Singer Chau Tuan: The profession of holding chalk, the calling of holding a microphone.

(Baonghean.vn) - When mentioning singer Chau Tuan, most viewers who know him by name remember him as an MC. In this role, Chau Tuan has formed a successful working relationship with many famous MCs.

I used to sing for a fee of only 40,000 dong.

Chau Tuan, whose real name is Nguyen Duc Tuan, graduated from the University of Foreign Languages ​​Education and became an English teacher in Hanoi. Back then, Mr. Tuan was admired by his students not only for his ability to impart knowledge with the enthusiasm of a young teacher, but also for his close relationship with them; he was always a brother and a close friend to those mischievous students.

Chau Tuan achieved fame not only as a singer. Photo: Provided by the artist.

During a coffee outing with his students, Châu Tuấn, with his passion and talent for music, took to the stage and performed a few songs. After that, not only were the students amazed by the handsome young teacher with an incredibly soulful bolero voice, but even more surprisingly, the coffee shop owner immediately invited him to become a singer at the shop. With his artistic blood running through his veins, Châu Tuấn accepted and officially embarked on his singing career from then on.

Throughout his years as both a teacher and a singer, Tuan had to struggle a lot to pursue his passion. “No one in my family pursued a career in music, so even though I was nicknamed Tuan Vu ‘the singer’ from a young age and received many invitations to sing, my parents didn’t agree. Therefore, I had to focus on my studies and choose teaching as my profession, fulfilling my family’s wishes,” Chau Tuan explained.

However, as if the profession chose him, after settling into his career as a teacher, Chau Tuan decided to change direction to follow his passion, his love for music. In the photo: Chau Tuan and Meritorious Artist Hong Lien during a photoshoot for their new music video. Photo: Provided by the artist.

When he first started his career, Tuan faced countless difficulties that he had never anticipated. "My biggest concern was figuring out how to make a living from this new profession, because I hadn't received any formal training," Chau Tuan said.

He confided, "That's why, in order to pursue this profession, I chose the lowest starting points. There were nights when I sang until my voice was hoarse, but I only got paid 40,000 VND for a night's performance."

Gradually, as he became known to the audience, Châu Tuấn's price increased, his life became relatively stable, and he was able to confidently make a living from his profession. "I was lucky to be recognized by many successful singers, and after hearing me sing at a tea room, singer Tấn Minh introduced me to the management of the Thăng Long Theater." However, he boldly refused this ideal environment for development, simply because, "I want to choose my own path, unique in my singing style, and unique in how I establish my name," Châu Tuấn explained.

Then, word spread, and when he participated in street music programs for Hanoi audiences during holidays and festivals, Chau Tuan was repeatedly requested to sing. "During those years, I didn't have the time or energy to accept all the gigs. It was like I was lucky; many theaters invited me to be a collaborator, such as the Youth Theater, the Thang Long Song and Dance Troupe, and the Vietnam National Song and Dance Troupe." At each place he participated, he left unforgettable impressions on the audience.

Although the genre of music Tuan pursues is rarely performed on mainstream stages, when he does perform for the public, audiences are always delighted and eager to see him again as a member of central song and dance troupes.

"The profession has chosen me to be an MC."

Chau Tuan was once a great on-screen partner with Thao Van in many programs. Photo: Provided by the interviewee.

Back then, besides being a singer, Chau Tuan occasionally experimented with hosting shows. Initially, it was just small programs, like music shows in tea rooms, or a few game shows for students and friends. He thought it was just for fun, a way to explore himself, but unexpectedly, the more he experimented in this new arena, the more Chau Tuan wanted to learn and wanted to "break into" other fields.

Then, as if by fate, more and more promoters invited him to take on both roles: MC and singer. The biggest turning point in his dual career was when he accepted the offer to host the "Khoa Sol" program on VTC channel, a talk show featuring famous artists. Through this, Chau Tuan had the opportunity to interact with many artists, learn from them, and hone his skills to better fulfill both roles.

Therefore, after participating in the Sol Course, Chau Tuan caught the attention of many event organizing companies, and his hosting schedule became increasingly busy. He had the opportunity to meet many famous artists and co-host with experienced people such as Miss Sports Thu Huong, MC Thao Van... and from then on, he became an indispensable face in programs requiring co-hosting.

Gradually, Hanoi audiences became familiar with the duo Chau Tuan and Thao Van. Because of their chemistry, almost every program outside of VTV that featured Thao Van also included Chau Tuan, and vice versa. And major events such as the live-broadcast special art program on Tuan Chau Island, or promotional programs for Yamaha, were all confidently presented by Chau Tuan, receiving positive feedback from the audience.

Choose Vinh City as your "home away from home"

Chau Tuan decided to choose Vinh as his "place to come and go". Photo: Provided by the interviewee.

Thanks to his combined talent as both a singer and an MC, along with his stage presence, he was a sought-after talent in the 2000s. At the height of his career, during a tour in Vinh, Chau Tuan fell in love with a girl from Vinh and decided to settle down in his hometown, a city known for its sunny and windy weather but also overflowing with love.

From then on, he was determined to bring high-quality music and variety shows to the audience in Vinh City, aiming to enrich the spiritual life of the people in President Ho Chi Minh's hometown.

From then on, people in Vinh City gradually became familiar with Chau Tuan, a bolero singer who was also a very charming host. Class reunions that wanted to be fun, connect people, and evoke old memories would be highly effective if Chau Tuan was invited; any brand wanting to promote a product would see its impact spread if Chau Tuan was involved. This is because before accepting any program, he thoroughly researched the content, purpose, meaning, and especially the most important message and keywords of that program.

But Chau Tuan's goal was not only to gain fame for himself but also to build a singing movement, promote music enjoyment, and develop musical talent among young people in Vinh City.

Therefore, many programs that he directly advised on achieved great success, such as Vinh City Idol and music talent discovery programs. After these programs, many young people have become famous in various music markets, and many talented and rare singers discovered by the programs have now joined performing arts troupes.

Now that he has chosen Vinh as his "hometown," Chau Tuan wants to spread the values ​​of "slow listening" and "slow viewing" even more. Therefore, the event organizing company he manages, and the MC training center where Chau Tuan directly teaches in Vinh City, have received positive feedback from clients and students.

"Vinh has many talented people; it's not necessary to go far to develop. At this rate, in 5 or 10 years, I believe Vinh City will be an entertainment center with major music venues emerging," said Chau Tuan.

Thanh Nga