When artists tell city stories with personal emotions
Saigon - Ho Chi Minh City has long been a rich source of inspiration for music. But if in the past, songs about the city often had a general, symbolic color, in recent years, the approach has changed a lot. Artists no longer just "sing about the city", but are starting to "live with the city" in each melody.
Later compositions clearly show this trend. Nguyen Phi Hung's song "There is a Saigon like that" does not follow a grand storytelling style, but chooses everyday slices: The morning in the park, the bustling market, the rhythm of life after the pandemic. These simple details make listeners easily recognize themselves in it.
Besides "There is a Saigon like that" by Nguyen Phi Hung, the market recorded many new compositions with a clear urban breath. The project "That Saigon I am (Ho Chi Minh City We Love)" can be mentioned with a modern approach and youthful image.
In the community-oriented and widely spread creative flow, songs such as "Continuing the story of peace" by Nguyen Van Chung performed in many important events associated with culture and history in Ho Chi Minh City were well received by audiences.
Musician Nguyen Quang Vinh - Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Musicians Association and musicians performed a collection of songs "Ho Chi Minh City - My Beloved City" including 30 songs about Ho Chi Minh City invested by the Ho Chi Minh City Musicians Association through many creative campaigns.
Participating in the collection are veteran names as well as the young generation of musicians who grew up with Ho Chi Minh City over the past 50 years, such as: Nguyen Quang Vinh - Proud of today's city, Nguyen Duc Trung - I am a city person, Nguyen Van Chung - The picture of a new city, Hoai An - Radiant young city...
The noteworthy point is that the way of telling stories has changed significantly. If in the past, the city was often viewed from a "symbolic" perspective, now music goes deep into personal life. Songs such as "New City Picture", "I am a city person", "City gives you dreams" or "Fly high and shine with the city" exploit specific slices: Career journey, immigrant memories, youthful rhythm of modern urban life.
Notably, many young singers such as Phuong My Chi, Hoang Dung or Duc Phuc also participated in performing urban-spirited songs in Ho Chi Minh City. Through this, artists convey stories about youth, aspirations, loneliness or career journeys, all imbued with the breath of this city.
In the opposite direction, artists like Ha Anh Tuan or My Tam contribute to bringing the image of Ho Chi Minh City closer to the public through large stages. Outdoor music nights, where tens of thousands of audiences harmonize, have turned music into a collective experience - where everyone finds a part of their memory.
It can be seen that Ho Chi Minh City in today's music is no longer a distant symbol. It is a very "lifelike" city: with a bustling pace of life, peaceful corners, and changes after events. And it is this truthfulness that helps music touch listeners more naturally.
From memories to the present - how can songs about Ho Chi Minh City "live" with young people?
Classic songs like Y Van's "Sai Gon dep lam" or Luu Huu Phuoc's "Tien ve Sai Gon" still maintain a special position in the hearts of the public. Not only music, it is also collective memory, a cultural symbol associated with many generations.
Meanwhile, new compositions are showing clear advantages in spreading ability thanks to taking advantage of the digital environment. Instead of just appearing in political programs or anniversaries, many songs have proactively approached the public through platforms such as YouTube, TikTok or Spotify. When a song can become the background music for short videos, being covered or spread through social networks, it quickly enters the daily music listening life of young people.
Besides, the way of telling stories is also changing in a closer direction. Young people not only seek symbolic praise melodies, but also want to see themselves in them - everyday stories, very unique emotional slices about Ho Chi Minh City. This personalizing element helps many songs easily create empathy and spread naturally.
A noteworthy direction is the combination of music and images. The MVs are meticulously invested, exploiting urban life, rhythm of life and people of Ho Chi Minh City in a realistic way, creating a positive effect. When music is not only for listening but also for "watching" and "feeling", the ability to reach the public is expanded, especially for the generation of audiences familiar with multimedia content.
Saigon - Ho Chi Minh City is a gathering place for millions of people, each person with their own story. Music, in the final analysis, is how those stories are told with emotion. And when a song can be widely shared, hummed in the daily lives of young people, then music has truly "lived".
A clear direction is opening up is the intersection between music and technology. Campaigns spreading on social networks, outdoor stages or content created by users are helping songs about Ho Chi Minh City have a "second life". When the song not only stops at being released but also continues to be transformed, shared and recreated, its vitality is also extended.
Ho Chi Minh City has never lacked material for music. The problem lies in how to transform those materials into emotions suitable for the times. And when that is done well, each song is not only an artistic product, but also a part of life - where young people can find themselves and connect with the city in their own way.
