tri Border Guard. In 2000, I started working at the Quang Tri Art Troupe, now the Provincial Traditional Art Troupe. Seven years later, Dieu Huong left her hometown to become a music lecturer at the Hue Academy of Music, and in 2011, she moved to Hanoi to work at the Voice of Vietnam Radio, where she has been ever since.

Quang Tri, in Dieu Huong's memory, is associated with many beautiful memories. Back then, although still young, she had the opportunity to study and participate in school art programs, as well as events both within and outside the province. As she grew older, she was fortunate enough to travel extensively, performing for soldiers, civilians, and especially those in remote areas and border regions. The love and support of her hometown audience fueled her dream of becoming a true artist.

- As People's Artist Dieu Huong shared, she wasn't born into a family with a musical tradition. So, what led her to the arts?

- My father, Dieu Huong, was a soldier who died on the battlefield in Cambodia. My mother is a simple farmer. Our family life was very difficult before. Yet, at the age of 5, Dieu Huong had the opportunity to perform on stage. That was a major milestone in my life. From then on, Dieu Huong's singing began to be known by many people. For me, it was a special opportunity, motivating me to work even harder so that this opportunity would flourish even more.

- What significance does your hometown have in your artistic career and life?

- Dieu Huong's hometown is Trung Nam commune, Vinh Linh district. Perhaps the soil and water of her homeland have nurtured and fostered her dreams and aspirations. Working in the arts, artists aren't always lucky or fortunate. Even I am no exception. Dieu Huong has had to overcome many obstacles. Whenever difficulties arise, I rise above them with the spirit of Quang Tri – a land that has suffered the pain of war and countless harsh natural disasters. My homeland is always a source of longing, affection, and strength for me.

Breathing new life into traditional music.

- When mentioning People's Artist Dieu Huong, many immediately remember a dedicated artist who always strives to breathe new life into traditional music. What motivated you to choose this path?

- When she started working at the Voice of Vietnam, Huong's passion for Hue folk songs and Binh Tri Thien folk songs flourished, even though her musical path was never easy or smooth. The challenges multiplied when the artist chose traditional music. In reality, making ends meet is a major concern for many artists.

However, I've never been afraid of difficulties or hardships, and I've always been aware of the importance of choosing traditional music. When I was still in university, my professor always reminded his students not to hesitate to face difficulties and challenges. He also advised Dieu Huong that every artist has a responsibility to guide the audience towards the genre of music they have chosen; to guide the audience's listening. More importantly, we should cherish and value our choices. With that choice, we must be steadfast in order to succeed.

- As People's Artist Dieu Huong shared, the musical path she chose has many difficulties and challenges. So, besides the advice from her teacher, why has she persevered with this choice?

- Dieu Huong deeply understands that traditional Vietnamese music is the source and root of a nation's culture. From the bottom of her heart, Huong always wants to contribute to preserving and protecting the beautiful cultural aspects of the Vietnamese people. Although she knows there will be many difficulties, Dieu Huong still chooses this path. As you can see, the rewards will come and be sweeter when we overcome difficulties and challenges. Therefore, Huong is not afraid to choose the thorny path. To be honest, during her career, there were times when Huong had to struggle to find funding before releasing a new product. Artists who choose to pursue traditional music face hardship because of the low income, but because they love it, they can't leave it.

- Could you share some of your plans and projects for the near future?

- In 2024, Dieu Huong will continue to release two high-quality folk music products, both in terms of sound and visuals. Huong will continue to "breathe new life" into Hue folk songs and Binh Tri Thien folk songs. She hopes to always be well-received and receive much love from the audience.

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