When young artists renew traditional music
In the context of an increasingly diverse music market, with the explosion of pop, rap/hip-hop, EDM..., many people used to worry that traditional music - especially folk songs like Vi and Giam - would gradually be overwhelmed and forgotten. However, recently, many young artists have boldly approached traditional music by blending tradition with modernity in a smooth and attractive way for listeners.
Refreshing folk songs with modern arrangements
Recently, Nghe An public paid attention when musician and singer Lo The Anh - Provincial Traditional Arts Center, released a music product."Missing you in a song"This is a bold experiment, when he remixed the verse in the song "Test of loyalty" with electronic music, to create a blend of traditional melody and modern breath.
The song is led by Meritorious Artist Minh Thanh, a familiar voice of Nghe Tinh's Vi and Giam genre. Throughout, the song is developed into a youthful, energetic piece of music that still has the soul of Nghe An. After a short time of release, the MV ""Love song for her"received hundreds of thousands of views, creating a strong ripple effect in the online community.
Lo The Anh's approach is considered a "successful test" because he does not destroy the old but tries to "bring it closer" to young audiences. In the digital music space filled with electronic sounds, the sound of Nghe Tinh's Vi and Giam rhythms still resonates simply, plainly but attractively thanks to modern arrangements.
“I just want to prove that traditional music can still integrate into the flat world without losing its soul. And young artists like us carry the mission of renewing it in our own way,” said Lo The Anh.
Not only Lo The Anh, musician Le Xuan Hoa - a familiar face of Nghe An songs also brought surprises when he remixed the song."The Voice of Art Comes Back"during the 2025 Cua Lo Sea Tourism Festival. Originally a song that is deeply ingrained in the public's heart because of its smooth vi and giam quality, in this re-release, "Giong Nghe Tim Ve" has been given a new wind thanks to the hands of musicians Luong Khac Thanh and Cao Dang Hieu. The new version opens with a strong rap, pushing emotions to a climax.
Immediately after the performance, singer Trang Nhung's performance created a "storm on the internet", hundreds of clips following the trend of "Giong Nghe Tim Ve" were widely shared. "I did not expect that when the song was remixed, it would reach the public so strongly", musician Le Xuan Hoa confided. "That shows, just relying on the old way is very difficult to approach young people. The creativity of young musicians does not lose its identity, but makes the song seem to be born a second time".
According to musician Le Xuan Hoa, amid the vibrant wave of modern music, traditional folk sounds are gradually regaining their position through creative and approachable approaches. When youth music becomes too saturated, audiences want to find something rustic and deeply emotional. Folk music, therefore, becomes a "cultural underground stream" that helps young musicians enrich their creative emotions and renew their popular music aesthetics.
The trend of renewing traditional music
On a broader scale, not only Nghe An but the whole country is witnessing a wave of renewal of traditional music. A series of singers and bands such as Duc Phuc, Phuong My Chi, Hoa Minzy, Ha Myo, Hoang Thuy Linh... are all boldly blending folk elements with pop, R&B or Rap to create unique products.
Notably, the MV “Bac Bling” by Hoa Minzy is a creation that has taken the internet by storm by combining the sounds of Bac Ninh Quan Ho with modern electronic music. The wordplay in the name “Bac Bling” is both bold and charming, making the MV quickly climb to the Top 1 Trending YouTube just a few days after its release.
Or the song “Phu Dong Thien Vuong” by Duc Phuc, which won the championship at an international music competition in Russia, is also a convincing proof of the fusion between the national and the modern. The song uses folk music in the chorus and harmony, creating an epic that is both traditional and full of youthful energy.
Besides that, there are remarkable marks: "Let Mi tell you" (Hoang Thuy Linh), "Xam Ha Noi" (Ha Myo), Xam MV "Cong cha nghia me sinh sanh" (Meritorious Artist Tan Nhan), or the program "Ve Kinh Bac" (artist Ngo Hong Quang)... All affirm: Folk songs, Cheo, Xam, Vi, Giam still have strong vitality when inspired by creativity.
Even young rappers are not left out. Artists like Phao, Sterry, Tez create rap"Pretty Bamboo"– a fresh combination of Northern folk songs and rap, both graceful and vibrant. Meanwhile, Quan AP impressed with the remix"Fate"and"Sitting on the boat's side", bringing a modern breath to the old melody.
Musician Le Xuan Hoa commented: “Traditional music needs to preserve its identity, but it cannot stand still. As society develops, music must also change. Renewal does not mean loss, but rather a breath of new life so that folk songs can continue to live in the hearts of the public.”
Blending folk and modern
For decades, Vietnamese folk music has been confined within the traditional framework, appearing only on academic stages or in cultural festivals. The repetition of forms and lack of public space has gradually made this music genre unfamiliar to the younger generation - those who grew up with K-pop, rap and European and American music.
However, the reality of the past few years has been completely opposite to those concerns. Traditional music is being “revived” in contemporary life by the soft power of Vietnamese culture. Reality shows such as"Brother overcomes thousands of obstacles"good"Beautiful lady riding the wind and cutting waves"is proof: Folk songs, traditional musical instruments, ancient languages can all step onto the stage of colored lights, blending with today's rhythm of life. There, young artists such as Soobin Hoang Son, Jun Pham, Bui Cong Nam... have breathed new life into "Trông cốm", "Đa đất" (rice drum), "Lý ngưa ô" (black horse drum) by mixing the sounds of the monochord, the rice drum, and the cat flute in a modern arrangement. Those performances not only remind the origin, but also help young people realize that folk songs are not old - they just need to be told in the musical language of the times.
“The good news is that young Vietnamese audiences now not only listen to foreign music but have actively explored traditional music through many new forms: Cover, remix, mashup with folk instruments. It is not just a trend, but an expression of pride, of the need to find identity in a flat world.”
Musician Quoc Chung - Director of Nghe An Traditional Arts Center
Amidst the hustle and bustle of life, folk melodies still permeate and resonate - not noisy but persistent, not distant but very close. Because in each vi and giam song; each drum beat; each Quan ho melody, there is still the voice of the Vietnamese people - modern in form, traditional in soul.