Pop star Hung tops awards list

Patriotic pop: Singer Dam Vinh Hung (left) has been nominated Favourite Singer at the annual HTV Awards. Voting for the awards begins this month. — File Photo

HCM CITY — Pop star Dam Vinh Hung is among the 46 nominees in nine categories of music, theatre performance arts, and TV series for this year's HCM City Television (HTV) Awards.

He has been nominated for Favourite Singer for the awards given to performers making contributions to HTV and to social activities.

Hung rose to fame in 2001 when he won the award for best singer from the Ben Thanh Theatre Music Club.

He has since become very popular, especially among young and middle-aged fans, for his renditions of pop and patriotic songs.

Earlier, at last month's Mai Vang (Golden Ochna) Awards given away by Nguoi Lao Dong (The Labourer) newspaper, he won in three categories – Favourite Pop Singer, Favourite for Patriotic Songs Singer, and Favourite Song.

HTV will conduct a public poll beginning later this month and closing on March 14 to choose winners of this year's awards.

Of the five or six people nominated in each category by HTV and a panel of journalists, audiences will vote for three.

Five-minute video clips of the nominees and a 60-minute film on former winners and audiences will be shown on HTV 7 every day and on HTV9 every Friday until April 4 to help viewers choose their favourites.

An Binh Bank, the event's sponsor, will also give away one award for the performer making the biggest contribution to social activities.

The winner of each category will receive the HTV Cup and VND20 million (US$1,000) in prize money.

The awards ceremony will be held at the HTV Theatre on April 4 and broadcast live on HTV9. — VNS

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Singer sweeps Golden Ochna Awards

Recognition: Pop singers Dam Vinh Hung (second left) and Thanh Thao (third left) receive the Mai Vang Award for Favourite Singer. — VNA/VNS Photo

HCM CITY — Pop star Dam Vinh Hung won in three categories at the Mai Vang (Golden Ochna) Awards that were given away in HCM City on Saturday.

The prestigious award instituted by Nguoi Lao Dong (The Labourer) newspaper is meant to honour the year's top performers in the entertainment industry.

At the Hoa Binh Theatre, Hung was jointly named the Favourite Pop Singer along with Thanh Thao and also the Favourite Singer of Patriotic Songs award. He also won the award for Favourite Song for Viet Nam Nam 2020 (Viet Nam in 2020) along with its composer Le Quang. Hung wrote the lyric for the song.

This year was significant for the rise of young artists who won a third of the awards on offer.

Actress Lan Ngoc won her first award for Favourite Film Actress for her role of Nuong in Nguyen Phan Quang Binh's film Canh Dong Bat Tan (Floating Lives). The film is based on a popular short story of the same name by Nguyen Ngoc Tu.

Singer-actor Phung Ngoc Huy was the Favourite TV Actor for his performance in the series Cong Mat Troi (The Sun's Gate). Van Trang topped among actresses for her role in Loi Song Sai Lam (Wrong Lifestyle), a Vietnamese remake of South Korean series Terms of Endearment.

The winner of the Chuong Vang Vong Co 2006 (Vong Co Golden Bell) cai luong (reformed theatre) singing contest on TV, Vo Minh Lam, was the Favourite Theatre Actor for his role in Dua Con Nha Ho Trieu (Trieu's Son).

Viet Nam Idol host Phan Anh was the Favourite TV Host.

Comedian Hoai Linh, theatre actress Le Khanh, film actor Ly Hung, and folk singer Cam Ly kept the flag flying for veterans.

Some of the winners – Hung, Ly, Thao – and dancers Linh Nga and Dang Hung performed in front of 20,000 workers at the Pou Yuen Company in Binh Tan District at an event organised by the newspaper yesterday. — VNS

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Vietnam Singer’s Day to raise funds and discuss career

Singers Dam Vinh Hung (R) and Thanh Thao

Photo: Tuoi Tre

Two hundred Vietnamese singers will attend the Singer’s Day in Ha Long city, in the northern province Quang Ninh on January 17-19.

Newbie and professional singers in Vietnam and overseas will participate in the event, according to Dam Vinh Hung, Vietnam’s famous pop star and also an organization member.

The event represents a chance for singers to meet up, share experience and exchange career notes. A three-hour seminar will be set up, focusing on celebrity culture, celebrities and community service, artists as objects of idolization, and artists and the internet.

As part of the program, the celebrities will join a charity auction and pay a visit to poor families in Quang Ninh province.

They will also have some fun touring around Ha Long Bay, one of the world’s natural heritages.

On the night of January 19, the singers will hit the stage with a grand performance to raise funds for charity.

