Singing at Weddings from Age 17 for 200,000 VND
Hà Trịnh (formerly known by her stage name Diệu Hà) was born in Yên Định, Thanh Hóa, into a family without an artistic tradition: her father was an engineer, and her mother was a teacher. From a young age, she excelled academically and was a prominent cultural performer at school.
Although she initially thought she would follow her parents into teaching, a chance encounter with recruitment information for actors at Thanh Hóa College of Culture and Arts (now Thanh Hóa University of Culture, Sports, and Tourism) led her to change direction.
From the age of 17, Hà Trịnh began singing at weddings, village festivals, and small events to help support her family.
Hà Trịnh is a screenwriter who penned scripts for the “Weekend Relaxation” program (Photo: Character provided).
Sharing with a Dân trí reporter, Hà Trịnh confided: “My family had many children, and both parents worked as civil servants with meager salaries, so our finances were quite difficult. Even with a scholarship, I still had to cover my living expenses. Each time I sang, I only earned 200,000-300,000 VND, but those were the first earnings that helped me support myself without asking my parents.”
During her studies, Hà Trịnh actively participated in singing and gradually sought opportunities to enter the profession. However, once she started performing, she quickly encountered the dark side of the entertainment industry. On provincial tours, she witnessed many young colleagues, especially dancers, being taken to “meet” businessmen.
Once, she and a friend were asked to get into a sponsor’s private car. Realizing that it completely contradicted the values she pursued, Hà Trịnh immediately got out and pulled her friend away.
“Such an environment was not worth sacrificing myself for,” she stated frankly. This decision helped her maintain her dignity but also caused her artistic path to stagnate as many seemingly open opportunities suddenly closed.
After graduating as an actress from Thanh Hóa College of Culture and Arts, Hà Trịnh moved to Hanoi to audition for the Screenwriting Department at Hanoi Academy of Theatre and Cinema. She also passed the entrance exam for the Intermediate Vocal Music program at the Vietnam National Academy of Music but had to drop out after nearly a year because the two schools were far apart, she couldn’t afford travel expenses, and she didn’t know how to ride a motorbike yet.
“I wish I had been brave enough, aware enough, or had an experienced person to analyze and encourage me back then. I was too young and lacked courage, so instead of moving forward, I chose to avoid it. Now, I understand that with enough passion and courage, there’s always a way to see things through. In this world, beauty and true values always find their place,” Hà Trịnh said.
Although she temporarily put aside her singing career due to circumstances, Hà Trịnh continued working in the industry by writing scripts. However, her life took another turn when she became a mother. The stage once again took a backseat, making way for childcare, teaching Vietnamese online, and working behind the scenes.
Outwardly, it seemed like a natural break, but few knew that Hà Trịnh had experienced postpartum depression. Without seeking professional help, she self-researched through medical and psychological books to identify her problem.
“There were times when my reactions were very slow when I went out. I still spoke normally, but in many situations, I couldn’t react quickly enough; I felt naive. Sometimes, it was only in the evening that I realized how I should have handled a situation,” she recounted.
Realizing she couldn’t remain immersed in a state of inertia, Hà Trịnh reminded herself: “No! I must return to life, return to singing, and do the things I love.”
When her second daughter turned two, she started recording again, pouring all her savings into the album Nghìn trùng xa cách (A Thousand Miles Apart), even asking her husband for additional support to make her passion a reality.
After experiencing postpartum depression and many career challenges, Hà Trịnh decided to return to her passion for music (Photo: Character provided).
“I admire Diva Hà Trần’s sharp vocals”
In her journey to refine her singing, Hà Trịnh expressed profound admiration for singer Hà Trần (Trần Thu Hà), not only for her technique and performance style but also for her sophisticated musical mindset and emotionally rich song delivery.
According to Hà Trịnh, she is impressed by Hà Trần’s elegant voice quality and diverse developmental ability, especially when Hà Trần participated in The Mask Singer Vietnam 2022, performing everything from pop to various other genres, always transforming each song into a vivid story that conveys emotions to the audience.
“Hà Trần’s voice is captivating. No matter how difficult or wide the vocal range of a song, she overcomes it with ease. I believe this is thanks to accumulated experience and continuous training, along with endless creativity, not just natural talent.
She thoroughly researches each song, from pronunciation, subtle nuances, to glissandos, transitioning from falsetto to chest voice, blending chest voice smoothly and delicately, to fully express every lyric and lead the listener to the depths of emotion,” Hà Trịnh commented.
Additionally, she also expressed admiration for Diva Hồng Nhung and renowned singer Thái Thanh, because the way these two vocalists infuse soul into the compositions of Trịnh Công Sơn and Phạm Duy always leaves a deep and lasting impression in the hearts of listeners.
Learning from the artists she admires, Hà Trịnh admitted that she sometimes regrets the lack of a strong vocal foundation, as her studies at the conservatory ended too early, leaving many technical limitations.
However, she always finds ways to compensate for these gaps. Instead of solely relying on technique, Hà Trịnh utilizes her screenwriting knowledge, acting experience, and musical intuition to create a personal imprint in her song delivery, aiming to touch the hearts of her audience.
Her acting skills give her confidence on stage, while her screenwriting mindset brings depth and unique emotions to each song. Hà Trịnh believes: “In art, regardless of whether it’s good or bad, being oneself and unlike anyone else is already a success.”
“Currently, I still take weekly vocal lessons with a private teacher. For someone starting late like me, continuous learning and training are never superfluous,” she stated.
Hà Trịnh said she admires singer Hà Trần and views the veteran artist’s voice and performance style as a role model to learn from in her career (Photo: Character provided).
Hà Trịnh currently runs a TikTok channel with over 100,000 followers. Initially, she only sang online to connect with more audiences, but gradually, this became a serendipitous way for her to reach many music lovers.
Every day, she spends 1 to 2 hours singing online, except on sick days or for urgent matters. She chooses the 4-6 AM slot, which is convenient for taking care of her young children in the evening and avoids overlapping with her external performance schedule.
Despite her online success, Hà Trịnh affirms that the feeling of performing live in front of an audience offers a completely different and vibrant experience that no online platform can replace.
It is this love for live performance and the desire to share music completely that motivated Hà Trịnh to organize her minishow, Tóc mai sợi vắn sợi dài (Short Strands of Hair), where she could both sing and feel the direct reactions from the audience. The minishow took place on the evening of December 15th in Hanoi, was not ticketed, and was primarily for invited and complimentary guests who loved her music.
The program also featured guests such as MC Nguyễn Hữu Chiến Thắng, Nhật Trường, Ann Nguyễn, and the Màu Nước band.
Hà Trịnh won a Gold Medal at the National Student Singing Competition for Professional Art Schools 2014, competed in Hanoi Student Singing 2010, and participated in Sao Mai, reaching the provincial finals.
She also received a C Prize for stage scriptwriting from the Vietnam Stage Artists Association and participated in numerous creative camps organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism.
After graduating as an actress from Thanh Hóa College of Culture and Arts, Hà Trịnh enrolled in the Screenwriting Department at Hanoi Academy of Theatre and Cinema.
Subsequently, she worked as a screenwriter for VFC programs such as Weekend Relaxation, several talk shows, TVCs, and events, while continuing to pursue music.
