VN singer scores twice in a row

Decorated: Singer Duc Tuan won prizes as Best Performer and Favourite Singer at the ASEAN Television Melody Festival in HCM City on Friday. — VNS Photo Ly Vo Phu Hung

HCM CITY — Vietnamese singer Duc Tuan won a double at the ASEAN Television Melody Festival that has finished in HCM City.

Tuan, winner of HCM City Television's Singing Contest in 2000, was named Best Performer by a jury comprising composers and music producers from Viet Nam, Brunei and Indonesia.

It was for his performance of an English song, One Moment in Time by Hammond and Bettis, in the pop round.

He also won the Favourite Singer prize based on a vote by audiences.

Tuan was modest at the awards ceremony – held at the HTV Theatre on Friday – saying: "I had the chance to work with singers from neighbouring countries and compare notes with them."

Indonesians Muhammad Inanta Kusuma Negara and Olivia Hutagalung were the Best Folk Song Performer and Best Pop Song Performer respectively.

Negara sang Indonesian song Dang Dut Rel Ka Tenabang (A Song of Faith) in the folk round, while Hutagalung sang Tom Eyen's And Am I Telling You.

The runners-up in the pop category were Kat Arrogado of the Philippines and Shazroul of Malaysia. Viet Nam's Thanh Ngoc was the runner-up in the folk category.

The festival, held to promote friendship and solidarity among ASEAN countries, attracted 20 professional singers representing television stations from the 10 ASEAN countries. — VNS