People's Artist Thai Bao reveals the opportunity to switch from learning the monochord to becoming a singer

People's Artist Thai Bao is known to the audience as a singer of red music. She left an impression on the audience when performing famous songs:Red Flower Season, Round Footprints on the Sand, Hometown, Soul…

Share in the program5-star hotel, People's Artist Thai Bao said she became involved with music through learning the monochord:“When I was young, I lived in Nghe An. When the teachers of the Vietnam Music School (now the Vietnam Academy of Music) came to recruit students, I tried to enroll, and unexpectedly, a year later, I received an admission notice.

At that time, my parents were worried that I would have a hard time, and I was the youngest child in the family, so they didn’t want me to go to school. But I liked it so much that I still asked to go, and at that time I learned to play the monochord.”

The female artist also revealed that her family has 6 children, she is the youngest and a "god-given child":“When I think of my mother, I have a special memory that I cannot forget. At that time, my parents were poor and did not have the means to send their children to school. When she was pregnant with me, my mother went to the hospital three times to have an abortion but could not bear it.

The last time I waited in line for an abortion, my mother cried and ran home because she couldn’t abort her child. Thanks to that, I was able to live and be a human being.”

Originally a monochord artist, Thai Bao is known to the audience as a singer. She said: "Musician Nguyen Van Thuong called me to his house because he heard that I could sing and play the monochord. I was only 15 years old at that time. When I arrived at Uncle Thuong’s house, I saw the guitar, and I asked to sing his song Winter Night.

After listening to me sing, he said: You must switch to singing, if you sing you will be famous. He was the first person to guide me to the singing path.

Despite many years of singing and being famous, even winning the Silver Cup at the Pyongyang Spring Music Festival in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, People's Artist Thai Bao still hasn't had his own live show.

The female artist said:“In 2010, the theater wanted to do a live show about my musical career. But at that time, my family had a health problem with my husband, so I had to give up that plan. Moreover, I was not financially well off to be able to do a live show.”

Pursuing revolutionary lyrical music, People's Artist Thai Bao has many memorable memories. In 1979, Thai Bao was one of the artists who had the honor of serving the army at the front line to protect the northern border. In 1984, she was again with the troupe to serve the army and people in the northern border provinces.

She shared: “While singing at the border, there were some very sad stories like some people who heard us sing but then could not return, but there were also very happy stories like seeing the affection the soldiers had for us.

Also in the program, People's Artist Thai Bao introduced to the audience her beloved son: Saxophonist Bao Anh. The female artist said that her son was quite disadvantaged because his mother was too absorbed in music.

The artist said:“I started singing less than a month after giving birth to Bao Anh. Bao Anh suffered because her mother didn’t take good care of her when she was little. At that time, I thought that when she grew up, it wouldn’t be too late for me to make it up to her. Performing and contributing is only for a short time, there won’t be another chance, so I have to try my best.”

Sharing about his childhood lacking parental care, People's Artist Thai Bao's son admitted: "When I was young, I used to blame my mother and father for not being able to be close to them. But when I grew up, I felt how hard my parents worked. Now that I have my own family, I understand them even more.

People's Artist Thai Bao admitted that at first, when her son pursued an artistic career, she was not really satisfied. But when she saw that her son had a passion, she supported him. Currently, the mother and son are colleagues at the Vietnam National Music and Dance Theater.