Lê Xuân Thành, editor-in-chief of the Thể Thao & Văn Hóa newspaper and head of the organising board, speaks at the launcing event of the 19th Cống Hiến (Devotion) Awards 2025. — VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Tùng

HÀ NỘI — Vietnam News Agency (VNA)’s Thể Thao & Văn Hóa (Sports and Culture) newspaper has officially announced the nominations for its 19th Cống Hiến (Devotion) Awards 2025, featuring two categories for music and sports.

The awards have been organised since 2005, with the nation's press participating in the selection process. From the 17th edition in 2023, the organising committee has expanded its scope from solely focusing on music to also feature sports.

The event is also now allowing votes from experts and the public along with the traditional votes from the press.

Lê Xuân Thành, editor-in-chief of the Thể Thao & Văn Hóa newspaper and head of the organising board, said: "Throughout the 20-year journey of the Devotion Awards, we are proud that the first recipients have built successful music careers and continue to contribute to the Vietnamese music scene today. They are even considered pioneers, supporting the new generation of Gen Z artists.

"Over the past 20 years, the Devotion Awards has quietly stood behind artists and has made 'discoveries and creative contributions that enrich and develop the landscape of popular music', which has been the simple and core criterion the award set from the very beginning."

International collaboration

Marking its 20th anniversary, the 2025 Devotion Awards has expanded to the wider region by partnering with the Music Awards Japan, which is organised and operated by the Culture and Entertainment Industries Promotion Association (CEIPA) of Japan.

The organisers of the Devotion Awards will participate as voting members of the Music Awards Japan, and each year they will introduce a Vietnamese artist to receive the International Special Award at the Japanese event.

Additionally, every year, the Devotion Awards ceremony will introduce and present the International Special Award to a Japanese artist.

Taro Kumabe, executive director of the Music Awards Japan Executive Committee and a board member of the Federation of Music Producers Japan, said: "In Việt Nam, we are in discussions with the organisers of the Devotion Awards to build a strong partnership. We are looking forward to the participation of experts in the Vietnamese music industry."

Official nominations

HIEUTHUHAI is nominated as the Male Singer of The Year at the 19th Cống Hiến (Devotion) Awards 2025. — VNA/VNS Photo

The Music Devotion Awards features a top-five nominee list in ten categories: album, song, show, concert series, music video, producer, musician, new artist, male singer and female singer of the year.

Notable nominees include Sơn Tùng M-TP, Trang Pháp, SOOBIN, HIEUTHUHAI and Hồng Nhung.

The Sports Devotion Awards features a top-three nominee list in four categories: Athlete of the Year, Sports Achievement of the Year, Young Athlete of the Year and Spirit of Devotion Award.

The Sports Achievement of the Year has nominated the women’s futsal team winning the Southeast Asian championship, the men’s national football team winning the ASEAN Cup 2024 and the women’s volleyball team securing third place at the FIVB Challenge Cup.

The Athlete of the Year category includes nominations for Lê Văn Công in weightlifting, Nguyễn Xuân Son in football and Trịnh Thu Vinh in shooting.

The Sports Achievement of the Year and Spirit of Devotion Award will be chosen and presented by the awards' voting panel.

Powerlifter Lê Văn Công, who secured a bronze medal in the men's up to 49kg category at the 2024 Paris Paralympics in France last year, is nominated for the Athlete of the Year. — VNA/VNS Photo

For the other two sports categories and the 10 music awards categories, the public can vote via the Bvote platform alongside journalists' ballots, with each accounting for 50 per cent of the final result.

The Bvote online voting platform will close at 9.30pm on February 28.

The awards ceremony is scheduled for March 5 at the Hà Nội Opera House with live broadcasts across digital platforms. — VNS