Soobin: Striving to become an all-round artist

Congratulations to Soobin for the two successful All-Rounder concerts at the end of May, before that the album Turn it On won all the awards and the show Anh Trai Vuon Ngan Cong Gai received a lot of attention. How do you feel about the past time?

The past period of time has truly been a dream to me. The success of the album Turn it On came as quite a surprise, because when I started working on it and when it was released, I didn't expect too much. Perhaps partly due to the heat of the show Anh Trai Vuon Ngan Cong Gai, the audience also knew about and welcomed the album more.

As for the All-Rounder concert, the last two shows were the result of more than 6 months of preparation with the crew, when every single detail was taken care of. I still feel excited when I step onto the stage, when I see the eyes and cheers of everyone. After 14 years in the profession, I have finally fulfilled my big dream. With everything that has happened, I can only say: Thank you, thank you very much for always believing in and accompanying Soobin!

Why did you choose the name All-Rounder for this concert?

The recent concert was not just a simple music project but also a big dream that I have cherished since the first days of my artistic journey. All-Rounder, to me, represents an artist who is not confined by any limits. I want the audience to be able to encounter many different versions of Soobin - from gentle ballads to personality and explosion. When hearing this name, each person may evoke different thoughts and emotions, but for me, naming my first concert after 14 years of operation All-Rounder is the right way to use the title that my beloved audience has given me to show gratitude to them.

Moreover, All-Rounder also creates a sense of being surrounded by the audience while performing. That is the happiest moment in any artist's career. In addition, the show is an "exclusive" music party, where the audience can enjoy "special" songs, associated with Soobin's name or "fusion" flavors, representing modern, new songs.

- Ảnh 2. — All-Rounder Concert shows an all-round Soobin of Vietnamese music industry

Soobin himself took on most of the stages, from choreography, composing, playing instruments... What do you think about the image of the all-round artist in today's era?

To me, an all-round artist is not only someone who sings well, but also someone who can master every aspect of their musical journey. From live performance ability, musical thinking, personal style, to storytelling through images, stage, concept orientation, visuals... everything must be harmonious, cohesive and clearly show their own mark. An all-round artist is also someone who constantly learns, dares to challenge themselves with many different genres and roles.

To reach that image, I know I cannot rush but need to take steady steps. Each product, each stage is an opportunity for me to further improve my skills, mettle and emotional depth. I always ask myself: "What will the audience feel when watching or listening to this product?", because only when I truly connect with the audience, will "omnipotence" have meaning.

And above all, I believe that an all-round artist is someone who knows how to maintain their own style but at the same time is not afraid to innovate. That is also the journey I am pursuing every day.

Recently, you also participated in a program to find young talents with "all-round" qualities. How do you evaluate the artists of the next generation?

I am very happy to accompany the young people in the All-round Rookie program. In terms of advantages, the current generation of young artists has many advantages: they are very quick to update trends, know how to take advantage of technology and social networks to spread their music; at the same time, they also have a quite modern mindset, dare to experiment and strongly express their own personality. More importantly, many of them are also very versatile, not only singing but also writing their own music, producing their own music, knowing how to dance and master the stage - something that not everyone could do before.

However, there are also specific challenges. Sometimes, because you focus too much on versatility, you have not really delved into and mastered a core strength. Or sometimes, the pressure to be perfect in every aspect can easily make you stressed, disoriented, and even reduce the naturalness and sincerity in your music. Meanwhile, success does not only come from skills, but also from emotions, true connection with the audience.

The most important thing is that young people should keep their own personality, not be afraid of making mistakes, not be afraid of challenges, and at the same time, improve every day, to become both an all-round artist and a true storyteller through music.

In the album Turn it On, it's not hard to see that you challenged yourself by collaborating with many young producers like 2pillz, Wokeup... Can you share more about this?

I love experimenting and discovering new things in music, so when making this album, I also wanted to try many styles and collaborate with young producers. I think music is a journey of constant innovation, and working with young people also helps me broaden my horizons, approach new trends and very different creative energies.

Through these collaborations, I have learned many valuable things: enthusiasm, daring to think and act, and new approaches to music that I have never thought of. They bring a very fresh energy, helping me break my own limits and make music more diverse and rich. That is how I learn, grow, and still maintain the freshness in music.

What about the entertainment company SpaceSpeakers, which witnessed and contributed greatly to your success?

My success is really greatly attributed to SpaceSpeakers, not only because of the production support but also because of the brotherhood, the inspirational journey and the way the members always push me to constantly develop.

Until now, my SpaceSpeakers brothers and I still respect, trust and support each other as before. And I must say that I am not alone when I always have my brothers by my side in both music and life!

- Ảnh 5. — Every performance of the first concert was specially prepared.

Recently, traditional elements have received a lot of attention. Soobin also owns many hits such as the remake version of Trong Com or the performance of Muc Ha Vo Nhan with his father and Binz in the recent concert. What does Soobin think about the responsibility of young artists in recreating and prolonging the vitality of traditional values?

I think the responsibility of young artists in preserving and promoting traditional values is very important, especially in the context of a modern society with many rapid changes like today. Traditional music is not only a part of cultural heritage but also an original, endless source of inspiration, helping me and the younger generation connect with our roots, with the profound values that the previous generation has worked hard to preserve.

When making remakes like Trong Com with Nha Sao Sang or participating in the Xam genre performance in Muc Ha Vo Nhan with my father and brother Binz, I see it as not only a way to honor the past but also a bridge for traditional music to be recreated, renewed and spread to younger audiences. I want to prove that tradition is not outdated but even very good, very unique, can integrate, create and develop with contemporary elements.

For a young artist like me, it is a responsibility but at the same time a great opportunity to renew myself, create unique and meaningful works, and at the same time contribute to preserving and prolonging the vitality of Vietnamese music culture in the hearts of modern audiences. The most important thing is that the passion comes from the source, from my own personal passion, and does not feel forced. That is the first thing.

- Ảnh 8. — Soobin performs the song "Muc Ha Vo Nhan" with his father and Binz

What are the limits of combining traditional and modern, for this approach to be successful?

I think that limitation lies in keeping the essence of the traditional values that you want to convey. That means no matter how creative or innovative you are, you must not lose the essence and inherent identity - what makes it different and has deep meaning. If you only follow modern trends and forget your roots, the result will easily be disjointed, inauthentic and not touch the hearts of the listeners.

In addition, harmony and balance are also very important. The combination must be a "dialogue" between tradition and modernity, not an imposition or forced blending. When we find common ground, a touch point that both sides respect and promote, that is when the product truly has vitality, both familiar and new.

Besides, the success of this method also depends on whether the artist is sensitive enough to feel and convey that "limit", how to both maintain respect for tradition and create attractive newness, not simply a combination of coping. It is a big challenge but very worthwhile, and Soobin always wants to continue to explore that path.

Does Soobin intend to choose this as his next direction of development after being involved with R&B for quite a while?

After a period of time working with R&B, I also want to challenge myself in newer musical fields, bearing a strong cultural imprint but still maintaining a modern, youthful feel. That is the way for me to not only develop personally but also contribute to renewing and diversifying the Vietnamese music market. I believe that if done well, this combination will not only help music reach a wider audience but also preserve and promote traditional values in a creative and modern way.