People's Artist Thái Bảo: I am a very wealthy person.

People's Artist Thái Bảo captivated audiences with her expressive and moving voice. Her name is associated with timeless songs such as...The season of red flowers, Visiting Nha Rong Wharf, Round footprints on the sand...She breathed new life into these works, giving them an enduring vitality that keeps them alive in the hearts of generations of viewers.

With over 40 years dedicated to the arts, People's Artist Thai Bao maintains her position as an icon and a monument in the revolutionary music genre. She is a testament to passion, tireless effort, and a profound love for music.

My mother was unhappy when I dropped out of school to become a singer.

People's Artist Thái Bảo was born in 1964 into an intellectual family in Vinh City, Nghệ An Province. Her entire family worked in the field of culture and arts; her father was the Director of the Kim Liên Museum, and her mother worked at a library.

Speaking to VTC News online, Thai Bao said she is "a gift from God":My mother told me I was a gift from God. Three times she went to the hospital wanting to abandon me, but couldn't. According to my mother, when I was a few months old, the war expanded in the North. My family had to be separated; my siblings and I evacuated to rural areas with relatives and neighbors. Only my mother and I remained. My mother put me on her carrying pole, books on one side and me on the other, and she had to carry me for dozens of kilometers to avoid bombs and bullets.”People's Artist Thái Bảo recalled.

Although her childhood there was short and lacked many material comforts, it left invaluable memories in the soul of People's Artist Thai Bao. She shared:My father often told stories about President Ho Chi Minh, and his image has been deeply ingrained in my mind since childhood. This is what nurtured my emotions whenever I sang songs about him.”

At the age of eight, People's Artist Thái Bảo moved to Vinh with her mother. Two years later, an unexpected opportunity led her to pursue a career in music. During an audition for the Vietnam School of Music (now the National Academy of Music) in Vinh, she was coincidentally accepted.

Recalling that fateful moment, the artist recounted:“Back then, I didn't understand anything about music or musical instruments. I was simply curious when I heard singing and music coming from the auditorium, so I went in to take a look. Without any hesitation, I volunteered to sing the song 'The Sound of Birds in Uncle Ho's Garden.' The teachers were very surprised, asked me a few questions, and then I went home without giving it a second thought.”

Nearly a year later, a big surprise came to Thai Bao: she received her acceptance letter to university. However, her parents were worried. As the youngest child in the family and with a small stature, her parents feared she would face many difficulties living away from home. It was her older brother who convinced them to let her go to school.

""The day my brother and I said goodbye to Mom, we walked to the train station. Halfway there, I suddenly stopped, my heart overflowing with longing for Mom, not wanting to leave. But then, thinking of the train that was about to depart, I suppressed my feelings and followed my brother,"People's Artist Thái Bảo emotionally recalled the first day he left his family to pursue his passion for music.

At school, Thai Bao studied the zither and was much loved by her teachers. Later, even though her name became associated with many famous songs, People's Artist Thai Bao never gave up the zither.

People's Artist Thái Bảo said that she still dreamed of becoming a teacher, but fate chose her to become an artist. The person who had the most influence on Thái Bảo's decision to pursue a singing career was composer Nguyễn Văn Thương.

Following the advice of musician Nguyen Van Thuong, she gradually shifted to vocal music. In 1984, Thai Bao joined the Central Song and Dance Ensemble (now the Vietnam National Opera and Ballet Theatre). Thai Bao said her mother was unhappy when she dropped out of school to pursue a singing career."I was studying to play the zither in my first year of university when musician Nguyen Van Thuong told me to join his troupe. He said I should perform for a while and then come back to study later. In the beginning, I was well-received and loved by the audience for my new style. However, my mother's wish was for me to have a university degree. When I started singing, she wasn't happy about it."

Thai Bao took advantage of the opportunity to learn basic vocal techniques from People's Artist Le Dung. After a while, People's Artist Le Dung realized that studying vocal techniques might cause Thai Bao to lose her distinctive husky voice, so she advised her to stop.

Through perseverance, humility, and continuous learning, she gradually discovered and chose her own unique style, image, singing technique, and path. This path is always accompanied by her two instruments: the guitar and the zither.

Emerging as a phenomenon in the Vietnamese music scene with her unique voice, People's Artist Thai Bao has performed throughout the country. In particular, her performances in border regions have left her with many unforgettable memories, from joyful moments to poignant farewells.

