Disappointed with Noo Phuoc Thinh

After more than a year without releasing a new product, "You're Hurt Me" is a regrettable step backward for Noo Phuoc Thinh.

Noo Phuoc Thinh is one of the most stable and successful singers in Vpop. Despite not releasing many new songs in recent years, his name still attracts media attention whenever he appears. Earlier this year, on the Lan Song Xanh stage, he simply mashed up viral songs from social media in a new style and immediately shot straight to the top of the trending charts.

To achieve that, the large and loyal fan base that Noo Phuoc Thinh has built over 15 years in the profession is a crucial factor. In addition, his strong singing voice and continuously improving performance skills are also what audiences love about Noo Phuoc Thinh. Therefore, for his new product... You're kidding, that hurts! Released on July 16th, listeners were hoping the male singer could deliver a quality song worthy of his reputation and talent.

The quality did not meet expectations.

The songwriter composes the song. You're kidding, that hurts! TUNO is a relatively new and unfamiliar name in the market. TUNO has released several songs, but none have become hits. Noo Phuoc Thinh's choice to release a song by such a new songwriter is considered a risky move.

In terms of quality, You're kidding, that hurts! It's not a bad song. The track has a basic structure and a catchy chorus, which is standard for a pop song. However, TUNO clearly shows a lack of skill in lyric writing in some parts, especially when writing for a male singer over 30 like Noo. Lines like... "I can't stop being infatuated/Even if you don't let me be, I'll still be infatuated." It's somewhat childish and doesn't suit Noo Phuoc Thinh's image. Additionally, the sentence structure in some sections lacks coherence and is repetitive, lacking creativity. "Baby, it's really hard/Really hard/To guess whether you're moving forward or backward."

"Joking with you hurts" is a work with many limitations.

The two verses of the song are almost identical, with no change in melody or lyrics, quickly becoming boring after a few listens. Meanwhile, the market is increasingly favoring songs with unusual and constantly changing structures like... Once Acquainted by Wren Evans or more recently Don't break my heart. by Son Tung, a basic composition that hasn't developed like You're kidding, that hurts! That is a shortcoming.

In terms of production mixing, the person who plays the main role is You're kidding, that hurts! Duck V chose synthwave for Noo Phước Thịnh's product – a genre that is famous and very successful, having been used by The Weeknd in his album. After Death in 2020. In Vietnam, over the years, many singers have also used this material for their products, such as Binz with Don't break my heart, Beautiful Monster , or J97 also use these terms in the song. The lonely star .

These songs were all released 1-2 years ago. In 2024, synthwave isn't necessarily outdated, but it's no longer new or surprising in Vpop. While the pop/dance market is exploring elements like Jersey Club, Drum and Bass, Atlanta Bass, etc., Noo Phuoc Thinh and Duck V are still using synthwave from 2020 without any significant changes or improvements, which could be considered a step backward.

A regrettable step backward.

While both the songwriting and arrangement aren't particularly outstanding, Noo Phuoc Thinh's vocals are what carry the song. Having consistently improved and developed his vocals over time, Noo also demonstrates his adaptability when tackling a song with a somewhat dark concept. You're kidding, that hurts! He's still doing very well.

Noo surpasses many young dance-pop singers currently on the market in one respect: his pronunciation is very clear. Even without considering that Duck V's arrangement somewhat drowns out Noo's vocals, it's clear that he pronounces each word distinctly and distinctly, without any difficulty in understanding or slurring. This is partly due to the song's low tempo, but it's also undeniable that Noo's vocal technique is excellent and more experienced than many other singers today.

Noo Phuoc Thinh's good vocals are a plus for this product.

Unfortunately, the song and arrangement didn't allow Noo Phuoc Thinh to showcase more of his talent. Having two identical verses, coupled with the lack of explosive climaxes, left him with no opportunity to demonstrate his versatility and high-pitched vocal abilities. The entire song flowed along smoothly, failing to create any memorable moments.

Given Noo Phuoc Thinh's reputation and talent, You're kidding, that hurts! Clearly, this song falls short of the male singer's expectations. It lacks both professional quality and a timely connection to the market. Obviously, with a big name like Noo and a long wait for his release, audiences expect more from him. In his future releases, Noo Phuoc Thinh probably needs a music production team with more experience and sensitivity to market changes.

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