It's been exactly 10 years since Trong Hieu won Vietnam Idol 2015. Ten years is a really long time for singers – a profession often described as having a short lifespan. Throughout those 10 years, Trong Hieu struggled with songs that satisfied his personal musical style but lacked recognition and the support of a wider audience.
Therefore, before the release of his hit song "Treasure ," Trong Hieu was still an obscure figure, with an unclear position in the Vpop music market, which was already crowded with strong competitors.
The challenges faced by Trong Hieu
Trong Hieu once admitted that he had doubts about the path he had chosen, how to make music, and how to change himself to suit the market. This was a statement Trong Hieu made in 2020, five years after becoming the winner of Vietnam Idol 2015. Trong Hieu went through a period where he didn't get any shows and faced considerable financial difficulties.
In the years that followed, Trong Hieu continued to diligently pursue his artistic career. The male singer released dozens of musical products in various genres and styles. Songs like " My Path," "I'm Sorry Babe," "I've Fallen for You," "Drawing the World ," and "Because I Am Like That " were successively released by Trong Hieu, demonstrating the singer's meticulousness and seriousness towards music.
Each of his products showcases Trong Hieu's talent. While his singing style isn't overly technical, Trong Hieu scores points with his warm, masculine voice and a slightly husky, distinctive tone. In particular, the male singer's strengths lie in his impressive dance moves and excellent performance skills.
Trong Hieu worked quietly for 10 years and only recently had his first hit song. Photo: FBNV.
However, the aforementioned music videos only garnered a few million views. "Yêu là…" (Love Is… ) is a product with high view counts on Trong Hieu's YouTube channel. However, this music video only reached 6 million views after 6 years of release. This number is modest and not enough for Trong Hieu to achieve a breakthrough.
Nevertheless, Trong Hieu remained patient with the path he had chosen. In 2023, the male singer performed a series of street performances in various countries. He often incorporated traditional Vietnamese musical instruments such as the T'rưng, bầu, and tranh in his performances and wore a conical hat. Unfortunately, the winner of Vietnam Idol 2015 also faced an embarrassing situation when he performed in South Korea and no one recognized him.
“I feel quite sad because I haven't been able to captivate the audience here. People aren't interacting with me. I feel like a clown, performing but nobody cares. I also thought things wouldn't be easy, but I didn't expect it to be this difficult. I'm a little disappointed that things didn't go as I hoped,” Trong Hieu said with tears in his eyes about being ignored by the Korean audience.
What's the situation like after 10 years?
Trong Hieu possessed a handsome appearance, a powerful voice, and a Western-style performance ability, with skillful dance moves rarely seen in Vietnamese artists at the time. Songs like "My Path" and " Step Towards You" featured vibrant dance-pop and EDM styles, clearly showcasing his personality. However, this genre wasn't truly suited to the tastes of Vietnamese audiences, who generally preferred ballads and easy-to-listen-to, relatable melodies.
Furthermore, Trọng Hiếu's birth and upbringing in Germany makes it difficult for him to connect with Vietnamese audiences. Despite his efforts to learn Vietnamese and familiarize himself with his homeland's culture, his pronunciation is sometimes criticized for lacking emotion and not being perfectly clear or expressive. He also remains loyal to the sexy funk pop and dance style, but this genre is not widely listened to in Vietnam.
By participating in "Brother Overcoming a Thousand Obstacles," Trong Hieu increased his recognition, but he wasn't the one who benefited the most from the program. Other big names have somewhat overshadowed Trong Hieu.
The treasure helped Trong Hieu's career take a breakthrough. Photo: FBNV.
It wasn't until the release of the music video for "Kho Bau" ( Treasure) about a month ago that Trong Hieu truly broke through. The song went viral across social media and achieved impressive results, topping many charts such as Billboard Vietnam and Lan Song Xanh (Green Wave)... To date, the music video has reached 7.7 million views - the highest number of views for any product released by Trong Hieu in the past 10 years.
Trong Hieu finally has a hit!
Thanks to this, Trong Hieu has received more frequent invitations to participate in events and perform in music programs. It can be said that Trong Hieu is gaining popularity across many different platforms, not just social media.
Returning to his 2015 statement, Trong Hieu added that he realized he wasn't famous because he couldn't force himself to build an image that was different from who he truly was.
"I live authentically, naturally, and comfortably with everyone. I want my music to reflect who I am. I am fortunate and happy to receive love and support from my family and audience, so I want to share that joy with everyone," he said.
With "Treasure ," Trong Hieu remains true to himself. However, it's clear that "Treasure " is no longer as "unapproachable" to Vietnamese audiences as his previous works. The song evokes Kpop hits from the 2000s with its catchy, easy-to-listen melody and simple structure.
No longer following the energetic dance-pop style, "Treasure" is a gentle pop-ballad with a nostalgic feel.
The success of " Treasure " stems from Trong Hieu's clever shift in approach. Instead of the overly Western soundscapes of his previous style, he sings in a safer, more accessible range for all audiences. Collaborating with the renowned hit-making duo of producer Hua Kim Tuyen and TDK was also a key factor. They delivered a simple yet catchy arrangement, with a memorable chorus that quickly became a trend.
Unlike in previous years, when Trong Hieu often followed his own path and was sometimes considered "out of place" in the Vpop market, this time he has understood the audience's tastes. This choice is safe, at least in order for Trong Hieu to become more widely known after 10 years of diligently pursuing his own unique style without much success.
Source: https://baoquangninh.vn/trong-hieu-duoc-cuu-3372205.html
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