By Phương Mai

HCM CITY – The Voice of HCM City (VOH) radio station plans to launch a series of activities to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Làn Sóng Xanh (Blue Wave), a radio programme that promotes Vietnamese music.

Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Lê Công Đồng, director of VOH, said: “To Vietnamese musicians and fans, Blue Wave is a prestigious and long-standing programme. It has made a great contribution to the development of the Vietnamese music industry.”

The celebration will start this October with a photo exhibition titled “Run Show 20th Làn Sóng Xanh” held at Nguyễn Huệ Pedestrian Street in District 1.

The exhibition will showcase images of the programme and concerts held in the last 20 years

On January 12, a Gala Vip show will be held at the Sai Gon Exhibition and Convention Centre in District 7.

At the event, the organisers will give away awards to organisations and individuals who have contributed to the country’s music industry over the last 20 years.

On January 19, a Gala Music Festival, the 20th Làn Sóng Xanh, will take place at the Military Zone 7 Stadium.

The concert will depict the story of Blue Wave through music, featuring Vietnamese hits like Tình Thôi Xót Xa (Bitter Love), Tình Phai (Faded Love) and Vườn Yêu (Love Garden).

Along with the three major events, VOH will launch several music programmes that will be broadcast on radio, and will organise charity and social activities with Vietnamese musicians.

Promoting pop music

Blue Wave first broadcast on FM frequency 99.9 MHz in 1997 to promote Vietnamese pop music.

Every week, the programme called for votes for the best songs, singers and composers.

At the end of each year, VOH awarded Blue Wave Music Awards to musicians who received the most votes from listeners during the year.

For 20 years, the programme has brought fame to numerous Vietnamese singers and composers considered to be the golden generation of Vietnamese music.

The 44-year-old singer Phương Thanh said: “Twenty years ago, I was very young and had little experience. Blue Wave changed me completely, from my music style to my music mind.”

After beginning singing in 1990, she participated in local singing contests, and later performed at music clubs in the city.

Thanh received several Blue Wave awards for the best singer over a 10-year period.

“To me, that 10 years was the best period of my career,” she said, adding that despite huge support from fans, she decided to quit the programme to promote young singers. 

Composer and music producer Lê Quang, one of the first composers who became known through Blue Wave, said that he was only 30 years old when the programme began.

“At that time, Vietnamese pop songs were rare and did not appeal to local listeners. The birth of Blue Wave changed the taste of people who loved to listen to foreign songs,” he said.

Singer Hà Anh Tuấn, 33, who became popular after being in the top three of the first season of the singing contest Sao Mai Điểm Hẹn (Morning Star – Rendezvous) produced by Việt Nam Television in 2006, said: “The programme inspired my love of music and motivated me to reach my current success.”

Nguyễn Lan Anh, 31, who works in District 1, said: “I always looked forward to Blue Wave every Sunday morning on the radio during my youth.”

“Although I haven’t listened to the programme recently because of changes in my interests, Blue Wave left a strong impression on me and others of the same generation,” she added. — VNS