The farmer sings Trinh Cong Son's songs.

(Baonghean.vn) -In recent years, in the music scene of Vinh City, many people remember a unique voice named Minh Vuong. Minh Vuong's voice is associated with the songs of Trinh Cong Son, both simple and ethereal, and particularly similar to the voice of the famous singer Khanh Ly. Many believe that Trinh Cong Son's music has found another kindred spirit. Few know that the young man with that voice is a true farmer, spending his days working in the fields and gardens, and his nights...He returned to Vinh City to sing, completely unaware of the online world, without a personal Facebook account...

Listen to Minh Vương singing Trịnh Công Sơn's songs:

.

Minh Vương at a Trịnh Công Sơn music night held in Vinh. Photo: SN

"It survives thanks to Trinh Cong Son's music."

Minh Vuong is the fourth child and the only son in a family of six siblings in Hung Dao commune, Hung Nguyen district. His mother passed away when he was 10 years old. His father, a soldier returning from a fierce battlefield, suffered from many illnesses. After years of battling his ailments, he also passed away, leaving Vuong alone in their empty house.

Coming from a poor farming family, no one pursued a singing career, and no one knew how to sing, except for the only son who had been passionate about singing since he was 4 or 5 years old. Vuong recounts that he first learned about music through his grandmother's lullabies, and the dream of becoming a singer haunted him ever since. One day, Vuong decided to enroll in the Vocal Music Department at the Nghe An College of Culture and Arts. After graduating in 2006, unable to find a job, following the trend among rural youth at the time, Vuong chose to move south, seeking opportunities in the industrial zones…

Vuong's daily routine involves going to the fields early in the morning to herd buffalo, weed, and plant rice... Photo: SN

In the South, Vuong eked out a living in workers' dormitories in Binh Chieu, then in cheap eateries… His life as a migrant, with unstable work, a difficult family situation, and no income of his own, left Vuong consumed by fear and self-pity. He lost count of the many nights he wandered and slept on the streets. There were times when he went an entire week without a penny in his pocket, consumed by hunger and despair, leading him to 23-9 Park (Ho Chi Minh City).

Here, Vuong encountered so many different people, many of them elderly and children. Each person carried within them a long story, a tragedy, and unfulfilled desires… They huddled on the stone benches, sharing a last piece of bread at the end of the day. And many knew Trinh Cong Son through his songs, heavy with the weight of human existence. They sang for Vuong, and Vuong sang for them.

The house of the farmer who sings Trinh Cong Son's songs in Hung Dao commune, Hung Nguyen district. Photo: SN

Vuong said that from then on, he turned to Trinh Cong Son's music as a salvation in his life. Without a radio or CDs, Vuong often "listened" to it in cafes or on someone's phone. While walking down the street, if he heard Trinh Cong Son's singing coming from someone's house, no matter where he was, he would stop and listen until the song was finished.

Vuong said: "I survived thanks to Trinh's music! I got through hungry nights, through temptations, through suffering, all thanks to Trinh. And I returned to my hometown, living with my father in his final days, also because of Trinh..."

"Being able to sing is happiness!"

After the 2010 floods in his hometown, Vuong returned. He returned to find only his frail, elderly father, constantly hospitalized, at home. His family's circumstances were dire; his sisters had their own lives. He returned and started working in the fields and gardens, plowing and cultivating. Only the dream of singing remained, relentlessly motivating him. Vuong says that Trinh Cong Son's songs never faded from his lips, no matter how tired or how sad he was.

Minh Vương often appears in a brown or black ao dai (traditional Vietnamese dress) when singing Trinh Cong Son's songs at cafes in Vinh. Photo: Ho Chien

Besides working in the fields, Vuong occasionally attends weddings because he's invited to sing. He practices some new songs to sing at weddings, but he doesn't forget to occasionally incorporate a few Trinh Cong Son songs that he finds suitable in terms of melody. "Only when singing Trinh Cong Son's songs can I truly be myself. It seems like it's in my blood," Vuong shared.

It was also from here that someone "discovered" Vuong's very unique, natural voice. Vuong found friends who enjoyed listening to him sing, and was invited to participate in several charity concerts and memorial concerts for Trinh Cong Son. Currently, the Sonata music cafe has a "contract" with Vuong for a few Trinh Cong Son-themed performances a week. The "fee" isn't large, but for Vuong, just being able to sing is happiness.

For Minh Vương, singing Trịnh Công Sơn's music is a great joy. Photo: SN

To this day, Vuong still doesn't own a music player. This farmer, born in 1983, has never known the internet or Facebook. Vuong's possessions are the songs recorded on his cheap mobile phone and a book about Trinh Cong Son that a friend gave him a long time ago.

But luckily, Vuong was surrounded by people who loved his singing voice and his genuine, simple personality. Among them was the young musician Quoc Nam.

The idea of ​​helping Minh Vương reach the public through recordings was conceived and implemented by musician Quốc Nam in his own studio. “The reason for helping Minh Vương isn't anything too special. I always appreciate people with talent, determination, and a desire to succeed. Watching Minh Vương sing shows his passion and dedication, whether on stage, in the studio, or in everyday moments…” – musician Quốc Nam shared.

Thuy Vinh