Sweet or deadlocked?

(Baonghean) - Never before have audiences flocked to big stages to listen to old music as much as recently. With the return of overseas artists, audiences are able to indulge in listening to passionate voices on their home stage...

Relive the glory days

Overseas artists who once captivated generations of Vietnamese audiences, such as Huong Lan, Tuan Ngoc, Khanh Ha, Y Lan, Che Linh, Kim Anh, Luu Bich, Tuan Vu, Thanh Tuyen, Truong Vu, Manh Quynh, Minh Tuyet, Hoa My... through CDs or art programs of Thuy Nga or Van Son centers, have returned to perform in their homeland in recent years.

When they returned, they were warmly welcomed no less than famous foreign stars coming to Vietnam. They held their own live shows with sky-high ticket prices but the audience was still eager to come and watch.

Singer Khanh Ly was warmly welcomed by the audience.

Khanh Ly, although over 70 years old, has participated in many live shows since returning to Vietnam. While Trinh's music is increasingly popular in Vietnam, the number of people listening to Trinh's music is increasing, Khanh Ly never runs out of opportunities to perform. For older audiences, Khanh Ly and Trinh Cong Son represent a youth with a full and beautiful dream.

They want to meet, want to listen to Khanh Ly, also to immerse themselves in the beautiful distant memories. As for the young people, countless people have heard Khanh Ly through videos, through the internet..., and of course they come to Khanh Ly's liveshow because of admiration, and also because of curiosity.

Therefore, with her return, Khanh Ly, along with other overseas singers, has truly revived a beautiful, melodious period in Vietnamese music.

Not only do they organize their own live shows, many are also willing to sing as guest artists in other people’s shows, and then appear on the “hot seat” of some reality TV music competitions. Tuan Ngoc’s appearance in Ho Ngoc Ha’s recent live show is an example.

Besides, many overseas artists have "covered" TV game shows as judges and coaches such as musician Duc Huy with "Familiar Faces", singer Tuan Ngoc with "Tieng hat mai xanh", Bang Kieu with "Vietnam Idol 2016", Van Son, comedian couple Quang Minh - Hong Dao in "Nguoi bi am", singers Minh Tuyet, Duong Trieu Vu as judges of "Tuyet dinh song ca"...

A truly sweet return, when overseas artists, after many years of wandering and performing in foreign lands, can again "sing in my homeland", "sing for my compatriots", in the warm, enthusiastic welcome of the audience.

But what is gained and lost in that return?

More vitality or more deadlock?

Indeed, the return of overseas singers has made the Vietnamese music market more vibrant and bustling, with a large number of artists. In terms of benefits, perhaps the older audience is the one who benefits the most.

Indeed, with artists who have become “legends” of the past such as Khanh Ly, Tuan Ngoc, Lan Huong..., older audiences have been transported into nostalgia and satisfied their ancient needs. They have witnessed with their own eyes the stars they used to admire, the stars that they used to only hear about from afar, but never saw.

However, satisfying the taste of the audience does not mean being able to contribute to the development of Vietnamese music. The return of legends who have passed their prime, singing with their old, tired voices, really does not have any impact on Vietnamese music.

Those performances, even though on a big stage, even though well received by the audience, simply revive memories, like a "begging for the past", nothing more.

The return of overseas singers brings many good things, but seriously considered, it is a restraint, and at the same time shows the conservative aging of a music industry.

Sometimes in art, beautiful behavior is knowing how to stop at the right time, give way to young people, encourage their creative talents, only then can music truly develop healthily.

Thuy Nguyet