The music video "Tinh chuyen tram nam", featuring singer Thanh Cuong and People's Artist Thanh Hoai, premiered on 22/4. *Video: Team provided*
The team recreated a Northern Vietnamese village setting, featuring elements like traditional three-compartment, two-lean-to houses, betel arbors, areca trees, brick courtyards, and ponds. The narrative centers on a mouse groom eagerly anticipating his wedding day. Around the groom, his family and relatives prepare wedding gifts. At the bride's home, her parents are busy with preparations. These scenes reflect traditional Vietnamese wedding customs. Director Xuan Manh stated that before employing AI for the final production stage, he undertook extensive design work to achieve the desired visuals.
"Dam cuoi chuot" (The Mouse Wedding) is a prominent Dong Ho painting, over 500 years old. The artwork offers a deep satire of feudal society through the imagery of mice offering tribute to a cat to ensure a peaceful wedding. The painting also conveys wishes for happiness and harmony between the ruling and the ruled classes of that era. In the "Tinh chuyen tram nam" music video, the scriptwriter omitted the detail of the mouse family paying tribute to the cat to align with a modern theme.
 |
Images from the music video. *Photo: Team provided*
According to the team, AI is an effective solution for producing polished music videos at a reasonable cost. They spent tens of millions of dong to create the product, whereas a live-action or traditional animation music video could cost 10 to 20 times more. The team previously released the music video "Thuong cau dan ca" using a similar approach.
Nguyen Quang Long's song features Northern Vietnamese folk melodies, reflecting a couple's desire for commitment. The musician composed it with a call-and-response structure, similar to traditional courtship singing. Lines such as "What do you dream of tomorrow?" and "As for me, I dream of many things" create a sense of dialogue between the characters. In the song, cheo artist Thanh Hoai recites a passage in the "lay Kieu" style (a form of poetic recitation based on "The Tale of Kieu"), conveying marital affection: "Joyful to see the reunion. Betel and areca, red and vibrant, now one home. In life, deep bonds and profound love. Together, we rely on each other, never parting."
 |
Dong Ho painting "Dam cuoi chuot". *Photo: Archive*
"Tinh chuyen tram nam" is a song from the album of the same name by musician Quang Long and singer Thanh Cuong. The album draws inspiration from quan ho folk songs, blending modern musical elements. Artist Nguyen Quang Hung served as music director. Accompanying him were artists Thanh Hoai, Van Mai (dan tranh), Hai An (flute, dizi), and Duy Thong (dan nhi).
Musician Quang Long, 50, from Bac Ninh, graduated with a degree in Music Theory from the Vietnam National Academy of Music. He has dedicated 30 years to researching, restoring, and preserving folk music genres, especially xam art, a traditional Vietnamese folk singing genre. The musician, along with artist Mai Tuyet Hoa, founded the Xam Ha Thanh group, aiming to revive the beauty of ancient Ha Noi xam. He also released the album "Trach ong nguyet lao" in 2019.
Singer Thanh Cuong, 34, from Hai Duong, studied Vocal Performance at the Military University of Culture and Arts. He rose to prominence from the "Giong hat hay Ha Noi 2018" competition. To pursue his singing career, he faced many difficulties, working manual labor jobs to sustain his passion. The singer also experienced a collapsed lung, requiring surgery and a long recovery period. For the new project "Thuong cau dan ca", he changed his stage name to AnhHI Thanh Cuong. According to him, this is both a pun on the Vietnamese term "anh hai" (elder brother) and carries the meaning of "hi" in English.
By Ha Thu
