The live broadcast of "Vietnamese Sounds" on VTV3 on the evening of October 3rd marked a significant milestone in the journey to find songs that embody Vietnamese identity and have the potential to connect with international audiences.
This also marks the first time that both domestic and international audiences have had the opportunity to directly participate in selecting the song representing Vietnam at the Eurovision Song Contest Asia.
Following a collaborative creative journey between Toc Tien and five creative teams, five brand-new songs were performed in their entirety on stage for the first time in front of the public. Each song offers a different approach to telling the story of Vietnam through contemporary music , drawing on cultural elements and memories, vocal power, emotional depth, urban energy, and a spirit of global integration.
Tóc Tiên performed five different acts, each with a distinct musical structure, imagery, and stage presence. The singer had to constantly switch between vocal techniques, emotions, body language, choreography, and stage presence throughout a single live television broadcast.
From the strength and indomitable spirit in "Khó gì ," the contemporary interpretation of Vietnamese culture in " Em Tiên ," the emotions and belief in love in "Love Always Wins ," the journey of growth and generational continuity in "a to A ," to the modern, confident, and world- oriented energy of " Follow Me "—these five songs offer five different perspectives on Vietnamese women, all converging on the spirit of renewing Vietnamese values through contemporary music.
From the opening lines about a heart that has been broken a few times but still "loves like the first dream," Love Always Wins presents the image of a woman who is profound but not melancholic, experienced but still maintains faith in beautiful things. The song is an emotional story about a Vietnamese woman in love – a heart that has been hurt but still chooses to believe in beautiful things.
The stage during the performance of Love Always Wins
On the Vietnamese Sound stage , that spirit is expanded into a Broadway-esque performance space: where music, visuals, and fashion blend together to create a highly theatrical performance. The space is almost entirely covered in red, from the lighting and stage floor to the LED screens behind, creating a feeling that is both captivating and dramatic, like a grand theatrical spectacle. In particular, the main stage is designed in the shape of a heart, creating a visual focal point directly connected to the spirit of the song.
Unlike stories told from memory or traditional materials, M1 MUSIC's *Follow Me* – produced by GUSTAV – approaches the image of Vietnamese women with a modern, sharp, and captivating energy.
Follow Me
The modern music style and vibrant performance style create a space where women not only appear on stage, but truly take control of their own stage.
Follow Me is a glimpse into how Vietnamese music can connect international musical inspirations with the image of the contemporary Vietnamese woman – confident and proactive.
The song "Em Tien" begins with familiar images of Vietnamese women, but viewed through a youthful and modern lens. The song combines traditional folk sounds and instruments with electronic elements, bringing familiar values into a fresh and energetic musical space.
Performance of the song "Em Tien"
One of the interesting aspects of "Em Tien " lies in how the song evokes familiar folk melodies with a fresh perspective. The line "Em Tien, strolling here" is inspired by the melody of the song "Lovers take off their clothes for each other," creating a material that is both familiar and easily recognizable, yet refreshed to blend into the contemporary music scene.
On stage, the interplay between tradition and modernity is clearly expressed through images of swirling clouds, flying birds, the moon, lotus flowers, and decorative motifs inspired by traditional art.
With "What's Difficult?" , HIGHLUA chooses to portray the image of Vietnamese women in a strong, modern, and energetic way. Instead of just focusing on soft, traditional beauty, the song aims to depict a proactive, confident woman who is not afraid to face challenges.
The performance of the song "It's Not Difficult"
On stage, the story is told through two layers of consecutive imagery. In the first part, Toc Tien and her dancers appear in designs with a metallic gold hue, combined with stick-like props and powerful dance movements, creating an energetic performance space. Images of clouds, birds, and the moon in shades of orange-yellow cover the stage, evoking an East Asian atmosphere and connecting with the Vietnamese spirit of the song.
The stage was elevated to a vibrant blue, with Tóc Tiên and the dancers' costumes inspired by Vovinam martial arts uniforms. The lines of the martial arts attire were stylized into a theatrical fashion language, combined with decisive and powerful body movements.
Tóc Tiên's final performance, " a to A" from the VIZA team, began with a very relatable idea: the sound "a" – one of the first sounds humans hear and also the starting point of their journey of growing up. From there, the song expands into a story about the journey of Vietnamese women, from their early days to when they take their own steps and shape the person they are today.
The performance of the song a to A
On stage, a to A opted for minimalism to place the entire focus on the character and the story. Toc Tien appeared in a long, elegant white design, standing on steps in the center. Strips of white fabric extended from the outfit down the stage, spreading to both sides like connecting lines throughout a journey.
Behind them, the image of a full moon appears as a visual focal point, while the LED system continuously switches between handwritten characters, lyrics, and abstract images. The stage space thus feels both intimate and vast, like a memory unfolding layer by layer.
Notably, this was the only performance that didn't use dancers, allowing Toc Tien's voice, body language, and stage presence to lead the entire story. This minimalism was further emphasized in the final moments, when the lullaby melody and the children's choir's singing filled the air, concluding the journey from "a" to "A" with an image of continuity between generations.
Besides the 5 competing songs, the Vietnamese Song Selection Night, "Vietnamese Sounds," was further enlivened by performances from guest artists such as Minh Hang, ST Son Thach, Chau Anh, and MYLINA.
After five performances, feedback from the creative teams, and voting by the expert panel and the audience, The Sound of Vietnam officially announced its winning song.
The results were determined by three components: 40% from the professional judging panel, 40% from Vietnamese audience votes, and 20% from international audience votes - Rest of the World. The judging panel consisted of composers Luu Thien Huong, Huy Tuan, Duong Khac Linh, John Hung Tran, and Gavin Nguyen.
S•HUBE's song "Em Tiên" has been selected to represent Vietnam, accompanying Tóc Tiên on her journey to the Eurovision Song Contest Asia 2026 in Bangkok, Thailand .
Announcing the song submitted to the Eurovision Song Contest Asia.
The song "Em Tien" has been selected to compete in the Eurovision Song Contest Asia.
Immediately after the results were announced, the official websites of Eurovision Song Contest and Eurovision Song Contest Asia simultaneously confirmed: “Em Tien will be Vietnam’s first-ever entry for Eurovision Song Contest Asia.” Em Tien and Toc Tien were also added to the official list of representatives who will participate in the first season.
Sharing her feelings, Toc Tien said: "Coming to the International Arena, I will bring with me the pride and spirit of Vietnam."
Toc Tien performs her entry for the Eurovision Song Contest Asia 2026.
From this point onwards, Toc Tien, along with S•HUBE, Music Director Huy Tuan, and the team, will enter the final stages of preparation, heading to the regional stage in Bangkok, Thailand on November 14, 2026.
The Eurovision Song Contest Asia 2026 Grand Finale took place on November 14th at One Bangkok Forum, Bangkok, with the participation of 11 countries in its inaugural season. The event marked a new chapter for Eurovision in Asia, coinciding with the competition's 70th anniversary, continuing the spirit of "United by Music" on a new regional stage.
Toc Tien and S•HUBE will continue to refine their music to compete on the international stage.
At the Eurovision Song Contest Asia, the Vietnamese representatives will face a completely different challenge as the audience will not be able to vote for their own country. Therefore, for Toc Tien and Em Tien , the challenge ahead is not only to bring a song with a distinctly Vietnamese identity to the regional stage, but also to make that story resonate with audiences from diverse cultural backgrounds.
Source: https://vtv.vn/toc-tien-muon-mang-niem-tu-hao-va-tinh-than-viet-nam-toi-voi-dau-truong-am-nhac-quoc-te-100261003225659381.htm
