“I wasn’t surprised when my songs became popular”
This year, Tien Minh has been widely mentioned as “Duong len phia truoc” and a series of three songs from the film “Cha toi, nguoi o lai” went viral on social media. Were you surprised?
– I wasn’t surprised because when I write songs, I don’t expect them to become famous. When I write, I just try to do my best.
Musician Tien Minh composed the song “Duong len phia truoc” in 2014.
I wrote the song Duong len phia truoc for the film Duong len Dien Bien in 2014. At that time, the film was about to air, and writer Thu Hue told me: “I need a song written quickly for the film, and I thought of you, Tien Minh; please help me.”
The lyrics naturally came to mind, and I wrote the song in about 2-3 hours that very night.
While composing Duong len phia truoc, I remembered Quang Dung’s poem Tay Tien, when young men from the North and Hanoi were willing to sacrifice their youth to go to war.
During major holidays like April 30th or September 2nd recently, I was very happy to see many young people listening to and sharing the song. I guess the audience empathized with my feelings to love the work so much.
The film Cha toi, nguoi o lai was also a stroke of fate. I once watched the Chinese drama Go Ahead and shared with director Vu Truong Khoa that it was a great film.
Khoa said he would discuss with his team to see if a Vietnamese version could be made. A few years later, he met me and said: “I’ve almost finished making the Vietnamese version of that film.” He asked me to compose music for it.
While composing, I was deeply moved by the story of family affection in the script. I also lived with my father since childhood, so with the song Tim ve, I wrote it as my own confession. When it was finished, I showed it to Khoa first, he liked it and immediately chose it for the film.
Later, I presented the music for Hoa dai kho, and the director said, “This is the music for part 2.” After finishing those two songs, I was inspired to compose Di mot duong, ve hai huong. Once it was done, Khoa also approved and used the song in the film’s emotional segments.
What was the most common feedback you received about the three songs in “Cha toi, nguoi o lai”?
– People liked the lyrics of these works. The lyrics are not as specific as Vet nang cuoi troi written for the film Vet nang cuoi troi or Di qua bong toi written for the film Di qua bong toi… The songs in Cha toi, nguoi o lai were written according to the mood and character arcs.
The characters of the father, mother, three children in the film… all represent young people at a fledgling stage of life. Therefore, the songs resonated with the audience.
When composing, I pay attention to literary imagery, so I often look for suitable lyrics. Perhaps it’s divine blessing that my songs are heard by many.
The male musician is an aestheticist and dislikes songs with offensive lyrics.
Recently, many singers have been criticized for performing and composing offensive, even vulgar, lyrics. What is your perspective on this phenomenon?
– I am an aestheticist, so I strongly dislike offensive words and lyrics, especially in literary and artistic works. Our Vietnamese language is very rich and polysemous, and I support the decisions of the authorities.
I believe that creative thinking is precious but needs moderation and restraint. Virtual values may have a superficial impact, but they can lead an entire generation astray if there is no clear direction.
You studied drama at the Hanoi University of Theater and Cinema but then transitioned to being a musician. Do you think the profession chose you?
– That’s right. From acting to writing music or directing, everything happened naturally; I didn’t intentionally try to create this or do that.
My first film soundtrack song was for Tinh tham Sapa (1999). During a scene filmed at the Sapa love market, the director needed an actor to sing, but the commissioned musician hadn’t finished writing it.
One evening, I hummed a tune based on my feelings, and director Hoang Thanh Du praised it as beautiful and suitable for the film. The director asked me to complete it, arrange and mix it for the soundtrack.
From that film onwards, Thanh Du frequently invited me to compose music for his films. Later, directors from VFC (Vietnam Television Film Center) like Vu Minh Tri, Bui Nhu Thuan… commissioned me to write music for their films.
When composing music on commission, do you feel your emotions are constrained?
– The directors give me complete freedom to “unleash” myself without any specific demands. At most, they only briefly discuss the script, actors, and worldview of the film. After sharing with the director and producer, I then plan how to write.
For example, with the song Noi tinh yeu bat dau, I wrote it for the film Sieu thi tinh yeu. Hearing the name “supermarket,” I initially intended to write a somewhat humorous, slightly sarcastic song, in the style of poets Tu Xuong or Tu Mo… But after watching a few scenes from the film, I realized the work didn’t have such a jocular intention.
Therefore, I wrote natural lyrics, sticking to the theme of love in the film. Fortunately, when I presented my compositions to the directors, they were all satisfied.
Meritorious Artist Tien Minh (right) and People’s Artist Quoc Khanh in their Táo Quân costumes (Photo: Artist provided).
When people mention Tien Minh, they remember the character Thien Loi (Thunder God) in “Tao Quan.” Was this role challenging for you?
