Preparations for the Intervision stage
What does receiving a certificate of merit from the Prime Minister after the victory at Intervision 2025 mean to you?
- For me, the victory at Intervision 2025 is a historic milestone, not only for the individual or team of Vietnam but also for the whole country. Standing on the final stage with 22 artists from 22 countries and hearing the name of Vietnam ring out was an extremely sacred and proud moment. I hope this success will spread, adding motivation for Vietnamese artists to be more confident in their international journey.
Intervision is a music competition with a long history, once interrupted and now restored on a very large scale, with the support of the Russian Government. When I accepted the invitation, I carefully researched the regulations of nearly 40 pages to clearly understand the rules and requirements. When I arrived in Russia, I was overwhelmed by the level of promotion - from the airport to the streets, there were banners and flags about the contest. The final night had nearly 4 billion followers worldwide.
When standing on the grand stage of Live Arena, in front of about 11,000 live viewers and billions of followers via television, did you feel pressured?
- I must confess that I was nervous. Although I have been singing and performing on many large and small stages for 10 years, or even more magnificently, when I entered the competition mood, the feeling was still different. For the first 10 seconds, I was really nervous, but thanks to the support of the audience and the careful practice, I quickly regained my calmness and integrated into the stage.
Can you share about the preparation process for the performance "Phu Dong Thien Vuong"?
- To get to this victory, we had many meetings, we can't even remember how many times. Right at the first meeting, I told the whole crew: "From now on, we are no longer individuals, but a collective representing Vietnam at the Intervision arena. Let's enter this journey together with the spirit of pride and aspiration to reach out to the world".
When starting to build a performance, I carefully read the regulations: The performance is only 3 minutes, with a maximum of 6 people on stage, and is encouraged to express national identity. I want in those 3 minutes, international audiences to clearly feel the resilience, perseverance and aspiration of the Vietnamese people.
At first, we considered the idea of "Beautiful Tree", but after many discussions, I remember the image of Thanh Giong holding a bamboo to beat the enemy. Bamboo is a symbol of Vietnam, durable and flexible. Originating from the inspiration of the poem "Tre Viet Nam" by poet Nguyen Duy, the song "Phu Dong Thien Vuong" composed by musician Ho Hoai Anh was born.
I am extremely grateful to poet Nguyen Duy - the inspiration; musician Ho Hoai Anh - the songwriter and lyrics; rapper Phuc Du - only took 30 minutes to complete the rap part; Orange - brought a spirit-filled English section; and musician Huy Tuan - the person who suggested Russian phrases in the performance. The arrangement of producer Duong K also played a decisive role. He not only built a modern arrangement but also added many traditional musical instruments such as flute, erhu, xin chong... so that the music could bring both Vietnamese breath and approach the world.
What will you do with the bonus of 30 million rubles (equivalent to about 9 billion VND)?
- Right from the moment I became the champion of Intervision 2025, the first thing I thought of was pride and the desire to thank the audience. I decided to donate a portion of my prize to charity right in Russia, as a thank you to the country and those who have supported me.
I affirm that this is just the beginning of a series of volunteer activities that I will long-term accompany with prestigious funds in Russia. I will also spend 1 billion VND to do charity work in Vietnam on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of my career and this international victory.
For me, it is a spirit of gratitude and also a way to bring the loving and united voice of the Vietnamese people to the world. I am happy that this action is welcomed by domestic and international audiences, even the Russian press was surprised and gave many compliments.
That makes me even more convinced that Vietnamese artists can not only shine through art, but also spread humanistic values on the international stage.
