The unthinkable of 'billion-view musician' Nguyen Van Chung

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- Looking at your schedule, I'm quite shocked. Is this all-around schedule for a musician?

The schedule has become much less busy! After the 30/4 holiday, I have been in a frenzy since June - the busiest and most intense time of my 23 years in the profession. There were times when I held my phone without knowing what I was doing.

You know, on the occasion of the great festival, only immortal revolutionary works are chosen. I never thought that the article Continued the story of peace would be chosen, the rate if any must be less than 1%.

So I leisurely took care of my own project, an album for old age. Unexpectedly, I was swept up from A50 to A80, to the point of forgetting that I had ever planned to make that product, until Quang Dung texted me a few days ago asking: "When are you going to record?"

I could not believe that I had the opportunity to write music for the Ministry of Public Security , the Ministry of Defense and other agencies and units. Knowing that this was a once-in-a-decade opportunity, I was determined to take it.

During August, a day was very long for me, the distance between days was just a few temporary naps while my head was still "jumping numbers".

Thinking back, my energy was terrible! I was giving it 300% and now I feel so exhausted.

Currently, interviewing, interacting, speaking or advertising activities make me feel happy, relaxed, and gain soft skills besides writing music.

- Few people realize that you "monopolized" the soundtrack for the September 2nd holiday - one of the peak seasons of the year - right?

At that time, I was just focused on writing, not realizing that both movies were released at the same time.

I also had to turn down 2 invitations to write music for companies and 1 horror film, and people got angry and blocked me on Facebook. I had to choose because not every time I have the opportunity to contribute to my country like that.

The pressure is certainly great. However, I have always had clear and specific criteria when accepting a job. One is to have full information and knowledge about the project. Two is to have an emotional touch point.

MV "Pain in the middle of peace" - Hoa Minzy

For example, the movie Get Rich with Ghosts 2 , after working with Trung Lun, I felt it touched my emotions so I agreed; the writing process was also very fast.

On the contrary, when the producer of Red Rain invited me, I refused because I had never experienced war and did not have time to accompany the film crew.

When I watched about 80% of the movie Red Rain , I still kept my intention to refuse. It was not until the scene with the two mothers at the end of the movie that I found the emotional touch point and agreed to write the film's music.

- Some people say that Nguyen Hung's song "What's More Beautiful" is more suitable for the soundtrack of the movie "Red Rain" than "Pain in the Middle of Peace", what do you think?

I think it's true, the song " What's more beautiful" deserves to be the soundtrack of the movie Red Rain ! Especially since the song was composed by Nguyen Hung - an actor in the movie, from the perspective of a child while 90% of the movie revolves around the soldiers.

After watching the film, I suggested writing about the mother's perspective and Ms. Dang Thai Huyen immediately agreed. The highest idea of Red Rain is to aim for national reconciliation, and the first basis of healing, in my opinion, is the pain of mothers whose children do not return, regardless of which side they are on.

If we combine the two poems, we will have a complete perspective from both the child and the mother. The child advised the mother not to be sad, but how could she when the pain of the mother losing her child could never be eased, nothing could compensate.

- Artists all seek success, but you have succeeded twice and it seems like each peak is higher than the previous one!

I feel the same way as you when I see myself being known more and respected more. In the past, despite having many hits, I was always judged as only able to write commercial music.

This year, I got the opportunity from the big events of the country, that is called heaven's time. But to grasp those opportunities, I have prepared for many years. It is the combination of luck and effort.

That success is not only mine. I have to thank singers like Tung Duong and Hoa Minzy who invested a lot of money in making MVs. If it was just me, how could I have done it?

Also thanks to the opportunities that brought me to cooperate with them. Without such powerful events, it would be difficult to have a combination between us. In the past, I used to send articles to Hoa but it was not compatible.

I am proud but aware that this success is only temporary and may subside by October.

I work without expectation. When success comes, I accept it happily; when it goes, I continue working as usual.

Being famous is also the best opportunity for me to carry out music projects for children, disadvantaged children, and disabled children - the ideal that I always pursue. This is what makes me happiest when I succeed.

And whether I succeed or not, I will still follow the path that I find ideal and dedicated.

- How can you still write so well? You've been working for 23 years...

Musicians write music with inspiration like they use wood to light a fire. So when the wood is gone, the fire is gone.

I am well aware of this so I always proactively "feed" the fire by finding a stable source of wood, profit, inspiration, experience...

Some people win by writing love songs, and if they keep writing but don't win anymore, they get bored. Some people win many songs but don't get the money they deserve, and they lose motivation.

People say I write good music. In fact, I don’t think my skills are good enough to be called good, my level is just average. I succeed because of my ability to analyze problems, find solutions and persevere to implement them.

I also set a discipline to sit at the piano for at least 2 hours every day, playing whatever I wanted. However, I never felt like I "had to sit", but always "could sit".

- You have articles on every field and topic. Aren't you afraid people will say you "write miscellaneous"?

I think that a composer who can do that has paid attention to every corner of life. I also want an audience in any situation: when sad, tired, when losing a loved one, when happy... will have music to listen to.

When I write, I completely ignore the revenue factor. After I finish writing, I think about how to sell the song. These are two aspects of me.

- Speaking of "aspects", I'm also curious about Nguyen Van Chung's personality. A "king" of extremely abundant comedy content; a child who is often quiet because he can't get over the pain of losing his mother and in front of me: a calm, mature man.

Musicians have sensitive souls, happier than others but also more painful than others.

Sometimes, the days when I post only happy posts are the most tiring and sad days. Because I can’t lift myself up, I make jokes to get people to comment and tease me, asking them to lift my mood.

I am a positive person, I do not want to be immersed in sadness.

How was your day?

I wake up at 7:50, take my kids to school, clean their room, exercise, and then work. In the afternoon, after picking them up, I can play soccer, go to the gym, take my kids out...

That was my schedule back then because for the past few months, I have been working almost day and night, and have had no time for myself. I bought a PS5 in April but haven’t had a chance to play it yet (laughs) . I’m looking forward to having time for my personal hobbies again in October.

- Singers earn a lot of money but still have to spend it on crew, costumes, makeup... Musicians like you earn a lot, but where do you spend it?

I don't wear designer clothes but now I have a music production team, media management and music warehouse.

I spend money on projects I like like children's music and my homeland. Filming music videos, making programs, drawing animations... everything costs money.

Besides, I have family, relatives to take care of and people I need to help.

In the near future, I may return to the unfinished album project for old age. After my mother passed away, I thought a lot about old age and death, about how my father was left behind, what was happy, what was regretful...

I don’t invest in any financial channel to keep my mind pure. I used to open a restaurant and a boarding house but I didn’t have the passion so I stopped.

I'm afraid of calculations, afraid of paperwork, very tired and lose all emotions and inspiration for life. I do everything to make the calculation part in my head as stress-free as possible.

- What more do you want in life?

I do not lack anything nor seek anything.

Houses and cars are fine. Big houses and fancy cars are things to strive for, not to wish for and not worth prioritizing. I’ll say it straight, don’t buy a car over 1 billion VND.

What I really wish for is something I cannot control: Dad's health, and Pu's peace. I want Dad to be healthy; I want Pu to grow up peacefully, happily, tall, and consciously.

I want to try harder, to be respected, remembered, and acknowledged - the gift I leave to my children.

And, I want everything in the present to last a little longer, even though I know it's difficult because life is always changing, never standing still.