Musician The Hien 'Wild Orchid Branch' just passed away: Unlucky in love, U70 just became People's Artist

Musician The Hien has had an admirable career: spanning nearly five decades, reaching the pinnacle of both his roles as a musician and singer.

Musician The Hien passed away at 9:30 p.m. on October 1 at Military Hospital 175 (Hanh Thong Ward, Ho Chi Minh City) due to cancer, at the age of 70.

Every field has hits

The Hien is not an amateur musician but is not considered to have formal training either.

In 1977, he attended the Intermediate Vocal Music program of the Lotus Art Troupe to become a singer. His composing experience, if any, was when he participated in the Youth Composing Club of the City Youth Union.

It was not until several years later that Thế Hiển released his first song, Khi bong bong bay , which was unexpectedly well received by the public. His first success gave him the confidence to pursue a professional writing career.

Throughout his career, he wrote about 250 songs, published about 150 of them, but never intended to stop. When meeting reporters at the end of last year, the musician excitedly showed off that he had just finished 12 songs about the navy.

Compared to his contemporaries, The Hien is admirable for his diverse compositional strengths, in modern language he has hits in every field.

Musician The Hien in his youth.

They range from red music ( Wild orchid branch, Singing about you, Remembering you, Mother and white frangipani ...), green music ( Nhong nhong nhong ), yellow music ( Purple sunset ), young/lyrical music ( Ponytail hair, No matter where you go, Waiting in the rain ) to propaganda, movement and social areas ( Singing on the green farm, Overcoming yourself, Question mark, Each heart has a heart ).

Chinh The Hien said many audiences were surprised to know that he was the author of the songs Nhong nhong nhong, Toc em doi ga or Hoang hon mau tim because the colors were so different from Nhanh lan rung or Hat ve anh .

There are two quite distinct characteristics in The Hien's writing style.

Firstly, his music is always serious, neat, sometimes a bit "disciplined" but not dry, formulaic or rigid.

A musical legacy in which every song aims for positivity, truth - goodness - beauty; very few sad songs, and certainly no pathetic, lamenting songs or "for fun" or easy compositions.

The second characteristic explains the first point, seemingly short songs become hits because of their high popularity.

Purple Sunset (composed by: The Hien; performed by: Phi Nhung)

Simply put, every song he writes is simple, without fussy changes in sound or technique, highly natural (a technique that earned him the nickname " Musical Diary Writer" - PV) and especially very "Vietnamese".

Equally important, Thế Hiển's music never follows trends, so it has a long life and is difficult to become outdated.

69 years old, became People's Artist

The Hien became famous as a musician but was awarded the title of People's Artist for his role as a singer.

It can be said that The Hien is a very special type of singer: 45 years of activity without albums, no live shows, no MVs and only performing.

Since graduating and becoming a soloist of the Lotus Art Troupe in 1980, he has brought his singing to serve people at home and abroad, going to Truong Sa 6 times...

There are months when he sings for up to 22 days in the provinces and cities: Hanoi, Quang Ninh, Tuan Chau, Dak Nong , Nha Trang...

And it seems that there are few singers who have sung at so many cemeteries, from Truong Son Martyrs' Cemetery, Dien Bien Martyrs' Cemetery to Vi Xuyen National Martyrs' Cemetery.

Musician The Hien is known as "a soldier without uniform" for spending his life singing and composing to serve soldiers.

Until the last months before his stroke, The Hien still loved to travel, still boasting to reporters about his field trips with the Ho Chi Minh City Music Association in An Giang, his return to his roots with the Vietnam Musicians Association, his pilgrimage to the Dien Bien - Northwest region...

In some ways, Thế Hiển is very similar to his own works: always optimistic, loving life and full of energy. Rarely is an artist in his 70s still a true "traveler", ready to set out in search of new emotions.

Having spent his whole life singing to serve soldiers and people, he was successively awarded the titles of Meritorious Artist, People's Artist, and was awarded the Third Class Labor Medal by the President.

Becoming a People's Artist at the age of "thất thập cổ lai" (ancient rarity) is considered late by others, but Thế Hiển does not. Because up to now, he has always lived with the concept of "just keep contributing and the sweet results will come".

After 4 marriages, old age does not bother children and grandchildren

Musician The Hien has had a rough love life, having gone through three failed marriages and getting married for the fourth time to his current wife, Ms. Kim Phuong, in 2020, at the age of 65.

He loved quietly and broke up quietly. After the breakup, he often only thought about his three ex-wives with beautiful memories of the time they lived together and maintained a friendship.

The familiar image of The Hien with his guitar. He once said that in his loneliest moments, he always had his guitar by his side.

When divorcing his third wife, the musician still let her be his manager, taking care of everything from his works to his image.

The Hien has 2 children (1 boy, 1 girl) with his first wife. Coincidentally, both children chose to follow in their father's footsteps.

The son, Lai The Bao Huy, chose the career of composing, leaving his mark in traditional music with the songs: The city is forever in my heart, Beside the city, Afternoon sea without you, Hello new day city ... The most outstanding work is Uncle Ho's words shine forever . The daughter, singer Lan Anh, followed her father's singing career.

Thế Hiển once said that old age is the most leisurely period of life. When his two children grew up and started families, he sought his own happiness, enjoying friends, music and doing whatever he wanted.

Besides music, he also enjoys watching football, discussing enthusiastically with old friends; as well as maintaining the habit of reading news and watching current events.

"No matter where you go" (composed by: The Hien; performed by: Thanh Hoa)

In later years, The Hien still enjoyed playing with his grandchildren. He once said that one of his grandchildren wanted to be a musician and an artist like him.

With an admirable musical legacy, The Hien has a stable "pension" from royalties.

Few people know that, in addition to hits, songs about soldiers, society, movements, and praising the homeland and country are also used very often and regularly, bringing in a significant source of income.

Thanks to that, Thế Hiển lived a carefree life, without bothering his descendants. Even when he is no longer alive, his legacy of works will still be a gift he leaves to his descendants for decades to come.

Photo: Document, FBNV

Mi Le

Musician The Hien 'Wild Orchid Branch' passed away due to a serious illness . After a long battle with illness, musician The Hien breathed his last.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/nhac-si-the-hien-vua-qua-doi-co-ca-gia-tai-bai-hit-tuoi-69-moi-len-nsnd-2448208.html