Ha Quynh Nhu: From "folk song girl" to Champion of The Voice Kids

Rise above circumstances

Quynh Nhu has loved singing since childhood and was nurtured in the sweet folk song tradition of her homeland. At the age of 5, she sang the song “A song of the heart of a Ha Tinh person” to the surprise and admiration of many people. Over time, Nhu’s soulful voice has had the opportunity to spread more widely thanks to school performances, local competitions and festivals. In 2017, she boldly registered to participate in the program “Future Idol” on HTV7, officially entering major music competitions.

Folk singer Ha Quynh Nhu in her early days at the "Future Idol 2017" contest. Photo: Huy Thu

Due to family circumstances, Quynh Nhu’s path to music was not easy. From the countryside, the “folk singer” came to “Future Idol” by chance. She competed with her own natural talent with a gentle, expressive folk voice, which had not been trained much and was not familiar with big stages.

Quynh Nhu's greatest advantage is probably the support and facilitation from her parents. Despite their poor family background, Nguyen Thi Huong and Ha Van Y still decided to put aside their jobs at An Mo market - the family's main source of income - along with several fields of rice to accompany their child in the competitions. "Even if we have to borrow money, we will let our child take the competition to test their abilities" - Huong affirmed. For the past two years, Y has switched to working as a construction worker to earn money for her child's travel expenses, while Huong has been directly accompanying her child on the flights.

The Voice Kids 2018 champion Ha Quynh Nhu. Photo: NVCC

Recalling the first time she took her child to Ho Chi Minh City to compete in a singing competition, Ms. Huong said: “After finishing building the house, the family was in debt, so when the mother and child went to the South, many people thought they were “running away from debt”, the news spread throughout the region. Only when the first round of the show “Future Idol” was broadcast on television did people believe that Quynh Nhu was really competing.”

That time, Ms. Huong borrowed 5 million VND from her brothers, thinking that she would have enough money to go to the South by car, but unexpectedly Quynh Nhu got carsick, so she had to take a plane, arriving at Tan Son Nhat airport, with only 370 thousand VND left in her pocket for extra expenses. Luckily, there were brothers in the South who let her stay, so she didn't have to pay for food and accommodation.

Ha Quynh Nhu's joy on the stage of The Voice Kids 2018. Photo: NVCC

During the two competitions “Future Idol 2017” and “The Voice Kids 2018”, Huong and her children had about 26 flights from Nghe An to Ho Chi Minh City and to Hanoi. The initial awkwardness of “going from the countryside to the city” gradually became familiar. While waiting for her children in the competition rounds, she also worked as a dishwasher at a restaurant near her accommodation to earn extra money for the two of them.

For Nhu, her mother is not only the person who takes care of her meals and sleep at home, but also her companion, sharing her joys and sorrows in competitions. When she is sick, loses her voice, is exhausted... and feels like giving up, she still strives to rise up because of her passion and the expectations and hopes of her family.

Quynh Nhu's parents support their daughter wholeheartedly in music competitions. Photo: Huy Thu

Let the song fly far

On the stage of “Future Idol”, with her gentle, soulful voice, captivating with Vi Giam folk songs, Quynh Nhu gradually gained the attention and trust of the audience. From the first song “Ve Ha Tinh nguoi oi” to the last song “Loi que”, the girl with the “typical Central style” truly left a deep impression in people’s hearts.

At the end of the competition in mid-July 2017, Ha Quynh Nhu was honored to win third prize, marking an important milestone in her musical journey. After this competition, the “folk song girl” had a more extensive performance schedule and many long trips, bringing Vi Giam folk songs to all parts of the country.

Ha Quynh Nhu performs at a charity concert. Photo: Huy Thu

Recently, the “million-view girl” reappeared in the program “The Voice Kids 2018” on VTV3 with a diverse style, transforming into many different music genres. Right in the first “Hide Face” round, Ha Quynh Nhu took the stage by storm with an English song, then in the “confrontation”, “minishow”, “performance”, “semi-final” rounds, she brought the audience different emotions from the folk music of the Northwest, Central Highlands, and South to youthful, modern melodies.

With a powerful voice, skillful technique, a large fan base, and the highest number of votes, Ha Quynh Nhu excellently won the title of Champion of The Voice Kids 2018.

The joy of the 2018 Voice Kids Champion when participating in charity programs in his hometown. Photo: Huy Thu

From a "folk song girl" with innate talent and constant diligence and effort, Ha Quynh Nhu has gradually achieved commendable achievements on her musical journey, creating a new feature in the Vietnamese music industry, full of pride for the people of Nghe An.

Not only singing, Nhu is also an excellent student, having been awarded the title of excellent student in Math and English at the district level for many years. More importantly, in recent years, Quynh Nhu has actively participated in charity activities in and outside the province, contributing her voice and material to charity concerts, raising funds to help the poor in the localities.

Sharing her joy at the beginning of the new year, the Voice Kids Champion said: “After each competition, I focus on studying. No matter what, I am still passionate about singing and pursuing my dream of becoming a folk singer.”

I wish the girl from the rice fields who studies well and sings well will gain more success in her music and studies./.