HÀ NỘI — Vietnamese soprano Hiền Nguyễn reached a new milestone in her career on Tuesday with the release of her debut album. 

Entitled Yêu & Mơ (Love & Dream), the album features eight songs, including Vietnamese hits and famous international ballads. Both Hiền Nguyễn's distinctive voice and the re-arrangement of the songs into a smooth jazz style by producer Tuấn Nam, offer a complete freshness to all songs.

Hiền Nguyễn poses with boyband Oplus for her Home Concert: Rhythm Trip on June 19. — Photo courtesy of Hien Nguyen Soprano

The singer said that she decided to perform the old songs in a jazz style: “This not only challenges me as it is a new style but also creates a new ‘look’ for the songs, which are popular with different generations of fans in Việt Nam.”

“I am still loyal to my goal of presenting music in a fresher way which everyone can access. And with the re-arrangement in a jazz style of the album, I hope the audience can enjoy the songs,” the singer, who spent two years sharpening her singing skills at the Milan Conservatory after graduating from the Việt Nam National Academy of Music.

To record the album, she has to spend one month working tirelessly in the studio, even spending several nights sleeping and eating there, “to record again and again until everyone in the team is happy with the result”.

“There was a song that we had to record 20 times until we all were satisfied with the record,” Hiền Nguyễn said. “So, it can be said this album is the essence of my love, my passion, and my devotion to music.”

The album is opened with the song Cỏ Và Mưa (Grass and The Rain) by songwriter Giáng Son. Together with the four-member boyband Oplus, who were the guest artists at her concert Yêu (Love) in March 2021, Hiền has surprised even the songwriter with her fresh performance.

Hiền Nguyễn with songwriter Giáng Son at the launch of her debut album Yêu & Mơ (Love & Dream) in Hà Nội on Tuesday. — Photo courtesy of Hien Nguyen Soprano

“Although the song has been sung by most famous singers in Việt Nam, including diva Hà Trần and divo Tùng Dương, when I listen to the version by Hiền Nguyễn and Oplus, I enjoy it so much that I want to listen to again and again. The great companion of Oplus really helps Hiền Nguyễnto ‘shine’ in this song,” songwriter Giáng Son said.

The soprano also has a duet performance with Mỹ Linh on Những Giấc Mơ Dài (The Long Dreams) – a hit by the artist 20 years ago.

Hiền Nguyễn said that she was overwhelmed and grateful when Mỹ Linh accepted her invitation to join her in this album.

“Moreover, she even gave me advice on how to present the song,” Hiền Nguyễn said.

The singer also shows off her emotional and distinctive vocals in other famous international songs, which required her lots of effort and time to have the copyright permission to perform. The songs include Woman in Love, Je Suis Malade, Caruso, Quizás, Quizás, Quizás, and Moon River.

A former student of the Hà Nội-based University of Foreign Languages and International Studies, who also spent years living and working in Italy, she didn’t have any difficulty in performing international songs. All these songs are sung in their original languages, be that English, Italian, and Spanish. 

The album features eight songs, including Vietnamese hits and famous international ballads. — Photo courtesy of Hien Nguyen Soprano

On June 19, the soprano also launched Home Concert: Rhythm Trip – a live session featuring her performance of five songs in the album with the accompaniment of the band Nam Jazz Night, on her official Youtube channel. 

The physical album Yêu & Mơ by Hiền Nguyễn is available at music stores nationwide. Audiences can also order through her Facebook page, Hien Nguyen Soprano.

The album will be available in the next few days on popular digital music platforms such as NhacCuaTui and Spotify. — VNS