“There was one night I will never forget, and perhaps the most beautiful memory I have. It was the night I returned to the camp after a performance to rest. It was midnight when I heard a knock on the door. When I opened it, I saw a group of soldiers wearing raincoats.”

Standing before me was a wounded soldier. At that moment, my emotions welled up. I hugged my guitar and sang "Round Footprints on the Sand." He asked me to write down the song. He used his back as a table for me to write on, saying he wanted to see my handwriting – the hand of someone from the home front. Following orders, they returned to their unit. I watched them walk away in the pouring rain, and tears streamed down my face as well."People's Artist Thái Bảo said."

Since then, she has always strived her best in her artistic career. Her unique voice has captivated audiences not only domestically but also internationally.

One of the most memorable experiences for People's Artist Thai Bao was participating in the April 2012 Pyongyang Friendship Art Festival alongside artists from the Vietnam National Opera and Ballet Theatre.

"I've sung many Korean songs before, so learning the language isn't a big problem for me. However, Korean music is mainstream, classical, and mostly for soprano voices, so I'm worried about whether I'll be able to showcase my abilities," People's Artist Thai Bao shared.

At that time, People's Artist Thai Bao spent a month researching not only the music but also the language to perform the song praising leader Kim Jong-il as accurately and expressively as possible. People's Artist Thai Bao said that she proactively sought out the North Korean community to listen to their daily conversations, to absorb their language so that she could convey the song in Korean in the most heartfelt way.

"Speaking a foreign language and singing in a foreign language are two completely different things. Just like with Vietnamese, when singing, an artist can slightly omit words or slightly release sounds depending on their emotions. When you sing, you have to touch the listener's heart."– People's Artist Thái Bảo shared.

People's Artist Thai Bao's meticulousness and attention to detail were rewarded with applause and tears from the audience the moment she sang the first note at the 2012 Pyongyang April Spring Friendship Art Festival. After the song ended, the audience applauded and requested her to sing it again. Following this, People's Artist Thai Bao won the Silver Award at the festival.

For his continuous contributions to the national music scene, Thai Bao was honored by the State with the title of Meritorious Artist in 2001 and the title of People's Artist in 2015.

“The title of People's Artist is not the final milestone, something you achieve and then stop. I will continue to contribute as long as I can because art has no end. Each performance is a lesson to learn from. As society develops, the demands of the audience become increasingly higher and more discerning. Therefore, artists must always strive, explore, and create to meet those demands."People's Artist Thái Bảo shared.

Remorseful because I once wanted to have more children.

After moments of triumph on stage, People's Artist Thai Bao always longs to return to her warm and cozy family home with her life partner, Meritorious Artist Anh Tuan. Few know that, in the early years of her singing career, despite being pursued by many, the charismatic and passionate artist was ultimately captivated by a gentle, quiet man.

After three years of getting to know each other and falling in love, the two officially tied the knot and had a son. All three members of the family work in the arts, and music has become the strong bond connecting them.

People's Artist Thái Bảo married Meritorious Artist Anh Tuấn.

Passionate about her profession and wholeheartedly dedicated to art, Thai Bao has also made sacrifices that still haunt her to this day. She recounts wanting to have more children, but unfortunately, she wasn't fortunate enough to have them.

"Every time I planned to have children, there were business trips, tours, or competitions. I gradually gave up thinking that my artistic career was too short. I only needed two children. When I felt stable and had a secure position in the music industry, I would have more. But fate had other plans. That's something I still regret to this day.""People's Artist Thái Bảo added."

Nevertheless, she believes that all difficulties, hardships, sacrifices, and ultimately happiness must be overcome to fulfill her mission. Thai Bao said that without the support and encouragement from her husband, who wanted her to shine, she would hardly be able to live her life to the fullest with her passion.

Speaking about her more than 35-year marriage, People's Artist Thai Bao shared:Thirty-five years of companionship, sharing joys and sorrows along a difficult and arduous journey. We never calculated gains or losses, and we persevered through stormy times. That is the boundless respect, trust, and gratitude we feel for each other.

Though not using flowery words, they still offer each other a positive spirit, unwavering support, a peaceful life, and a warm family. No one can predict the future, and time is running out. Let's walk slowly and hold hands tightly until the end of the road."People's Artist Thái Bảo shared.

People's Artist Thái Bảo considers himself wealthy, not in material terms, but because of the love of his family, friends, and audience, as well as his love for art, passion, and desire to contribute."I know that enough is enough; I am content with everything I have and what I am currently experiencing.""People's Artist Thái Bảo said."