– I played Thien Loi in Tao Quan in 2013-2014, then took a break and have been playing it again from 2021 until now. As a professional performing artist, I found this role not difficult.
Thien Loi is usually styled according to director Do Thanh Hai’s requirements; some years the crew requested Thien Loi’s face to be pale, other years they wanted it pitch black… Generally, I find it an interesting role that suits me.
“I am not a ladies’ man”
Among the “Tao Quan” crew, who are you closest to?
– Perhaps I’m… “bad-tempered,” so I don’t get close to anyone in showbiz. In my opinion, finding a truly close, soulmate-like friend is very difficult. I only appreciate and respect talented people.
My concept of a close friend is a bit different. I can easily please others with my own experiences; I’m not overly fastidious, but it’s genuinely not easy to find a true close friend.
Typically, I look for people with similar artistic mindsets and aspirations to work on projects. When I find such people, I ask myself, “Are they my close friends?” but deep down, they’re not…
Tien Minh said he once had a period of escaping crowds.
Tien Minh has experienced many professions such as actor, musician, director… Which profession are you most passionate about?
– Probably stage art. Even though the stage is going through a crisis, I still have a burning passion for it.
Our theater industry is still struggling to find its direction in the 4.0 technology era, so artists are also confused in their own world.
Nowadays, with just a smartphone, we have the whole world in our hands, but the stage has not innovated enough to attract audiences to theaters… This is a concern for me and many colleagues.
Having gone through ups and downs in your artistic career, have you ever wanted to quit?
– About two years ago, I took some time to focus on self-care, listening to my body.
During that time, I did nothing. I felt bored with the stage and everything. I avoided crowds, didn’t interact with anyone, and even ignored phone calls. I was like a recluse. But then, I saw my children growing up every day. When my children asked: “Dad, aren’t you doing anything? Why do you just sit and lie around all day?” I suddenly woke up.
After that, I resumed work more scientifically. Before, I was like a “moth to a flame,” but now I work by the clock. The musical project Giac mo Chi Pheo and the film Cha toi, nguoi o lai marked my return to work.
The male musician admitted he is in love.
Can Tien Minh live off his profession? Do you have any side businesses?
– Besides being an artist, I’m also a musician, so you could say writing music is my side job (laughs). I find everything to be just enough; I’ve never been in want. I still provide for my children’s education and daily expenses.
My mantra is “must try,” and I still strive every day and am satisfied with what I’ve achieved.
You are quite private about your love life; people say Tien Minh is in love?
– It’s true that I’m in love. Many people ask: “So, when you’re in love, are you romantic?”
When I’m in love, I always want to create surprises for my beloved. It’s not just about giving flowers and gifts on anniversaries… those are just formalities. I cherish the person by my side and always give her small special things, like going to the market or cooking delicious meals for her.
Does Tien Minh get jealous often?
– Yes, I do get jealous. Many people, when jealous of their partners, tend to subtly hint or nag, but I’ve never had to do that.
As an artist, I have an unconventional perspective. When I’m in love, I have a rather high sense of possession. If there were betrayal, I would probably have fiery, maddening emotions like most people. But I’ve never been in such a situation (laughs).
People say Tien Minh is quite a ladies’ man, what do you think?
– That’s not true. Being a ladies’ man means many people are infatuated with you, but I only have one girlfriend. It was the same when I was young.
The male artist denies the “ladies’ man” rumors.
What do you usually do when you’re sad?
– When I was young, I used to go drinking alone when I was sad. Now, I usually sit and think about how to solve the problem. I don’t use drinking to forget sadness like I used to.
I often put sadness away in a drawer, closing it, and occasionally take it out to “relish” it again to see how much I’ve grown.
How can the audience imagine you as a father?
– I am a meticulous father in how I raise my children. My children are grown now, so they have their own thoughts. Sometimes, my children and I still have disagreements; I get angry, but when I think back, I realize I was “rebellious” like that too, so I’ve become more restrained when talking to my children or students at the Hanoi University of Theater and Cinema, where I collaborate as a lecturer.
Thank you for your insights!
Musician Tien Minh, born in 1977, graduated from the Drama Department of Hanoi University of Theater and Cinema. After many years in the arts, despite being a self-taught musician, he is known as the “soundtrack wizard,” with over 40 popular film songs such as: Noi tinh yeu bat dau, Di qua bong toi, Vet nang cuoi troi, Con duong hanh phuc…
He has worked at the Hanoi Drama Theater since 1999. With over 20 years dedicated to acting, he has participated in hundreds of roles and won nearly 10 awards at national professional theater festivals. In 2019, he was awarded the title of Meritorious Artist by the State.
Photo: Nguyen Ha Nam
