The return of singing groups and music groups: A welcome sign

From the beginning of 2025 until now, Ho Chi Minh City has organized many cultural and artistic activities to celebrate the country's important holidays. In those programs, the colorful imprint of multi-generational singing and music groups stands out.

MTV group participated in many performances at major holidays in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: THUY BINH

A glorious time

Since the 2000s, many professional music groups have appeared in the music performance market such as: AC&M, 5 Lines, 3A Trio, Nhat Nguyet, Windows, Piano, HKT... developing spontaneously, along with music groups invested in by entertainment companies or famous musicians such as: 1088 (Viet Birds Company), HAT (Entertainment World Company), F5 and TIAMO (Nam Phuong Company), GMC (Green Music Company), MTV and Trio 666 (musician Tuan Khanh), Mat Ngoc and May Trang (musician Tran Thanh Tung)... creating a unique and diverse music entertainment space in Ho Chi Minh City.

At the same time, the playground "Dreams within reach" of the Ho Chi Minh City Youth Cultural House also contributed to the birth of many new music groups such as: Pha Le, Titikid, Hugo, MOM... operating in the form of semi-professional clubs and teams. All have contributed significantly to bringing attractiveness to the art life of Ho Chi Minh City, from the traditional revolutionary stage to the entertainment music market.

However, after a period of boom, the music group movement in Ho Chi Minh City in particular and the whole country in general fell into a difficult situation. Since 2010, a series of groups began to disband, most of the members separated to pursue their own careers, the remaining groups had to change members constantly, leading to unstable activities and gradually losing audiences. In addition, entertainment companies were no longer interested in investing in professional music groups but focused their investment on individuals. The Vietnamese music market had a long period of time without this model, with only a few veteran groups trying to maintain their activities but also fading compared to the previous golden age.

Musician Nguyen Duc Trung commented: “The groups often have expertise, technique, enthusiasm and talent, gradually creating a certain position in the music market, especially making a great contribution to the city's music development activities, both in entertainment and performing activities serving political events. However, due to the lack of investment and development strategy, the music group model cannot maintain the position it has created.”

The colorful return

In 2025, Ho Chi Minh City will have many art programs to celebrate major holidays, art programs, and special cultural and artistic events organized. In these activities, the role of groups becomes prominent with names such as MTV, Mat Ngoc, May Trang, Nhat Nguyet, Lac Viet, Sen Viet, 135, V.Music, Giai dieu Viet, FM, Song Thoi Dai (Era wave), 3789... contributing to spreading traditional revolutionary music works and new songs of quality and meaning.

VStar Group with 5 members selected for professional training

“The vibrant return of new singing and music groups is a welcome sign, and needs more attention and support to help them develop and make positive contributions to the musical life. That is also paying attention to the work of training talents and cultural and artistic human resources in the future,” musician Nguyen Duc Trung shared.

One of the outstanding features of the group model is that it is often built on a team of members who come from professional music schools. In addition to a beautiful body, bright appearance, good voice... most young people can also skillfully use musical instruments and have the ability to compose. It is this versatility that has helped the groups have many advantages in developing their expertise, reaching audiences, and partly meeting the needs of the market for organizing diverse performances.

However, in addition to the advantages, the groups also face many difficulties. Musician and singer Doan Chau Hai Quan, manager of the 135 Music Group, shared: “In recent times, folk music and revolutionary traditions have been the strengths of the groups and have been loved by the audience, helping the groups have the opportunity to operate and develop. However, the groups often only perform in large programs, sing together with many other independent groups and singers, so they rarely make an impression on the audience; the groups mainly sing familiar songs, and it is difficult for them to become a phenomenon.”

A positive sign in recent times is that investors have begun to pay attention to the teams. Recently, the Professional Arts Entertainment Company (VMT Entertainment) of singer Minh Trang Ly Ly (Vu Minh Trang) has cooperated with musician Dinh Quang Minh to invest and organize the contest "Searching for members of the V.STAR Music Group". After more than 3 months, the contest has selected 5 bright young faces (from 14 to 17 years old) to build the V.STAR Music Group, including: Rubi Cat Tuong (formerly a trainee in the Korean entertainment market), Ember Thai Bang Anh (zither), Ivy Tram Anh (piano), Stella Hao Dong (guitar), Nia Ngoc Diep (guitar, drum). The members signed a 5-year exclusive contract with VMT Entertainment, opening a professional training journey according to the international standard training model, to perfect their singing, dancing, performing, communication skills... ready to participate in performing activities at home and abroad.

THUY BINH

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/su-tro-lai-cua-cac-nhom-ca-nhom-nhac-tin-hieu-dang-mung-post815119.html