Vietnamese songwriter-music producer Hoàng Bách has released the music video Lời Trái Tim Việt Nam (The Heart of Vietnam), the lead track from an Extended Play (EP) of the same name. Featuring three original songs, the project reflects his deep emotional connection to his homeland and is a heartfelt tribute to the Vietnamese people. This community-oriented EP also serves as a personal reflection from Hoàng Bách, 45, after more than two decades of living and working through music, drawing on personal experiences, childhood memories, long journeys, and quiet moments of everyday life. Huy Thông talks with Hoàng Bách.

What inspired you to create The Heart of Vietnam?

Community music has been a direction I’ve embraced for the past five or six years. For example, I’ve written pieces related to football, such as Chiều Nay Ra Sân (Heading to the Field This Afternoon) and the modern symphonic piece Những Bước Chân Của Rồng (The Dragon’s Footsteps) for the V.League.

In early 2024, I began working with my production team — SlimV and Duy Sơn — on a more extensive project. It still focuses on the community, but with a deeper personal imprint, especially as 2025 is a meaningful year for our country. I also realised it was time for a project that would carry my creative spirit forward. More importantly, I wanted to express my gratitude as a Vietnamese citizen through what I do best: music. That’s how The Heart of Vietnam came to life.

You’ve mentioned this song was shaped by both domestic and international journeys. How long did it take to write, and what were the challenges, if any?

I had the song nearly completed by mid-2024. But with a profound theme like 'the homeland', I felt my writing wasn’t yet deep enough — it lacked emotional maturity. So I decided to travel more, to see Việt Nam from different perspectives.

Over the past 20 years of working in music, I’ve had the privilege of travelling extensively, meeting Vietnamese people across the country and abroad, hearing countless stories and witnessing many lives. But it wasn’t until a summer trip last year that I felt I had fully internalised all those emotions. That experience gave me what I needed to complete the song.

The very first melodies came to me during a quiet morning as I was taking my children to school and looked into their eyes. I finished the final notes of the song in London, during a Europe tour in late July last year.

 

Why did you choose such a socially and nationally conscious theme, instead of something more personal or everyday?

Looking back on my career, one thing is clear: I only write well when I’m deeply moved from within. In my twenties, when I was caught up in the chaos of love, I wrote love songs quite successfully. But after I got married, I found it difficult to write about love in the same way—those emotions no longer resonated. So for years, I wrote nothing at all.

Then, when I became a father, inspiration from family life allowed me to write songs like Mình Đi Đâu Thế Bố Ơi (Where Are We Going, Dad?) and Tôi Muốn Về Nhà (I Want to Go Home). Now, at this stage in life, I feel a growing urge to write about society, the country—topics bigger than myself. With more life experience and a sense of responsibility as a grown man in society, I find myself reflecting on what I’ve gained and lost. Feeling grateful for something as simple as waking up each morning and seeing my peaceful homeland, I began to wonder what I could give back. That question ignited something inside me — and the melodies came.

The EP also includes two more songs: Welcome to Vietnam and Vietnam’s Smile. How are they different from The Heart of Vietnam?

If The Heart of Vietnam is a soft ballad born from personal emotion and gratitude toward the country, then Vietnam’s Smile is a celebration of the Vietnamese people — their warmth, their joy, their resilience. It honours the kind of everyday faces you can meet on any street in Việt Nam.

Welcome to Vietnam, on the other hand, is a warm invitation to the world — a musical message that showcases a dynamic, open and welcoming Việt Nam.

Many Vietnamese artists are now creating modern music that expresses patriotism and promotes Vietnamese culture. Do you see yourself as part of that trend? How do you view this movement?

As I said, most of what I do is driven by internal motivation. If this is part of a broader trend, I’d say I didn’t consciously follow it — it just happened naturally. That said, I fully respect and appreciate this movement.

This project started simply with personal questions I asked myself every day. When those questions became too big to ignore, I searched for answers. The Heart of Vietnam is one of those answers.

And yes, it’s a privilege to be part of a growing, positive musical wave — especially during a time of national transformation. Writing music that contributes to this beautiful cultural momentum is an honour. It helps me feel that I’m living the most meaningful part of being an artist.

What are your plans after this project?

I’m aware that I’ve received so much from life. Giving back through heartfelt, meaningful music is something I’ve done, am doing, and will continue to do — quietly and consistently. Some people may notice it; others may not. But to me, simple moments like taking my child to the stadium and hearing my music echo among thousands of football fans — that’s an irreplaceable kind of happiness.

Currently, I’m touring both domestically and internationally. I’m also producing music for various partners — especially in sports, which is something I’m truly passionate about. VNS