V-Pop - Asia's new wave?

When folk elements are modernized, they can become a competitive advantage for V-Pop on the international stage.

The treasure trove of folk culture is becoming a goldmine of creativity for young artists. From this, a new face of V-Pop is gradually taking shape: modern but without losing its identity.

Bringing local culture to a wider audience.

The pentatonic scale, elements of traditional Vietnamese folk music such as ca trù, chèo, cải lương, and regional influences are being remixed on pop, EDM, and hip-hop platforms. Renewing traditional music , combining traditional and contemporary elements, and having veteran artists perform alongside young singers have been experimented with by many individuals and programs in recent times, receiving positive feedback.

Several young singers have achieved considerable success pursuing this style, including: Hoang Thuy Linh, Ha Myo, Hoa Minzy, Phuong My Chi... Or the combination of folk music with pop, rap, world music… in musical products such as: "Come Home and Listen to Mother's Lullaby" by People's Artist Bach Tuyet and singer Hoang Dung; Ha Myo singing Xam (traditional Vietnamese folk singing) combined with rap and electronic music in "Xam Hanoi" ; Quan AP combining Quan Ho Bac Ninh (traditional Vietnamese folk singing) with rap and EDM in "Giao Duyen - Sitting by the Boat's Edge"...

The creative exploitation of traditional elements has helped today's young people take their local culture further. Proof of this is the increasing number of artists actively using folk materials to revitalize their artistic products and win over audiences. Musician Huy Tuan observes that the graceful and creative combination by young singers today is a new direction for young people to change their perspective on traditional art.

Singer Hoang Thuy Linh - one of the young artists pursuing a path in contemporary folk music. (Photo: MINH NGOC)

A prime example is "See Tình" by Hoàng Thùy Linh. This song not only became a sensation domestically but also spread internationally, especially on TikTok, with numerous cover videos from South Korea, China, and Europe. Notably, the distinctive sound of the Southwestern region of Vietnam – a very "Vietnamese" element – ​​became the song's defining characteristic, making it stand out in the global pop music market.

Composer Tien Luan affirmed: "Exploiting traditional folk elements in artistic products is a welcome sign for Vietnamese music. This is both a way for artists to express their love for their homeland and country, while touching the hearts of the audience and contributing to the dissemination, preservation, and highlighting of the unique characteristics of national art."

We must understand and respect culture.

Hoang Thuy Linh's album "Hoang" is not simply a musical product; it is a deliberate combination of folk beliefs, literature, and traditional imagery, helping Hoang Thuy Linh define a unique style.

Hòa Minzy's "Thị Mầu" demonstrates how artists can "modernize" the traditional Vietnamese opera genre. The image of Thị Mầu – familiar in traditional theater – unexpectedly became a social media phenomenon, reused by young people in many creative contexts. This success clearly proves that the issue is not about whether the material is old or new, but about the way it is told.

Not just pop, Vietnamese rap has also quickly joined the trend. Double2T's "À Lôi" is a prime example. Incorporating elements of daily life and the sounds of the northern mountainous region into hip-hop has created a distinct difference, helping the song spread strongly across digital platforms. This signals that the "folklorization" trend is no longer an isolated choice but is becoming a common direction for V-Pop. Looking at these specific cases, it's clear that the trend of combining folk with modern music is no longer an isolated phenomenon but has become a distinct movement. However, simply "dressing in folk" doesn't guarantee success. In reality, many products have faced backlash for superficial exploitation, using traditional elements merely as decoration. This places a higher demand on artists: they must not only be creative but also understand and respect the culture.

The story is unique enough to tell.

Duc Phuc's victory at Intervision 2025 with the song "Phu Dong Thien Vuong" marked the first time Vietnam participated and won at a competition bringing together 23 countries, with an estimated audience of 4.3 billion people – a scale rarely reached by V-Pop before. The key to Duc Phuc's victory lay in his Vietnamese identity. On stage, the story wasn't told in the traditional way, but "translated" into modern musical language: combining folk music, pop, and multilingual rap (Vietnamese - English - Russian), along with visual staging featuring bamboo, the ao dai (traditional Vietnamese dress), and the symbolic image of "Saint Giong flying up."

Or consider Phuong My Chi's victory at Sing! Asia 2025. More than just a competition, this was truly a "test" of V-Pop's ability to integrate into the regional arena. According to DTAP (music producer) and Phuong My Chi, from the very beginning, the team knew how to leverage Vietnamese elements in their performances and remained steadfast in that direction. For example, "Rock Hat Gao" combined folk music with modern arrangements, using traditional Vietnamese costumes like the ao tu than and conical hat – images symbolizing Vietnamese culture – while "Bong Phu Hoa" was a composition inspired by the story "The Girl from Nam Xuong."

Beyond simply recounting folk tales, the performance was elevated with new arrangements, structural changes, and even translation to make it more accessible to international audiences. The victory against a strong competitor from China demonstrates that cultural identity, when properly "translated," can compete on equal footing on the international stage.

It's safe to say that V-Pop doesn't lack technique or a market – what it lacked before was a "story unique enough" to tell the world.

When a story is told using folk material but with modern language, it is not only listened to but also recognized. If done correctly, folk material is not only a "golden resource" but can also become a "passport" for V-Pop to venture into Asia and beyond.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/v-pop-lan-song-moi-cua-chau-a-196260323203923541.htm