Rectifying off-key music
The Department of Performing Arts and the Department of Radio, Television and Electronic Information (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) have just had a working session on the appearance of many songs with offensive and cultural equivalent words.
The meeting mentioned singer Jack's performance at the Moonlit Childhood event on the evening of October 16 in Hanoi. The male singer performed the song without a name, without censorship and not in the licensed list, including a part of the lyrics that made the audience angry, because it was said to use vulgar and deviant language.
Director of the Department of Performing Arts - People's Artist Xuan Bac requested a direction to strictly handle this case. The Department of Radio, Television and Electronic Information emphasized the need to restore order in cyberspace, especially for influential artists.
Solutions to rectify deviant music activities
Experts and musicians believe that censoring lyrics is a necessary step to protect the current music environment. To limit the occurrence of offensive words in a song released on platforms, musician To Hieu believes that before a song is released, there needs to be careful consideration from the management unit or the content evaluation agency. Each song should have a signed version to ensure that the language does not violate standards. If any song has offensive content, it must be prevented from the first step, not allowed to be widely disseminated to the public.
I know this will be complicated and time-consuming, but if we do it strictly from the beginning, we will avoid the consequences later, musician To Hieu emphasized.
Musician Luu Quang Minh - Music Director at the A80 festival commented: "Actually, offensive songs are not new. There were also before, but at that time they were not allowed to be widely circulated. Most of all, they only exist in small groups, the underground world. But now, with the development of technology and social networks, such products are widely spread, that is a worrying thing.
More dangerously, the listener is not only the young but also the children. Many times my children also listen, and I realize that they may not fully understand the meaning of the lyrics, but gradually, when they understand and still think it is normal, it is very dangerous."
Musician Luu Quang Minh commented that anti-cultural words or lyrics, even just a little, can have a huge impact on listeners, especially young people. Artists are people of the public, their voices influence the majority. When audiences, especially young people, are regularly exposed to deviant products, they can consider such deviations as normal. Gradually, bad habits such as using stimulants, bad habits, or deviant behavior are "normalised".
Therefore, the rectification is necessary. It will contribute to creating a cleaner cultural environment, helping artists and music products aim for the right values.
Mr. Luu Quang Minh commented that management agencies should closely coordinate with music release platforms. If you discover a song with deviant content, you should request to remove it immediately, not to let it be released.
The musician believes that in addition to removing uncultured products, it is necessary to limit inviting performances or "banning broadcasts" for artists with deviant behavior or statements. This is not to punish, but to deter and set an example. When some cases are strictly handled, others will adjust themselves. Art is beauty, if artists deliberately bring bad and vulgar things to the stage or to the public, it is no longer art, Mr. Luu Quang Minh shared.
Sharing the same opinion, musician Giang Son believes that it is absolutely necessary for ministries, departments and branches to participate in rectifying deviant music activities. Because music is not only for entertainment, but also an important part of spiritual life, contributing to nurturing emotions and aesthetics for the public, especially young people. When there are deviant music products, offensive lyrics, honoring distorted lifestyles or promoting negative values, it is clear that it cannot be considered an artistic creation.
I think it is time for a real purification in music life, not only from the management agency, but also from the profession and the audience. Management agencies should have specific, transparent and fair criteria; composers need to be responsible for their products; and the audience - they are the final decision makers, by choosing to listen and spread valuable things. When the public has taste, music will naturally be cleaner, said musician Giang Son.
Musician and singer Mars Anh Tu (Tu Dua - former member of the Watermelon Quad) agrees with the need to strictly control the songs released on the platforms. However, according to the musician, there should be reminders, warnings or handling according to the level. If the artist repeats the offense, for example the second or third time... then strong measures such as "banning the broadcast" or limiting performances should be applied.
Spreading beautiful human values
Music is not only for listening, but also to educate emotions, nourish the soul and arouse humanity. When the lyricist, lyrics or title are aimed at that, the song will not only exist as an entertainment product, but become a vivid cultural value, capable of nurturing people.
As musician Luu Quang Minh said, there are two directions in art: art of artistic taste and art of humanity. Both are worth appreciating, but if art is still oriented towards people because of beauty, spreading human values, then that is the highest destination.
Musician Luu Quang Minh commented: "The core thing lies in the composer's experience. When the writer has enough profound life experience, they will write with true emotions and aim for good values. Whether it is a song about love, breakup or sadness, it should still sow in the hearts of listeners a beautiful feeling, a positive message".
Musician and singer Mars Anh Tu believes that the lyrics in the song depend on the emotions and stories of each musician. People who have experienced many events will write about life, people who live in love will write about love. Each period has a different theme - such as the wartime, people write about the country; but now, young people write more about personal emotions.
The important thing is that the song must be really good, with a clear message and beautiful lyrics. When the song is written with sincere and guidance emotions, it will express its aesthetic and humane values to listeners, the musician shared.
According to Mars Anh Tu, art has no limits. Rap is a straightforward, sometimes thorny genre, and that is what makes young people love. The essence of Rap is to express what they think, including the culprit. Instead of completely banning, we should orient and discuss so that they understand how to express angles to be more cultural and refined, the musician emphasized the lyrics in Rap.
