Singer Cát Tiên performs on stage. She was the winner of the last contest. — Photo courtesy of the artist

HÀ NỘI – Hà Nội Singing Contest 2020 will kick off on August 10 to find new talents for professional music, celebrating 66 years of liberation of the capital city and the 1,010th anniversary of Thăng Long – Hà Nội.

The biennial contest aims to find and nurture young talents in singing. It’s a long-standing contest with high quality among the contestants and jury board. Many famous singers developed their careers after winning the contest, such as diva Hồng Nhung (winner of the contest in 1987), Mỹ Linh (winner in 1993), Trọng Tấn (winner in 1997) and Tùng Dương (winner in 2003).

MUSICAL MARMITE: Tùng Dương's voice is loved by many and detested by some. But his talent has been recognised by all. Photo courtesy of the artist

 It’s considered as a launchpad for young artists because it’s one of the oldest singing contests of the country, according to Tô Văn Động, director of the Hà Nội Department of Culture.

“This year, due to COVID-19, many singing contests will be postponed such as The Voice and Vietnam Idol, so it’s no doubt that Hà Nội Singing Contest will draw more entrants than ever,” he said.

The previous contest in 2018 attracted more than 600 contestants. Singer Cát Tiên was named as the winner.

The jury board includes composer Trương Ngọc Ninh, chairman of the Hà Nội Music Association; composers Xuân Phương and Giáng Son; musician Huy Tuấn; singers Tấn Minh, Trọng Tấn, Dương Hoàng Yến and journalist Ngô Bá Lục.

The qualifying round will run between August 10-15. The semi-final round will be held on September 18-20 in which shortlisted contestants will receive support from mentors and experts to improve their singing and performing style.

The final night will take place on October 7 in Hà Nội and will be broadcast live on Hà Nội Television.

“All the rounds will be held in a professional and serious way but put no pressure on contestants. We focus on finding new talents and young artists who have a passion for singing, so we will create good conditions for them,” said journalist Lục. 

Strictly applicable for Vietnamese nationals only, the contest over the years has detected future stars of the entertainment world, some of the countrys top artists including Mỹ Linh, Trọng Tấn and Tùng Dương. VNS