Besides singers, models, actors and actress like Hong Anh, Quyen Linh, Chi Bao are also expected to join the event.

This is the fifth time Vietnam Singer’s Day is organized. Last year it was held in the coastal city Quy Nhon.

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VN singer wins top prize at Golden Voice Festival

Diva: Singer Thu Minh performs the song Shadow of the Kapok Tree at the ASEAN Golden Voice Festival 2010. — File Photo

HCM CITY — Vietnamese singer Thu Minh has won a gold medal in the folk music category at Saturday's ASEAN Golden Voice Festival 2010 in HCM City.

The female singer performed the song Bong Cay Konia (Shadow of the Kapok Tree), which had previously earned her first prize at the Television Singing Contest in 1990.

In the same category, judges also awarded a silver medal to another female Vietnamese singer, H'Zina Bya, who won the recent Star Television Singing Contest in HCM City.

Indonesian singer Netta Kusumah also received silver medal for her performance.

Thailand's Plengraphun Kingthong and Myanmar's Kyaw Zin Min claimed the bronze medals.

In the pop category, singers Herson Silas from Indonesia and Sri Nazrina Johari from Brunei, collected golds, while silver was granted to Kasim Hoang Vu, the winner of Viet Nam's Sao Mai Diem Hen (Morning Star – Rendezvous) singing contest in 2004.

The bronze prizes for pop went to Tung Lam from the host country and Brunei's Mohammad Fikri Bin Abdullah.

Vietnamese singers Thu Minh and Kasim were bestowed with the "Favourite Singer" title, while 18-year-old Malaysian Ikhwal Hafiz was judged "The Most Promising Singer".

Created by the HCM City Television, the annual ASEAN Golden Voice Festival aims to strengthen the cultural exchange between ASEAN member countries. This year, singers from ASEAN countries, including Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, and Viet Nam, performed at the festival. — VNS

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Vietnamese singer takes gold at ASEAN Golden Voice Festival

HCM CITY - Vietnamese singer Thu Minh has won a gold medal in the folk music category at last Saturday's ASEAN Golden Voice Festival 2010 in HCM City.

The female singer performed the song Bong Cay Konia (Shadow of the Konia Tree), which had previously earned her first prize at the Television Singing Contest in 1990.

In the same category, judges also awarded a silver medal to another female Vietnamese singer, H'Zina Bya, who won the recent Star Television Singing Contest in HCM City.

The Indonesian singer Netta Kusumah also recieved silver medal for her performance.

Thailand's Plengraphun Kingthong and Myanmar's Kyaw Zin Min claimed the bronze medals.

In the pop category, Kasim Hoang Vu, the winner of Viet Nam's Sao Mai Diem Hen (Morning Star - Rendezvous) singing contest in 2004, collected silver, while golds were granted to singers Herson Silas from Indonesia and Sri Nazrina Johari from Brunei.

The bronze prizes for pop went to Tung Lam from the host country and Brunei's Mohammad Fikri Bin Abdullah.

Vietnamese singers Thu Minh and Kasim were bestowed with the "Favourite Singer" title, while 18-year-old Malaysian Ikhwal Hafiz was judged "The Most Promising Singer".

Created by the HCM City Television, the annual ASEAN Golden Voice Festival aims to strengthen the cultural exchange between ASEAN member countries. This year, singers from ASEAN countries, including Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand, and Viet Nam, performed at the festival. - VNS

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People’s Artist, singer Y Moan loses cancer battle

Vietnamese People’s Artist Y Moan

Vietnamese People’s Artist and pop singer Y Moan died last Friday at the age of 53 after a long fight with stomach cancer, reports VnExpress.

The artist’s funeral will be held in the central highlands city of Buon Ma Thuot in Daklak Province on Tuesday morning. The artist wants to be buried in his garden to be always close with his family.

Born in 1957 in an poor  Ede ethnic family, Y Moan started to sing at age seven when he joined a traditional ethnic band in Daklak Province. He studied at the Hanoi Conservatory of Music from 1979 until 1986.

Y Moan was famous for songs such as Oi M’Drak (Hey, M’Drak), Ly ca phe Ban Me (Ban Me coffee cup), Giac mo Chapi (Chapi’s Dream) and Doi chan tran (Bare foot), which expressed his love for his homeland.

Y Moan performed internationally in China, North Korea, South Korea, Thailand, Germany, Poland and France.

In 1997, Y Moan was recognized as a Meritorious Artist, for exceptional artistic achievements. In 2000 the Culture and Information Ministry recognized his lifetime career achievements. He also has been honored as People’s Artist, the highest honor given by the State for artists.

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