Looking back at 2025, what is the milestone in your career that you remember most?
- 2025 is a truly special year for me, because there are many memorable milestones following each other. Right at the beginning of the year, I was fortunate to be recognized with 2 very prestigious awards: "Most Favorite Female Singer of the Mai Vang Award" and "Singer of the Year" at the Cong Hien Award. That is a great honor, not only because of the value of the award, but also because I feel the serious recognition from both the audience and professionals.
Then came a series of journeys associated with the project "Forever Vietnamese" from the MV filming process, composing during the time of participating in "Sao Nhap Ngu", to the time the product was officially launched and spread. I also had the opportunity to participate in A80, to experience many new roles and perspectives. Looking back, each milestone is inseparable from each other, but like pieces creating a complete and emotional year.
According to you, does 2025 bring more opportunities or challenges on the path of art?
- For me, opportunities and challenges always go hand in hand. Each stage of the artistic journey has its own problems, because the market changes, the public's expectations change, and I myself also constantly change.
2025 is a very special year for the country, with many meaningful anniversaries. Perhaps in each person's life, there is not always an opportunity to live in a year where the common joy is so clear. For me, the biggest challenge at that time was the question: What can I do that is truly meaningful in the role of an artist?
That question, I have asked myself since 2024, has become an opportunity. It motivates me to find ways to spread my love for my homeland and country in my own way. I don't think "spreading" is something too big or macro. Simply being aware of the role and responsibility of an artist, and trying to create worthy values. The EP "Forever Vietnamese" was born in that spirit.
What is the biggest pressure you have faced in the past year and how have you overcome it?
- The biggest pressure for me comes from both people's expectations and my own. When I returned to music in 2023, I did not put much emphasis on goals or achievements, but only hoped to return to being myself, to live fully with music.
But when I received the love of the audience, the pressure "to be better than yesterday", "to make everything more complete" naturally appeared. I don't think I should avoid that pressure, but learn to live with it, find a balance to improve myself.
I have also prepared for new goals in 2026, although I still have a bit of the mentality of "fearing to say it beforehand". But surely, I will continue to dedicate myself to music, releasing meticulous products to respond to the audience's affection. Besides, I am nurturing many personal plans that may not be completed immediately this year, but will be the foundation for longer-term dreams.
After the past experiences, what has changed most clearly in your thinking or working style?
- The biggest lesson I learned is: sometimes you don't need to think too much. I am a logical worker, like to analyze, but sometimes it is excessive analysis that keeps me away from the initial goal. When simplifying everything, letting emotions and naturalness lead, the results are sometimes better.
In composition, I can write many versions for a song, but many times I realize that the first version - the most naturally created version - is the most touched version.
The second lesson is to understand how to operate yourself. Before, I always thought that focusing on finishing one task was discipline. But looking back, I realized that I am a person who has many ideas at the same time. Doing many things interspersed, then returning to completing each part, is more suitable for me. Maybe that way is "unlike anyone else", but I believe the most effective way to work is to understand and respect myself.
According to you, what is the most important value to help an artist develop sustainably?
- For me, it is to maintain a unique identity in a market that is always changing and colorful. If today you follow this trend, tomorrow you switch to another trend, it is very difficult to go the long way, because there will always be people who do better than you in each trend.
To develop sustainably, the first thing is to be honest with yourself. When you understand yourself, you can find your identity and maintain your artistic ego. Of course, identity is not synonymous with extremism. Just just enough for the audience to remember you, not mixed, but also not isolated.
If you choose a keyword for 2026, what word would you choose?
- Right now, I choose the word "breakthrough" - break out of the comfort zone, dare to try new things and go further on my path.
Have you ever flinched or wanted to stop?
- If you look at the entire journey of more than 10 years in the profession, I have certainly had moments of hesitation, even being forced to stop. But if you only consider the period since I returned to music in 2023, I have never felt discouraged.
I entered my 30s with a feeling like a new beginning. Although it may be a bit late, I believe everything happens for a reason. Just don't give up, nothing will really make me step back.
From personal experience, what message do you want to send to young people pursuing dreams?
- I don't dare to admit that I have too much experience, but from what I have experienced, I want to tell young people that, dare to step out of your comfort zone and dare to do what you like.
Experiment, fall, then stand up to try again. Believe in yourself, even if people say it's impossible. Believe in your beauty, believe in your value, dare to live outside of stereotypes and prejudices.
I think all successes start from daring to do. If you don't do it, you will definitely not succeed. And when you start acting, you already have a chance of success.
For you, what does Tet mean?
- Tet is always the occasion I love and look forward to the most in the year. That is when I return to my family, it feels like time slows down, so I can really rest and recharge energy.
What Tet moment makes you feel warmest and most cherished?
- There are many moments, but the most special for me is New Year's Eve, when the whole family gathers to burn incense for grandparents, eat banh chung, give lucky money and maintain very Vietnamese customs.
On the morning of the first day of Tet, every year my father calls me to wake up to stroll the streets. The peaceful Phan Dinh Phung street on the first morning of the year - where my father and I pass each year - is a memory I always cherish.
On the occasion of the 2026 New Year, what wishes do you want to send to readers of Lao Dong Newspaper?
- Trang Phap would like to send New Year wishes to all readers of Lao Dong Newspaper. Wishing everyone a new year of good health, peace, happiness, joy and success.
Hopefully everyone will find balance in life, always be able to gather with loved ones, fulfill unfinished dreams and enter the new year with a lot of confidence, along with the things they dare to do.
Thank you for sharing!
