Poor boy sings folk songs, moving hearts on 'Vietnam's Got Talent Kids' show.
Ho Van Cuong, a young boy from Go Cong, moved the three judges of Vietnam Idol Kids to tears with his soulful folk singing and his difficult circumstances as he tries to make a living.
The first episode of Vietnam Idol Kids aired on the evening of April 24th.
The three judges of the show are: singers Toc Tien, Isaac, and Van Mai Huong. Right from the first episode, in the Southern Audition round, all three had a hard time selecting talented children with a passion for singing to advance to the next round.
Thirteen-year-old contestant Ho Van Cuong was the most touching moment in the first episode. From the moment he appeared in the audition room, Ho Van Cuong attracted attention because, despite being among the oldest contestants, he was very thin and small, with dark skin and bright eyes. Ho Van Cuong sang the folk song "Ly Dat Giong" with a sweet and expressive voice. When the judges asked him to perform another song, he tearfully presented the folk-inspired song "Ba Nam," which brought tears to the judges' eyes.
To bring Cuong from Go Cong, Tien Giang to Saigon to participate in Vietnam Idol Kids, his mother had to borrow 500,000 VND from an acquaintance, promising to gradually repay the debt through hard work. Despite their impoverished circumstances, Cuong's parents tried their best to support their son's passion for singing, hoping it would give him a chance to escape poverty.
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Ho Van Cuong burst into tears when the judges asked about his family background. |
In his application form, under the talent section, while other children listed their abilities in singing, dancing, dance sport, hip hop, rapping, beatboxing, etc., Ho Van Cuong wrote "singing at weddings." This is Cuong's part-time job after school to help his parents make ends meet. The poor boy shared: "I love singing. Whenever I have free time, I sing and I have a small notebook to write down my favorite songs. It's like a treasure to me. I want to grow up to be a singer, but before that, I want to finish 12th grade because I like going to school."
After Cuong's performance, all three judges went on stage to hug him, express their affection, and give the contestant a golden ticket to advance to the next round. Van Mai Huong encouraged him, saying, "Even those who have studied singing or sung for many years like me can't sing with as much emotion as you do. So please keep trying."
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The mother of contestant Ho Van Cuong (left) borrowed money to bring her son to Saigon to participate in the singing competition. |
Cuong's golden ticket was not only a source of joy for him but also a great happiness for his mother. When she picked him up from the exam room, his mother burst into tears.
The opening episode of Vietnam Idol Kids featured many funny performances.Unlike contestant Ho Van Cuong, siblings Ly Vinh Hoa and Ly Khanh Mai Chi, from Ho Chi Minh City, come from a more affluent family. Mai Chi performed "I Like It," a song previously performed by judge Toc Tien as a child. Mai Chi enlivened the atmosphere of the audition room with her confident and adorable demeanor. Her brother, Vinh Hoa, showed the judges his maturity and strong voice when performing Tran Lap's "The Road to Glory." Both were selected to advance to the next round.
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The three judges: singers Isaac, Van Mai Huong, and Toc Tien, alongside the young contestants. |
Le Ngoc Thanh, a young boy from Ho Chi Minh City, confidently performed a Quan Ho folk song. Meanwhile, Phan Thien Thao (stage name Linh Hoa), the winner of the 2015 Junior Dancing with the Stars competition, performed two songs: "Toc Hat" and "Price Tag".
The first episode of Vietnam Idol Kids concluded with five contestants receiving golden tickets to advance. The next episode, the Southern Audition round, will air at 8 PM on May 1st.
Vietnam's Little Idol is a version for young domestic audiences, based on the global television entertainment program Idol Kid.
