Ho Hoai Anh: My music is sad, only a few happy songs when I'm with Luu Huong Giang

Appearing at the album launch of singer Nguyen Ngoc Anh's Promise , musician Ho Hoai Anh attracted attention when sharing about his composing process, as well as the "sad mark" in his songs.

After a long time "hiding" from showbiz, Ho Hoai Anh said that the recent silence became a valuable time for him to reflect more on music .

"During this time, I have lived a private life and rarely appeared in the media. But that has given me more time to think, to write and to reflect on myself. I feel happy because I still have artist friends, like Ngoc Anh, who trust me, seek me out and sympathize with my music," he shared.

When talking about the compositions in the album Loi Hen Uoc , Ho Hoai Anh did not hesitate to admit: "Ngoc Anh told me that she was happy and wanted a fulfilling album, full of positive energy. But I don't understand why all three songs I wrote for her are... sad. It still has pain, still has torment. Maybe I'm used to that feeling, everything I write turns out sad."

He smiled lightly and continued: "I hope the audience doesn't think it's tragic. In love, pain is not necessarily the end. It's just part of the process, where people understand more clearly the value of happiness."

The musician also shared about the idea of the song 3 meters in the sky : "The inspiration came from a foreign movie, talking about the distance between two lovers - a distance that is very close but still cannot be reached. 3 meters is a symbol of missed opportunities, of things that seem within reach but can never be achieved. That is the feeling that always haunts me."

Another work by Ho Hoai Anh, " Different Beds and Dreams" , also carries many thoughts. He said: "The title says it all. Lying on the same bed, each person has a different dream, each person has a different world . I once joked with Ngoc Anh that I would write another wrong-titled piece, because she initially asked me to write about happiness. But when I wrote it, my emotions led me to loneliness, to inexplicable breakdowns."

This song, performed by Nguyen Ngoc Anh and Tung Duong, is considered a big challenge because the two voices are so different. Ho Hoai Anh revealed: "I had to find a way to handle it so that the two of them wouldn't overwhelm each other. Ngoc Anh just had to sing really well and Tung Duong had to tone down his typical energy a bit. When those two personalities met, the song became both strong and fragile - just like the two extremes of love."

When asked why his music is rarely cheerful, Ho Hoai Anh frankly said: "I have also composed clear, energetic songs, but only a few of them, when I was still working with Luu Huong Giang."

The musician added that he did not intentionally choose melancholy colors, but real emotions cannot be faked: "There are people born to write bright songs, but I am not. Every time I hold a pen, in my head always resonates notes that are a bit tormented, a bit desolate. But that is the music that makes me live the most authentically."

Ho Hoai Anh sent his thanks to Nguyen Ngoc Anh - the person who believed and dared to put his faith in a musician who had not come out of his own darkness for a long time.

"Music is the only way for me to express things that cannot be said in words. If the songs make listeners sad, please understand that it is a beautiful sadness. A grateful sadness, because we once loved and lived to the fullest," the musician shared.