Emerging as a “new phenomenon” with a series of popular hits, Tang Duy Tan (born in 1995) quickly found his place in the Vietnamese music industry. To do that, the Quang Tri native made an effort to “break out of the cocoon”, transforming himself from a tour guide into a famous singer, musician, and music producer.
Tang Duy Tan transforms into many styles - Photo: NVCC
Dream of building a house for parents
In recent days, Tang Duy Tan has been busy with big programs and projects. In particular, as the Music Director of the Miss Universe Vietnam - Miss Cosmo Vietnam 2023 contest, he and his colleagues have to work at full speed to ensure the progress of the program. Although he only has a little time left to rest, the young man from Quang Tri still decided to sprint with his parents to complete the house in his hometown. That is the dream that Tan has cherished since he was a child. He wants to fulfill that dream himself.
Tan was born and raised in the "flood center" of Cau Ha, Hai Phong commune, Hai Lang district. His parents worked hard all year round in the fields and gardens to earn money to raise their children. However, all their efforts were in vain when the floodwaters came. That was why poverty clung to Tan's family. His childhood was haunted by his mother's worried sighs every time the school year came. She did not know what extra work she could do to raise her three children to be successful.
Tang Duy Tan is the nephew of musician Tran Hoan and the cousin of singer Tung Duong. Therefore, the artistic blood has been flowing in his veins since childhood. However, the poor boy rarely shared his dream of becoming a singer and musician with others. His mind urged him to study hard, pass the university entrance exam, find a job after graduation and then return home to build a house for his parents. He was afraid that the old roof would not be strong enough to withstand the harsh storms and floods of the Central region.
After graduating from Hue University of Science, Tan went to Hoi An, Quang Nam to make a living. He did all kinds of jobs to fulfill his childhood dream. During the hard days of making a living, although he had some income to support his family, Tan's happiness was not complete. He felt like he was "indebted" to his youth.
Every night, when he lay down on his old bed in Hoi An, he remembered the days when he lived his life to the fullest with music in the heart of Hue City. There, he had plenty of time to explore, play musical instruments; immerse himself in hip hop dances; sing even if it was just to "buy time" for the program organizers to wait for famous singers to arrive... Emotions were pushed to a climax, suddenly sounds and melodies popped up in Tan's head. Unable to let his youth wait any longer, he decided to go to Hanoi to fulfill his dream of becoming a singer and musician.
“ New musical phenomenon”
If Ho Chi Minh City brought Tang Duy Tan fame, Hanoi gave him the opportunity to practice and grow. Having a stable job and income, suddenly changing direction to find a new path, many people shook their heads at Tan's decision. The pressure of the eyes on him also grew bigger and bigger.
During Tet, Tan did not dare to return home because he was afraid of hearing "cool" words: "Singing all year round but during Tet, I still cannot buy a decent shirt to wear". He shared: "What hurts me the most is that those words have been and are suffocating my parents' hearts. I know they are sad because of their child's choice. I had to do "ideological work" for my parents".
Tang Duy Tan performs his song on stage - Photo: NVCC
Determined not to make his parents sad again, after two years of training in Hanoi, on February 16, 2020, Tang Duy Tan decided to move to the South. As soon as he set foot in Ho Chi Minh City, although he did not know where he would go, the young man from Quang Tri felt like he had a new breath of life. He believed that this would be a fertile land for him to reach the pinnacle of art.
That belief quickly became a reality when his brainchildren such as: "First Love", "Innocence", "Dạ Vũ"... received attention from the audience. In 2022, Tang Duy Tan was honored as "a new phenomenon of the Vietnamese music industry" with the hit "Ben tren thang lau". At the Dedication Awards, this song was named in the "Song of the Year" category. At the same time, Tang Duy Tan was honored as "New Star" at the "Star of the Year" award organized by Ngoi Sao Newspaper and the "Green Wave" award.
From a young man who just came to Ho Chi Minh City to start a career, now the name Tang Duy Tan is often mentioned in rankings and awards. In order not to disappoint the audience, he always tries to show himself well in many roles: singer, musician, music producer... Therefore, he is loved and respected by more and more people. That is also the motivation for him to continue to rise and conquer the peaks.
Looking back at his achievements, Tan still humbly believes that what he has achieved is still small. What makes him proud is that he has realized his dream of building a house for his parents. “I used all my savings to build a house for my parents in Quang Tri. During the construction process, the cost doubled compared to the estimate. My father was afraid that I would have a hard time, so he called many times to ask for a reduction in items. I told my parents to rest assured. I am willing to endure hardship as long as my parents are happy,” Tan confided.
Don't use popularity as a measure of success
The sudden fame overwhelmed Tan. There were times when, because of the audience's overwhelming love, he ran shows until he was exhausted. Every time he returned home, he only had enough strength to lie down on the bed. That was also the moment he understood that he needed to slow down to maintain a good image and a solid position in the audience's hearts. He deeply realized that emotions were the most important thing to nurture artistic qualities. He did not want to return home with an empty soul after performing.
Singer Tang Duy Tan (left) was honored at the Dedication Award, category "Song of the Year" - Photo: NVCC
Because of that, there was a period of time when Tang Duy Tan almost disappeared from the scene as a singer. Many artists in the profession advised him to act differently. According to them, this was the “golden time” to make money and gain more fans. Those pieces of advice had little impact on Tan. He confided: “Honestly, like many other artists, I was afraid that the audience would forget me. However, if I continued, I would not be myself. I want to sing in the true sense of living with emotions, not just going on stage and then taking the money home. I cannot trade.”
During the “quiet” period, Tan saw more clearly the path ahead. He determined that he could not use fame as a measure for himself. With a low starting point and an amateur in the profession, he knew that he had to try twice as hard as others. He accepted all compliments and criticisms and turned them into concrete actions such as: going to vocal lessons; improving his performance style; finding a team of stylists and makeup artists to support his image...
Tang Duy Tan is stricter with himself even in terms of eating and exercising. That change has quickly brought results. Most recently, the MV marking his return, titled “Cát đại nước sầu” (Cặt đại sầu), quickly ranked high in the charts, reaching the top 1 trending video on YouTube Vietnam.
Although he is a famous artist, Tang Duy Tan still maintains the rustic character of a Quang Tri native. He is afraid of gathering with friends, going to bars; says no to stimulants... Expensive branded items are still not enough to attract Tan. In his free time, he wears shorts and slippers to go to sidewalk cafes; chats with motorbike taxi drivers; relaxes his soul with the hobby of fishing... This young singer likes to return to his family, to breathe in the air of his homeland, which he misses and loves.
Truong Quang Hiep
Source
Comment (0)