Not only opportunities, but also faith to pursue art
For decades, Ho Chi Minh City has always been a destination for young people carrying artistic dreams. From singers, actors to models, MCs... many faces have chosen the city named after Uncle Ho as a place to start or continue their journey.
That attraction comes first of all from the position of a large cultural center, a place that concentrates theater systems, theaters, production units, television programs, art events and a large number of cultural lovers. But what makes many artists choose to stick with it for a long time is not only in career opportunities.
Through the sharing of singers Dong Hung, Kieu Oanh, Nhat Tien or Duyen Quynh with Lao Dong Newspaper, the common point easily seen is that no one talks much about stage lights or glamour. What they mention most is the opportunity to learn, to meet companions and to be given faith.
Dong Hung believes that the most valuable thing that Ho Chi Minh City brings is not a few professional achievements but relationships built throughout the career journey.
Meanwhile, singer Kieu Oanh sees Ho Chi Minh City as an environment to help her discover herself. The early days of coming to the city to start a career with no small unfamiliarity have become a precious time for the female singer to learn to adapt, grow up and become stronger.
Runner-up Nhat Tien also recognizes Ho Chi Minh City as a place where young people are always encouraged to try their hand. A dynamic and open environment helps him have the opportunity to meet teachers, benefactors and gradually assert himself on the path of art.
As for Duyen Quynh, what is precious is that the city always creates conditions for artists to contribute through many cultural and artistic programs serving the community.
Looking at those stories, it can be seen that after 50 years of being named after Uncle Ho, Ho Chi Minh City still retains its special appeal because it always gives opportunities to people who dare to strive and are willing to contribute.
A big city is made of very small things
If opportunity is the reason why many artists come to Ho Chi Minh City, then affection is what makes them decide to stay. The interesting thing is that their deepest memories all start from very ordinary things.
That was the moment Dong Hung recounted that he was moved when standing in the middle of the square during the big ceremony on April 30, 2025, watching thousands of audiences of many generations join in singing towards the Fatherland. A feeling that, according to him, no stage can replace.
That is also the story of Kieu Oanh and her mother continuously being enthusiastically guided by strangers in the early days of starting a career in Ho Chi Minh City. That friendliness quickly replaced the feeling of being lost with the belief that they had chosen the right place to start.
Or for many young artists, what keeps them is also the companionship of colleagues, of the audience and of ordinary people who are always ready to share in difficult times.
Those small stories reflect a beauty that has contributed to creating the identity of Ho Chi Minh City over the past half century. It is a city that is always open to people from all over the country, where kindness is expressed through simple and sincere actions.
This is also the foundation for the city to build a cultural life rich in identity in the development process. A modern city is not only measured by new buildings or growth rates, but also recognized by the way people treat each other.
In the journey to build Ho Chi Minh City into a cultural and creative center of the region, the role of artists is increasingly important. They not only create works of art but also contribute to spreading the image of a dynamic, humane and meaningful city.
Therefore, many young artists like Duyen Quynh want to continue to accompany community cultural programs; Dong Hung is always proud to contribute his voice in major city events; while Nhat Tien and Kieu Oanh both see striving to work seriously as the most practical way to show gratitude to the place that gave them the opportunity.
After 50 years of being named after President Ho Chi Minh, Ho Chi Minh City is still continuing to write a story about a city that knows how to nurture talents with openness and affection. And it is also from these values that the city not only attracts artists to start a career but also makes them want to stay, stick with and contribute to the development of cultural life in the new period.
