Singer Lan Nha expressed feeling pressured to host his first live show at Hoa Binh Theater on 20/12 without an MC. The ballad genre, which Lan Nha typically performs, also presented a concern, as it could easily create a monotonous feel.

"I decided to challenge myself, because this opportunity comes only once in 15 years," he stated at the beginning of the concert.

Lan Nha danced with a female dancer during the performance "Truoc khi ngay mai den". Video: Mai Nhat

Over three hours, Lan Nha performed 25 songs, ranging from classic love ballads to dance tracks and foreign songs with Vietnamese lyrics. He initially appeared hesitant due to stage fright, and his early performances were somewhat unsteady. However, he quickly regained his composure. Lan Nha surprised the audience by showcasing dance moves with a dance group during rhythmic songs like "Con yeu em mai" by Nguyen Trung Cang and "Truoc khi ngay mai den" by Vu Minh Tam. He had trained for months with dancer Quang Dang to introduce a fresh element to the concert.

The show was structured not by chapters, as is common for career anniversary concerts, but by the emotional journey of the singer. Lan Nha invited the audience to revisit initial youthful emotions and reflect on adult experiences. In the first part, he primarily sang tracks from his recently released album, "Nha".

Unlike his previous albums, which largely featured cover songs, Lan Nha chose new compositions, many by close collaborators such as Dung Da Lat and Thanh Nghiep. While singing "Da nhu mua dong", he shared that the piece was a memory from a failed relationship of Dung Da Lat. After writing it, the composer put it away and forgot about it for 20 years, only recently rediscovering it and sending it to Lan Nha.

Lan Nha during his 15-year career anniversary concert. Photo: OGN

The atmosphere became more vibrant in the second half of the concert, as Lan Nha performed many familiar songs like "Co don" by Nguyen Anh 9 and "Ben vang" (foreign music, Vietnamese lyrics by Lu Lien). Lively performances were interspersed throughout, such as when Lan Nha showcased his voice with jazz melodies in "Can't Take My Eyes Off You", or pop rock with "Song tinh". Chinese hit songs with Vietnamese lyrics, including "Hoa tan" and "Tinh nong" – a genre that brought Lan Nha fame – were placed at the end of the program, creating an emotional climax.

Lan Nha sang "Can't Take My Eyes Off You". Video: Mai Nhat

At times, Lan Nha allowed his singing to convey narratives without explicit words, as he did when performing "Ky niem" by Pham Duy. The stage screen displayed a sequence of photos, from his childhood with family to his adulthood, including winning first prize in the Hoi Ngo Club singing contest in 2008 and embarking on his professional career. Although the live show celebrated 15 years in the industry, he had actively performed for only about eight years, having experienced a period of uncertainty and lack of direction.

Huong Tram was one of three guest artists, alongside Tan Minh and Hoang Quyen. Photo: Ly Vo Phu Hung

The affection from his fans deeply moved Lan Nha on several occasions. Approximately 2,000 spectators remained until after 11 p.m. for the final song, "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town". Many applauded enthusiastically as he soared through high notes or completed a dance routine. During "Doi bo", a cover version by Lan Nha that garnered millions of views, hundreds of people waved their phone flashlights to the rhythm. "You are the best things Nha has," he expressed.

Spectator Tuan Nghia, 32, who attended with his girlfriend, stated that Lan Nha has long been a favorite singer for both of them due to his masculine and elegant style in both singing and performing. He has followed Lan Nha since his participation in Vietnam Idol 2010 and is pleased that the singer has increasingly carved out his own distinct place in the hearts of fans. "For me, the concert was emotionally complete, with only a slight regret that the LED screen had a technical error, which affected the experience," Tuan Nghia remarked.

The strong support from fans partly compensated Lan Nha following the cancellation of his planned live show in Ha Noi. Initially, the singer intended to organize two anniversary concerts, but in late november, he announced the cancellation of the Ha Noi show due to poor ticket sales. At the time, the concert, which was scheduled to take place at the Viet Xo Friendship Cultural Palace, faced controversy over ticket prices ranging from 2.5 to 5.9 million dong. Some spectators considered this price range quite high, nearly comparable to concerts by My Tam and Ha Anh Tuan.

Audience members waved flashlights as Lan Nha sang "Doi bo" (music: Italy, Vietnamese lyrics: Lu Lien). Video: Mai Nhat

Tran Lan Nha, 39, was born in TP HCM. After competing in Vietnam Idol 2010 and reaching the top 4, his name became more widely known. In 2017, he participated in the game show Masked Singer as Voi Can Thi, gaining widespread affection from the audience for his warm, deep voice. The singer has many popular songs, including "Vet nang" by Pham Hai Au, "Nhung tieng tho dai" by Nguyen Minh Cuong, "Mot thuo yeu nguoi" (Chinese music, Vietnamese lyrics by Khuc Lan), "Lai gan hon anh" (French music, Vietnamese lyrics by Pham Duy), and "Doi bo" (Italian music, Vietnamese lyrics by Lu Lien).

Mai Nhat