Phuong Thanh hosted an intimate gathering at her home in TP HCM, bringing together artists who had worked closely with Minh Thuan during his lifetime: Siu Black, Ngan Quynh, My Le, rapper Dinh Tien Dat, photographer Trinh Quoc Huy, and makeup artist Ha My.
In the memories of his colleagues, Minh Thuan was a talented artist who remained humble and always willing to support younger artists entering the profession. Phuong Thanh first met him in the 1990s at the Youth Cultural House in TP HCM. She was impressed by his romantic long hair and captivating demeanor.
In the early 1990s, Minh Thuan - Nhat Hao was a duo that dominated the Ho Chi Minh City music scene, known for their youthful style in Chinese, English, and Vietnamese songs. "Chang Trai Bac Kinh" (Beijing Boy), a Vietnamese adaptation of a Chinese song, was a hit and the title of their first joint album. The song created a sensation in the youth music scene at the time. Following this success, they continuously recorded and released a series of albums, with "Chang Trai Bac Kinh" reaching its 16th installment. The peak of Minh Thuan - Nhat Hao's prolific and successful career was between 1992 and 1995. Embracing the trend of Vietnamese-lyric adaptations of Chinese songs, the duo captivated the market with their pop hits.
Minh Thuan was instrumental in giving Phuong Thanh the opportunity to perform on the stage of Hoa Binh theater. "Back then, any young singer introduced to Hoa Binh was almost guaranteed to become a star. I will be forever grateful to him," she said.
Recalling Minh Thuan's popularity, Ngan Quynh shared a memory of their first meeting at a variety show in Thao Cam Vien. Minh Thuan, running late due to a packed schedule, was offered a special slot to perform early by the organizers, but he firmly refused. For the singer, even as a star, the minimum principle was to respect colleagues and seek permission from the next performer. Seeing Ngan Quynh's youthful appearance, he mistook her for being younger and addressed her as "em" (younger sibling), offering to swap slots to make his next show, despite being three years younger than her.
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From left: Phuong Thanh, Cat Phuong, Siu Black. Photo: Trinh Quoc Huy |
His respect for junior colleagues extended beyond backstage. Impressed by Ngan Quynh's voice, Minh Thuan asked for her contact information and introduced her to work at Stage 126, a leading entertainment venue at the time. On her first night performing "Hoi Tho Mua Xuan" (Breath of Spring) there, she was moved to see Minh Thuan and Phuong Thanh standing quietly in the wings, singing backup for her. "The moment a famous singer quietly supported a new face was etched into my mind, making me always cherish him," the artist said.
Minh Thuan was not only admired by his peers but also by the next generation of artists. Rapper Dinh Tien Dat recalled listening to Minh Thuan's cassette tapes in middle school until the tape was worn out. For him, the singer's long, tied-up hair and style of pairing leather jackets with jeans defined a major trend among youth in the 1990s.
Beyond his powerful vocals and skillful dancing, Minh Thuan was known for his talent in embroidery and sewing. He personally conceptualized, tailored, and stayed up all night meticulously attaching each bead and stone for most of his stage costumes. Ngan Quynh added that the impressive transformation looks that helped him win runner-up in Guong mat than quen 2014 were all prepared by him.
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The long hair was synonymous with Minh Thuan during his lifetime. Photo: Family provided |
During the gathering, the artists harmonized on a series of the late singer's memorable songs, including "Tinh Tho", "Noi Dau Ngot Ngao", and "Tinh Phai" (Fading Love). They choked up multiple times while performing Minh Thuan's hits. Phuong Thanh stated that no script was prepared for the reunion, allowing memories and emotions to unfold naturally.
Concurrently, family and fans organized a memorial concert for Minh Thuan at a teahouse in TP HCM. His sister, Ngoc Hanh, flew from the US to help organize the event. Fans collected all his cassette tapes, CDs, press materials, and stage memorabilia to create a space of memories.
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Ngoc Hanh (right), Minh Thuan's sister, spoke on stage to thank the audience for their affection for the singer. Photo: Hoang Dung |
Holding candles, the audience sang along to a remix of "Tinh Tho". Huu Binh, a close confidant who stayed by Minh Thuan's side during his final days, appeared wearing a shirt the singer had worn in the "Tinh Phai" music video. Ky Phuong performed "Trai Tim Chung Tinh" (Faithful Heart), a song he composed and recorded with Minh Thuan, for the first time. "Even after ten years, Minh Thuan's kindness and passion remain intact in everyone's hearts," the singer said.
Minh Thuan passed away in 2016 due to lung cancer. From the early 1990s, Minh Thuan and Nhat Hao formed a harmonious duo, beloved by many audiences for songs like "Chiec Thuyen Nan" (The Wicker Boat), "Co Be Doi Hon" (The Sulking Girl), and "That Tinh" (Heartbreak). Around 1996, at the peak of their careers, they unexpectedly separated. Minh Thuan's music career faced challenges thereafter. He transitioned into television and film acting. Among his roles, Ninh Lam (also known as Lam Ca ro) in the television series "Co Gai Xau Xi" (Ugly Girl) was particularly popular with audiences. At the Guong mat than quen 2014 competition, Minh Thuan earned runner-up with the support of Phuong Thanh.
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Audience members held candles to remember Minh Thuan. Photo: Hoang Dung |
Hoang Dung
