Thu Hang: Nghe An singer succeeds with lyrical music

- Why did you compete in three game shows in three years despite winning high prizes?

- The first competition I participated in was The Voice of Vietnam in 2015. Although I was eliminated early, my coach at that time - singer Dam Vinh Hung - advised me to pursue lyrical music. That same year, I competed in Solo with Bolero and won first prize. In 2018, Mr. Dam Vinh Hung encouraged me to compete.Love storytellerto practice more stage expressions. I participated and continued to win last year.In addition to gaining more singing experience, I want to find a playground to create new opportunities, after many months of almost no shows and little income.

- What difficulties did you encounter when pursuing this career?

- After coming out of the Bolero contest, I thought I would earn a lot of money and have many shows. On the contrary, no one invited me to sing. One month, then two months, I had no events. That period lasted almost a year. My income was only about six or seven million VND per month, lower than before I became famous. In the past, I performed for military festivals, occasionally sang outside, earning 20-30 million VND, enough to support myself and my sister. After that, I gave up my salaried job and went to the South to start a business.

Without a singing show, I was very self-conscious. The contestants who competed with me released products in droves, and the media was strong, but I looked back at myself and saw nothing. Reading comments criticizing me, such as: "The champion lost to the runner-up", "This Hang sings like a bitch"... I became even more negative. I started singing late, and only started to have a few achievements at the age of 30, so I tried to force myself to speed up. Gradually, I became confused, wondering whether choosing this singing path was right or wrong. Sometimes, sitting among my colleagues, I felt like I was being scrutinized with contemptuous eyes. I wanted to quit the profession when I felt it was not worth the effort. I questioned myself why I was so incompetent.

- Mr. Dam Vinh Hung helped me by taking me along wherever he sang, then deducting a portion of his salary to pay me. He told me that many people who work with a salary of 4-5 million VND can still make a living, so there is no reason why I cannot manage. He used himself as an example, telling stories about his past struggles, spending a dozen years lining up to sing in tea rooms to get to where he is now. I also received clothes from Ms. Le Quyen. They not only advised me on my expertise, but also taught me experience in the profession.

- How is your singing going?

- After winning the latest competition, I got more shows. In the past, no one knew me on the street, but now I'm starting to get noticed. I'm happy because some women selling clothes and street vendors recognize me and say hello. My income before was only about 6 million VND, but now it's 10, 15 times more. I have money to reinvest in products. I no longer have to wear the same outfit, but can change this outfit and that outfit. I take better care of myself, and have designers make clothes for me. With a higher salary, I invest in music. I no longer have to buy beats (background music) online for 150,000 VND a copy, but can order them and ask them to edit them to my liking.

More importantly, I feel more mature and confident. Before, if I sang a wrong line, I would sweat, look around and not be able to continue singing. Now, when I encounter a problem, I know how to steer. My efforts and perseverance in the past are gradually bringing results.

- Seeing many beautiful singers who have bought houses and cars after a few years of singing, what do you think?

- Sometimes, I see information about many colleagues showing off their houses and cars and feel a bit sad. I am still renting a house. Many singers started with me, even after me, but still quickly became successful. I feel like I am not as quick and adaptable as many of my colleagues.

Now there are many young singers singing Bolero, so the audience has more choices. There are singers who are seven or eight years old but their fees are already very high. I am sad, but I do not blame myself for choosing a safe style. I pursue a calm, mature singing style, a private life without scandals, and a well-crafted product to target a suitable audience.

- How was your Tet holiday?

- I did not return to my hometown but stayed in Saigon to sing at tea rooms. Tet is the time when the audience goes to listen to music the most, I have to take advantage of the opportunity. Celebrating Tet far from home, I also feel sad. Sometimes looking back at my parents, I feel sorry because they are getting older. My father is now 70 years old, my mother is 66 years old. But I tell myself that this is an opportunity for me to be loved by the audience, so I try to approach them more. Out of 1,000 audiences, if only 10 people remember me, that is good enough. Little by little each day, I believe that gradually the audience will be impressed with me.

Thu Hang was born in 1987 in Nghe An. At the age of 12, her parents divorced and she lived with her mother. At the age of 15, Thu Hang studied at the Hanoi Conservatory of Music, Department of Traditional Musical Instruments. Because her family was poor, Hang hid from her parents and worked to pay for food and tuition to make her parents less tired. She worked as a dishwasher in a pho restaurant and a waitress at a coffee shop. In 2015, she took the examThe Voice of Vietnambut was eliminated early. In the same year, she competedSolo with Bolero- contest Dam Vinh Hung was a judge - and won first prize.In 2018, she continued to win.Love storyteller.After the contest, she mainly sang at events, tea rooms...