Hong Nhung - The 'Child Woman' of Music

"Miss Bong's" personality and music blend depth, maturity with mischievousness and childishness.

During the music rehearsal to prepare for the live show My Childhood (June 18), Hong Nhung wore bright colored clothes and had frizzy hair.

After more than 30 years of singing, at the age of 47, Hong Nhung still maintains a small, slim figure and an innocent look.once called "childish woman" by musician Trinh Cong Son.

Hong Nhung is youthful at the age of U50.

Few people know that, under the pressure of the profession, singersShe once wanted to quit singing to follow a smoother path. However, her optimistic spirit helped her overcome everything. "Take it easy" is what Hong Nhung often tells herself. "When you look at things from a lighter perspective, nothing can bother us," she said.

A childhood deprived of affection was filled with music

Hong Nhung is not from a singing family.In return, being born into an intellectual family gives her a good cultural foundation.Her paternal grandfather was painter Le Van Ngoan, maternal grandfather was linguist Doi Xuan Ninh, and father was translator Le Van Vien. When Hong Nhung was less than two years old, her parents separated. "Miss Bong" remembers that at that time, the material and spiritual life of children was poor, without many books and toys. She was even more disadvantaged than her friends because she lacked the care of her mother.

NAt the age of 10, she passed the entrance exam to the Nightingale team of the Hanoi Children's Cultural Palace. Three times a week, she walked from house number 11 Dien Bien Phu to the children's house on Ly Thai To to practice singing.

* Hong Nhung sings "My Greetings"

At the age of 11, little Bong recorded a solo performance of the song Loi Chao Cua Em by musician Nghiem Ba Hong for the Voice of Vietnam at the studio on Quan Su Street. She still remembers the feeling of joy when singing with the orchestra conducted by the late conductor Cao Viet Bach. To this day, her family still keeps this recording. A year later, the young singer performed her first solo performance on the stage of the Hanoi Children's Cultural Palace with the song Em di dau bien vang (musician Bui Dinh Thao).

* Hong Nhung sings "I walk in the middle of the golden sea"

Hong Nhung said that the Hoa Mi team at that time was sponsored by the Soviet Union and Germany. She and her friends were fully equipped with costumes, sound, transportation... All members of the club learned vocal music, dance, and stage skills. Before each tour, the children underwent months of training. Every summer, Hong Nhung traveled with the team to perform across the country. Tiny but with a voiceclear, every time she stands on stage, she forgets everything around her, just sings and sings.

Living with the Hoa Mi team laid the first bricks, forming the foundation for the singer's career. That was the time she learned vocal music, performance skills and lessons abouthow to work in a team, how to relate to peers, how to take care of yourself... "Music made me a happy, free and mature child", Hong Nhung recalls.

"The childish woman" sings Trinh's music with all her heart

From 1987 to 1980, Hong Nhung was a "pop music phenomenon" in Hanoi and waspromising singer of the Central Light Music Troupe.She won first prize in the "Hanoi Voice" contest with the song Remembering Hanoi in 1987. At that time, the impressive achievement of the "small, ugly but good-singing" girl made many senior singers jealous. The jealousy in the profession made Hong Nhung depressed, at that time, she had the intention of going to work abroad.

In 1990, when she turned 20, Hong Nhung "moved to the South". Before that, her father had been in Saigon for two years. He had a stomach bleeding disease. Therefore, Hong Nhung wanted to reunite with her father to take care of him.Young Hong Nhung, in her 20s, spent two years withering away from missing Hanoi.

The biggest turning point in "Miss Bong's" life when she was in Ho Chi Minh City was meeting musician Trinh Cong Son. At that time, her father often went on business trips to Buon Me Thuot. Every day, she stayed at musician Trinh Cong Son's house for lunch, then went to school. During this time, in the house at 47C Pham Ngoc Thach of the late musician, the student felt like she was living in the "great university" of her life when she met many famous people inSouthern artists such as writer Nguyen Quang Sang, musician Tu Huy, Tran Long An, Ton That Lap...

* Hong Nhung sings "Lullaby to life"

KWhen she was very young, Hong Nhung listened to the Son Ca 7 CD from her neighbor's house and loved the works of musician Trinh Cong Son. At the age of 14,Hong Nhung just performedI am a little rose - children's composition by the late musician.

Later, when she came into contact with Trinh Cong Son, Hong Nhung understood many stories behind each song and his intentions. The first songs she performed were Ru Doi Di Nhe, Lang Le Noi Nay...Bong in her 20s sings Trinh's music naturally, instinctively, her voice is clear with a hint of nostalgia.

Singer Hong Nhung and musician Trinh Cong Son.

CThe musician did not teach her specific lessons, however, she was greatly influenced by his way of life, his way of perceiving beauty and his modesty. "Back then, we did not have the concept of 'idol'. I loved and admired the musician, not because of his name."I want to sing Trinh's music simply and rustically, exuding the spirit of the work," Hong Nhung said.

* Hong Nhung sings "When I was a human"

Musician Trinh Cong Son was also the one who brought Hong Nhung's nickname "Bong" closer to the audience. In 1993, he composed the first of three songs about Bong, includingBong Bong, Bong is not Bong, when Bong was human.

At that time, Hong Nhung was quite mature for her age but still had the playful, innocent features of a Hanoi girl. Trinh Cong Son called her "a childish woman" -This spirit clearly shows Hong Nhung's musical personality.In her first hits in Lan Song Xanh 1997 such asSometimes(La Van Cuong),The flower of impermanence(Trinh Cong Son), her voice is filled with concerns about love and life but still radiates a love of life.

Now, at the age of U50, Hong Nhung admits she is even nmore playful than 10-20 years ago, freely "causing chaos" on stage, shedding all reservations to express innocence in their own way.Since giving birth to two children - Tom and Tep - in 2011, the singer's perception of life has changed compared to before."Everything becomes simple, light and positive," she said. That spirit permeates the music, making the diva's performances brighter.

Hong Nhung and her two children Tom and Tep. Her children are five years old.The two children love music and can sing fluently the songs "Going to School", "The Green Frog", "The Brown Bee and the Baby"...

Looking back on her more than thirty-year career, Hong Nhung admits she is lucky: "I only know how to respond to the audience's favor by trying to work seriously and diligently. Life has to end, let alone singing. But before it ends, put all your heart and kindness into it."

According to VNE