'I was so panicked that I wanted to quit my job, listen to my mother, get married, and have children'

After more than a decade of dedicated pursuit of art, Vu Thao My has realized her dream of releasing her debut album, 1.0 . This marks a milestone in the arduous journey, filled with a full range of emotions, of the singer born in 1997.

The album was created by Vu Thao My with the support of musician Anh Quan - the husband of singer My Linh. After hearing Thao My's voice on the radio and being strongly impressed, the musician learned that she had competed in The Voice Vietnam in 2013 - when My Linh was a coach. From then on, the two had the opportunity to collaborate.

Although the album production process took quite a long time due to geographical distance and busy schedules, Thảo My is very satisfied with the final result. "I worked with Anh Quân for quite a long time to create this album. His house is in Sóc Sơn ( Hanoi ), while I live in Ho Chi Minh City, so every time we worked together I had to fly to the North," Thảo My shared about the collaboration.

'1.0' is Vu Thao My's debut album. Photo: Provided by the artist.

MV 'Just Tell Me If You Want':

Vu Thao My shared that she doesn't pursue mainstream hit songs but wants products with her own unique style, in line with her artistic philosophy, while still being widely accepted by the audience. She understands that balancing personal identity and public taste is a difficult but necessary challenge for a sustainable career.

"No one can be sure that their music will be 100% or even 80% accepted by the general public. Everything is very difficult to predict. The important thing is that I must strive to create works that bear my unique mark and are well-received by the audience. Only when a song bears the Vũ Thảo My brand will it have a long 'shelf life'," Thảo My shared.

*Vu Thao My received preferential support from musician Anh Quan. Photo: NVCC*

Vu Thao My used to be a shy, timid, and introverted girl. Her speech disorder caused her to frequently forget lyrics and fear interacting with audiences. "At 15 or 16, I knew nothing; my life revolved around studying and music. After becoming the winner of The Voice Vietnam 2013 , I felt a significant change, and everything became harsher than I imagined," Thao My shared.

However, the path of growing up and experiencing many things has helped Thao My change in a positive direction. "When I grew up, I realized that I was not at fault at the age of 16, I just needed time to experience and draw conclusions for myself. Thanks to that, I became more confident and open," the singer confided.

Currently, although still introverted, Vu Thao My controls and adapts her style to suit each situation. She is introverted when alone, reflecting, making music, and gaining a deeper understanding of things. But when she goes out to meet audiences, Thao My becomes extroverted, confidently showcasing her energy.

After winning The Voice Vietnam 2013 , Thảo My maintained close friendships with Dương Hoàng Yến, Hoàng Tôn, and musician Phương Uyên – whom she considers family. "When I competed in The Voice Vietnam, I was the youngest, so I received a lot of attention and care from the older contestants. I still cherish everyone to this day," Thảo My shared.

Vũ Thảo My shared that during the Covid-19 pandemic, she was very stressed and panicked, even wanting to quit her profession. Therefore, for her, waking up each day and realizing she is still breathing, alive, making music, and has people who love her is happiness.

Besides her career, love is also an important source of inspiration for Vu Thao My's songwriting. Despite experiencing many setbacks, she remains optimistic and believes in true love, ready to love passionately and wholeheartedly, as shown in her music video "Just Need You to Want It ".

Photos and videos : Provided by the interviewee.