According to information from Meritorious Artist Kiều Hưng’s family, the veteran artist breathed his last in the early morning of October 30th at Vivantes Friedrichshain Hospital in Germany, at the age of 88.
Mr. Kiều Hải, son of Meritorious Artist Kiều Hưng, announced the sad news on his personal page: “The legendary golden voice of Vietnamese music, the singer of Tình ca who inspired many generations, an artist who dedicated his entire life to his homeland, country, and people, has passed away forever.”
Mr. Kiều Hải added that since some family members are currently far away, the funeral arrangements have not yet been finalized, and the family will announce the specific date later.
Meritorious Artist Kiều Hưng passed away at 88 years old (Photo: Character’s Facebook).
The passing of Meritorious Artist Kiều Hưng leaves deep sorrow for the public, especially for the generation of audiences who grew up with the country’s immortal songs.
Under Mr. Kiều Hải’s post, many audience members expressed their emotions: “Farewell to him – a voice more precious than gold, now in eternity“, “His immortal voice has left an indelible mark on our hearts forever“, “May he rest in peace in the eternal realm“…
Meritorious Artist Kiều Hưng, full name Kiều Tất Hưng, was born in 1937 in Hà Đông (now Hà Nội City). He was one of the most outstanding baritone singers, leaving his mark on Vietnamese music from the 1960s to the 1980s.
Even as a student, he was famous for his singing ability, having participated in the amateur art troupe of the Hà Nội Youth Union.
In 1957, at the age of 20, he was officially recruited into the Central Art Troupe (the predecessor of the current Vietnam National Opera and Ballet), beginning his professional artistic journey.
During his 6 years working at the Central Art Troupe, artist Kiều Hưng performed tirelessly across battlefields and fronts, from remote islands to low and high-altitude artillery positions during the early days of the American bombing campaign in the North.
His voice also served as a great source of spiritual encouragement for soldiers and the people.
In 1995, artist Kiều Hưng’s family moved to Germany. He regularly participated in community music programs to serve Vietnamese expatriates.
In 1966, he was sent to the former Soviet Union to further his musical studies, alongside prominent names such as singer Trung Kiên, musician Nguyễn Đức Toàn, and Trần Thu Hà.
After returning to Vietnam, his career flourished brilliantly and quickly made a profound impression on the public.
Meritorious Artist Kiều Hưng was known as one of the most successful performers of revolutionary and lyrical songs. He was associated with a series of classic works, notably: Hồ Chí Minh đẹp nhất tên Người (Ho Chi Minh, the Most Beautiful Name), Tiếng hát thành phố mang tên Người (The Song of the City Named After Him), Việt Nam quê hương tôi (Vietnam, My Homeland), Âm thanh ngày mới (Sound of a New Day), Rặng trâm bầu (The Myrtles), Ngày mùa (Harvest Day), Tình ca (Love Song)…
In 2014, Meritorious Artist Kiều Hưng returned to Vietnam to participate in singer Trọng Tấn’s live show (Photo: Character’s Facebook).
Assessing Meritorious Artist Kiều Hưng’s voice, music critic Nguyễn Quang Long called him a “legendary revolutionary singer,” one of the few artists with a strong influence spanning several decades.
Critic Nguyễn Quang Long believes that the “steel” quality of the revolution was subtly hidden by the late artist in his sweet, gentle voice, creating a rare fluidity and sophistication that avoided loudness while fully conveying the Vietnamese spirit.
“It was a voice that made any song it touched famous. Kiều Hưng had a powerful tenor voice, yet it was gentle, imbued with the Vietnamese spirit, seamlessly combining European technique with national flair,” he said.
In his final years, Meritorious Artist Kiều Hưng faced numerous health challenges. In 2008, he unfortunately suffered a stroke. His wife, Mrs. Việt Bắc, diligently accompanied, cared for, and supported her husband throughout his rehabilitation process.
Despite his declining health, his love for art and the admiration of his audience remained a great source of motivation for the artist.
In 2012, he made an emotional appearance at the Những ngôi sao sáng mãi (Shining Stars) program organized by the Vietnam National Opera and Ballet, receiving continuous applause from his fans.
His last return to his homeland was in 2014, to participate in singer Trọng Tấn’s music show.
The passing of Meritorious Artist Kiều Hưng is a great loss for the Vietnamese music industry. He will be remembered as an icon of revolutionary music, one who used his voice to engrave history and national spirit into the hearts of many generations of Vietnamese people.
