People's Artist Mai Hoa: "I sing sad but peaceful songs, not lonely on the sofa"

(Dan Tri) - "I sing all sad songs but they sound... cheerful. When listening, the audience will feel at peace on the sofa, not lonely on the sofa," People's Artist Mai Hoa shared.

On December 26, at the garden of the Hanoi Opera House, People's Artist Mai Hoa introduced to the audience the LP Not Bass . With this LP, People's Artist Mai Hoa wishes to honor pre-war music works - a precious heritage of Vietnamese music , while affirming the role of LP as a special form of enjoyment, bringing a unique musical experience to the audience.

Reviving a 20th-century recording industry icon

The Bass Note project was conceived by Mai Hoa 3 years ago with the desire to bring a product for discerning music lovers. Recording took place in both Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, lasting half of 2023.

At the launch, Mai Hoa said, "Not Bass" is the first vinyl record she has made (Photo: Organizer).

The singer shared that the album recording stage encountered many difficulties because it was not always possible to gather all the musicians and orchestral instruments as planned. There were some songs that she had to record over and over again until she was satisfied.

The mixing and mastering process was done by Duy Nghia, creating the most natural and rustic sound quality.

The vinyl record is made in the US and "had to wait in line for production for more than half a year", with the highest weight and quality of vinyl records today. The bass note is the 200 gram version, instead of the usual 180 gram or lower version because Mai Hoa wanted "the vinyl record to be as thick as her voice".

Album Low Note Vol 1 includes the songs: Parting (Dzoan Man), Old Afternoon Shadow (Duong Thieu Tuoc), Loneliness (Nguyen Anh 9), I Visited You on a Rainy Afternoon (To Vu), Nameless Version No. 1 (Vu Thanh An), Return Day (Hoang Giac), My Village (Van Cao), Harvest Day (Van Cao).

As a people's artist, Mai Hoa hopes that her voice will not only be associated with radio and television programs, but also be widely disseminated through high-quality audio products, meeting the diverse needs of the audience.

Sharing about the return of vinyl records, People's Artist Mai Hoa said she wanted to revive vinyl records, the symbol of the 20th century recording industry, and breathe new life into them.

"Vinyl records are not only a form of music storage but also provide a special listening experience, creating a deep and intimate space for listeners," said the female singer.

In addition, the album is also released on digital platforms such as Spotify and iTunes with lossless quality, meeting the diverse needs of music lovers.

Honoring the musical value of pre-war music

Sharing with the press, People's Artist Mai Hoa expressed her appreciation when the audience lovingly called her "queen of film music" and representative of pre-war music.

"I have performed many pre-war songs. When I sing, I don't feel like I have to strain myself, even though some songs have quite heavy content. On the contrary, I feel the gentleness like a flowing stream and I sing very naturally," Mai Hoa said.

Because of that harmony, she chose pre-war music as the main theme for the vinyl album Not dam. Mai Hoa hopes that through this product, the audience who love Mai Hoa's characteristic deep, husky voice will continue to accompany and welcome the music she sends.

"This vinyl record is not only a musical product, but also my gratitude for the classic works, as well as the love that the audience has given me over the years," Mai Hoa added (Photo: Organizer).

In the album Bass Note, the song Return Day (composed by musician Hoang Giac) is a special mark, not only because of its lyrical melody but also because it is associated with deep memories of People's Artist Mai Hoa and the late musician.

Mai Hoa recounted the first time she performed Day Ve in a music program on VTV. At that time, Mai Hoa and singer Anh Tuyet, representing pre-war music, had a performance that left a deep impression.

After the show, musician Hoang Giac shared with Mai Hoa that he really loved the way she sang the song " Day Ve" . He said that through Mai Hoa's performance, the song seemed to have a new layer of emotion, both gentle and profound.

Since then, "Day Ve" has not only become a song associated with Mai Hoa's name but also a spiritual bridge between her and the late musician.

When making this vinyl album, Mai Hoa devoted a lot of effort to re-recording Ngay Ve with a performance style that is both rustic and full of emotion. This is her way of expressing gratitude to musician Hoang Giac and sending her feelings to the audience who have loved her voice over the years.

" Day Ve is not only a song, but also a beautiful memory, a sincere feeling that I always want to keep and convey to the public," Mai Hoa emotionally shared.

" Low note" - Mai Hoa's heart

Mai Hoa revealed that she is often invited to sing sad songs. However, the sadness in the singer's music always contains a ray of hope and optimism, not pushing the listener into a feeling of sadness. This is what creates a unique, unmistakable feature in her deep, yet emotional voice.

Mai Hoa always tries to find a way out in the song. "I sing sad songs but they sound cheerful. When listening, the audience will feel at peace on the sofa, not lonely on the sofa," the female artist humorously said.

Talking about the reason for naming the album Bass Note , Mai Hoa said the name is also a symbol of Mai Hoa's voice and artistic style.

"My voice has always been associated with low notes, not only in music but also in the way I live and feel life. Low notes are not only a musical style, but also a part of me, a characteristic of my voice," People's Artist Mai Hoa confided.

She also shared that the choice of red as the main color for Bass Note is because this is a limited edition vinyl album not only in terms of content, but also in the weight of the disc and the red color is mixed with a separate color according to Mai Hoa's wishes.

Musician Luu Ha An, who accompanied Mai Hoa in many works, commented: "I really appreciate Mai Hoa's voice. Hoa's deep voice is unique, both profound and beautiful. When I hear Mai Hoa sing "Loneliness", I feel my heart melt, no matter how cold it is" (Photo: Organizer).

At the event, People's Artist Tan Minh shared: "I have always loved Mai Hoa's singing style. Hoa handles emotions with enough sadness but not patheticness, always having a positive way out in each song. That is something that not everyone can do."

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giai-tri/nsnd-mai-hoa-toi-hat-nhac-buon-nhung-an-yen-khong-co-don-tren-sofa-20241227104909483.htm