Singer Vu Thang Loi to release vinyl record about Hanoi

Thirty-seven-year-old singer Vu Thang Loi will perform a live concert and release a vinyl record titled Ha Noi rieng toi (My Hanoi) on December 3 at the Friendship Cultural Palace in Hanoi.

The graphic design of Ha Noi rieng toi vinyl record. Photo: The Hanoi Times

Among the songs featured on Loi's new album are Ha Noi va toi (Hanoi and I), Ha Noi ngay ay (Hanoi then) and Noi ngay tro ve (Hanoi now).

Loi said he had dreamed of a single album about Hanoi, and now everything is ready for the public presentation of the vinyl.

He said that now is the right time as he and musician Hong Kien have known each other for a long time, and both want to do something for the capital city through music.

"The selected songs are the most emotional and inspiring for me. Unlike a live performance, in the recording studio, I have to be the most dynamic of myself to express my love for Hanoi," Loi said.

"The audience may want to play my songs over and over again in different times, different notes," he said.

Loi added that he had been preparing the album for two years. "There are a lot of ups and downs."

He said that making the record had met some challenges as the producer is based in the US.

“The complicated developments of the Covid-19 pandemic also slowed it down. Then I asked for help from a Japanese producer to meet the plan.”

“It was a blessing in disguise,” musician Hong Kien said. “The international music community is the first audience of the songs, from the US to Japan, proving the songs are worth-listening.”

There will be a disc version of the record, Kien added. “Ha Noi rieng toi album is like a book of Hanoi cultures. It needs the broad attention of the public.”

In his opinion, Kien said Loi struggled to select the songs because they all sounded too good to be ignored.

“Loi wants to perform in a live concert so the audience can listen to all Hanoi-about songs.”

Artist Vu Thang Loi was born in 1985. He graduated from the Military University of Culture and Arts and the Vietnam National Academy of Music.

He won the first prize in the Hanoi Singing Contest 2008, third place in the Autumn Singing Contest, and the best performer of Hanoi songs, second place in the Sao Mai 2011’s Chamber Music genre. In 2015, he was nominated the Best New Artist of the Year.

Prior to Ha Noi Rieng Toi, Loi released the vinyl record Que (Home) in 2021, the album Khat vong (Desire) in 2020, the album Tinh ca (Love song) in 2014, and performed liveshow Khat vong (Desire) in 2018.