Singer Đăng Dương at the press conference to introduce his live show. Photo danviet.vn

Singer Đăng Dương will perform a live show entitled Tổ Quốc Gọi Tên Mình (The Country Calls Our Name) to celebrate his 30-year career on August 26 in Hà Nội. 

Dương spoke about the live show and his heartfelt patriotic songs. 

Why is the live show named Tổ Quốc Gọi Tên Mình?

It is a very special and sacred memory when I set foot in Trường Sa Archipelago. Until now, I still remember the exciting and emotional feelings when I attended the inauguration ceremony of the largest ceramic mosaic of the national flag in Trường Sa Lớn Island.

More than ever, I always understand that our soldiers have experienced many hardships, and even devoted their lives to guard our sea and islands.

Being an artist, everything I do is to offer my songs to praise our homeland, our country, and to pay tribute to previous generations. 

And I want to send a message through the songs to the young generation that they should listen to the call of the Fatherland by living, working and devoting themselves to the cause of the country's construction and development.

How do you prepare for the live show that marks your 30-year career?

My first live show in 2017 was warmly received and it won the Devotion Music Award by Vietnam News Agency's daily Thể Thao Văn Hóa (Sport & Culture). After the first live show's success, I planned to organise the second live show focusing on my music genre. 

However, the live show had to be postponed due to the pandemic. This year also marks my 30-year career. I will sing the patriotic songs that the audience and I like the most. There will be 30 songs at the live show.

Patriotic songs have meaningful lyrics and beautiful melodies and I want to sing much more. 

You and your two colleagues, Trọng Tấn and Việt Hoàn, are a famous trio singing patriotic songs. But in this live show, you will perform with young artists, not your trio. Could you explain why?

I decided to invite the young artists to perform with me in the live show because I want to spread my love for patriotic songs to the younger generation. This is my path. 

I also challenge myself to work with young people to refresh the revolutionary music and make it forever for generations of Vietnamese audiences.

The young artists include music director Dương Cầm, A-list soprano Đào Tố Loan, pop singer Võ Hạ Trâm and Oplus boy band. 

Musician Cầm is talented and he knows what is trending in the music industry. He will mash-up some songs. Mashing-up pop songs is popular but it is rare for patriotic songs. Hopefully, this will be fresh for the audience. 

I am encouraged to sing other songs in the show. I practice singing romantic songs during social distancing during the pandemic period. But I think I need to practice more before performing them on stage. 

What is your most unforgettable memory in your career?

I'm lucky to be a singer. I was born and grew up in the northern province of Hải Dương. I love music and I learnt by heart many songs when I was 10 years old. 

I was invited to sing patriotic songs at events held by the local authorities because they knew that I liked singing these songs. Since then, I wanted to be a singer. 

One day, one of my older brother's friends who worked in the culture sector came to my house. He thought I was a child who was musically gifted and he told my parents to bring me to music class. 

However, I was small at that time and my voice was not suitable to learn singing. People's Artist Thanh Tâm advised me to learn a musical instrument to get in touch with music as soon as possible. 

I began to study đàn bầu (monochord) at Việt Nam National Academy of Music at 12 years old. My mother cried to see me off to Hà Nội. 

It was difficult for me to live far away from my family at the small age. The 1980s lacked many things. I remember that I used to be hungry at that time. 

After five years, my father thought that đàn bầu would not help me earn a living and he wrote me a letter advising me to return home. 

I asked my father to give me more time because I wanted to shift from đàn bầu to singing. I told him that if I fail a vocal examination, I would go back to study at another college. 

I began to study singing at 18 years old and I studied with teachers Trung Kiên and Quang Thọ, who are popular artists. — VNS