Vietnamese Song of the Month for June: "A Fleeting Kiss" Wins Big

Following Vu Cat Tuong's "Phai," Pham Hai Au's "Chiec Hon Phet" became the second song to receive the Song of the Month award at the Vietnam Song Contest 2015.

On the evening of June 26th, the second live show of Vietnam's Song Contest 2015 took place at the Ben Thanh Theater in Ho Chi Minh City. Six new songs were introduced. Primarily in the Pop and R&B genres, the songs in the June live show are expected to easily appeal to young audiences when released to the market. Notable examples include "Leaving" by Vu Ngoc Bich, performed by singer Hang BingBoong; "Horizon" by Tuan Phong, performed by Duong Tran Nghia, rapper Ha Le, and Phuc Bo; and "Love in Waiting" by Tran Dung Khanh, performed by Dinh Manh Ninh.

Pham Hai Au and singer Nguyen Ngoc Anh at the Vietnam Song Awards 2013 ceremony. Pham Hai Au's song "Because I Miss You" won the top prize of the year - Song of the Year. (Photo: VnExpress)

Regarding the three songs above, composer Luu Thien Huong commented on Vu Ngoc Bich's "Leaving": "Vietnamese songs always emphasize creativity, but the lyrics of this song are a bit too entertainment-oriented. When participating in the Vietnamese Song Contest, I want songs to meet two criteria: professionalism and entertainment. Entertainment, but still with a touch of professionalism. I want Ngoc Bich to be more creative with her lyrics."

After offering some gentle feedback, the female musician added: "I only have a few suggestions regarding the lyrics; otherwise, I like Ngoc Bich's approach because it's quite sophisticated." "Sophisticated" is also the word Luu Thien Huong used to describe the song "Horizon" by Tuan Phong. However, the female musician felt that the song's structure was a bit rambling.

Meanwhile, commenting on Tran Dung Khanh's song "Love in Waiting," musician Viet Anh said: "Love in Waiting is quite captivating with its well-crafted melody. This song is easy to popularize because it's easy to listen to and easy to sing along to. But it lacks a highlight to make the song more memorable."

However, the winning song of the June edition of Vietnam's Song Contest was a Smooth Jazz track with a touch of Funk – "Chiếc hôn phất" (A Fleeting Kiss) by Pham Hai Au. This song won all three awards from the judging panel: Song of the Month, Best Arranger (for musician Thanh Vuong), and Best Vocal Performance (for singer To Minh Duc). Commenting on "Chiếc hôn phất," musician Quoc Trung succinctly stated: "This is the song we've been waiting for. It's very youthful."

With its win for Song of the Month, "Chiếc hôn phất" (A Fleeting Kiss) has secured its place in the Grand Finale of Vietnam Song Contest 2015. The author, Phạm Hải Âu, is also the winner of the Song of the Year award at Vietnam Song Contest 2013.

According to VTV